Topic: cobalt blue eye bath

[ju1i3]

Paul was kind enough to share this eye bath with me and we're curious about it. Any ideas on date? It appears hand-blown and shaped, the cup pinches at the sides and the pedestal is hand-fashioned. (will add need another pic of that) As usual my camera has difficulty capturing that exact shade of cobalt blue with a bit of purple. It's just come out blue. About 7 cm tall, cup 4 cm wide.

thanks

[ju1i3]

this one on ebay looks exactly the same, I'm curious to see if it sells
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/252459634434?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

[Paul S.]

It seems that Graham has slipped off the radar for the time being - I did send him an off-Board note, but no reply yet.

C19 - Victorian is a rather wide time span - but I've really no knowledge of these things, so unable to comment, although wouldn't have thought pre 1820.              Should have looked a bit closer at this one, but don't now remember if it appeared to have been made along lines similar to a drinking glass............    in three parts  ....... or not.
I think there is definitely a market for such things  -  they do get a mention in the books, albeit not too often.

[ju1i3]

No, that one did not sell but has been relisted. Just out of interest I searched for completed listings. Looks like unless they are unusual the market for eye baths is quite depressed, similar to the jelly/custard cups.

I tried taking some more pics, I hope they show it's a bit wonky - which I love - shows a piece was handmade, but not sure they are any better than my other pics. Certainly looks like could have been made in 3 parts.

[barnsite]

Hi, sorry for the delay!

My best guess

Okay, hand blown, date would be mid - late 19th Century - I've not bought or sold for quite a while, but I would expect the value to be approx £15 - £20

Values are age / design and colour based, from cheapest being clear, then blue, then green, then amber (with china ones right across the range depending).  Some early plastic ones have some value dependent on branding.

Within the colour parameters, stemmed, tend to be more valuable and obviously hand blown are at the higher end.

You can easily get carried away with collecting if you're not careful... I had over 300 at one point and all different

[ju1i3]

Just watching Antiques Roadshow (from 2-10-2016) on iplayer and Andy McConnell discusses a collection of eye baths from minute 16 (if one doesn't want to watch the whole program).

[ju1i3]

should have included the link http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b07y708n/antiques-roadshow-series-39-6-arley-hall-2

[brucebanner]

Looks like a £30 one to me, I sold ten last year late Victorian they went all over the world, Spain, Japan, America, Australia even the newer moulded ones I have sold eventually go,  like Andy said the market is massive, there was one on the antiques road show with a yellow pearlescent rim I thought looked a £60 one.

They do not take up much space even 300 would fit on four big shelves.

I think sugar bowls could be a good thing to collect there are thousands of them and even hand blown decorated ones fetch hardly anything.

[Paul S.]

couldn't agree more.......               I guess you could do both eyes at the same time, but wouldn't you spill a lot of water when tilting them over the eye

[ju1i3]

I can attest to the often low price of these items. I bought this on ebay recently which came in a lot with 3 items. One was a small ceramic pot which is now potted up with small bulbs in the cellar, another I threw away. This eyebath has a molded pedestal but a shaped cup. Price for all 3: £1