Topic: Amethyst cased and cut glass jug

[flying free]

Oh I can see the facet cuts parts on the handle now.  Apologies.
So it has a flat part on the top of the handle for the thumb.

[bat20]

Yup ,and that flat cut at the bottom of the handle you see on regancy cut glass handles

[flying free]

This is the Richardson candlestick blue over clear overlay from c.1844 (lenses cut all around the foot) - it's the one shown on page 83 of C Hajdamach British Glass

https://www.blackcountryhistory.org/collections/getrecord/DMUSE_ST235

[bat20]

Nice piece m,sounds like it was tricky to tell between bohemian,French and English as the craze moved on.Here a better photo of the type of wear on the base ,probably accumulated from being dusted every now and then as it’s in a hardly used condition .

[flying free]

Just some thoughts:

1) Hajdamach says on page 82
'The earliest English designs for cased glass appear in the Richardson pattern books about 1844 (Plate 57).  ... At the Manchester Exhibition of 1845-1846 Richardson's displayed blue, green and red cased glass described as 'laudable attempts to rival the produce of Bohemia' (Plate 59).'

I don't know who wrote the report about the Manchester Exhibition, however Bohemian cased glass of that period and earlier included triple overlay items (See Farbenglas 1 page 111 for examples dating to 'before 1837')  and was imho incredible in it's production and execution and colours.  So is  the word laudable is doing a lot of heavy lifting in that reporters comments?  For example at the Great Exhibition in 1851 the reporters were still commenting on how English coloured glass was not as good as Bohemian coloured glass.

Anyway, my point is that for it to have been by Richardson date wise it is likely to have been post about 1844.

2) Bohemian glass of the later decades was still using the traditional methods of cutting and faceting handles and shapes so dating them by those attributes alone would be difficult.  The whole object, it's base, it's rim, the colour, the design of the shape and the design of the pattern cutting need to be taken together in the round.
 I have seen cased Bohemian glass with a large polished pontil on the base dating to c.1850s/60s.  Annathal used a large polished pontil mark as did Buquoy.  I have two pieces which are triple overlay and definitely Bohemian. They date to 1850/1860 and have a large polished pontil mark on the base. Also a perfume bottle, Bohemian probably Steinschonau that dates to c.1845 that has a large polished base and a polished pontil mark.

It's not that easy to pin these things down.

3) The colour - it's amethyst:

This information from Spiegl W - Glas-forschung 'Farbige Gläser' on page 25 discusses the difficulty of working with amethyst glass. 

http://www.glas-forschung.info/pageone/pdf/farbglas.pdf

I wonder then if perhaps your jug was made in a period when amethyst was being supplied ready made to be used?  Using ready made colours?  I can't quite remember how they work but there was a move from makers making their own colours in the batch, to using ready made colour at some point in the mid 1800s if I recall correctly.


m

[flying free]

In addition to my thoughts above, on the amethyst colour ... for example there are no items of amethyst glass in the Harrach book 'From Neuwelt to the Whole World'.  There is one becher on page on page 91 that is 'partly coated in violet lustre'.  It has a very thin flashing on three panels in transparent amethyst which have been finely engraved with flower bouquets. But there are no amethyst pieces and no overlay cut to clear pieces in amethyst.   

In Das Bohmische Glas Band II which covers the period 1825-1850, there are no amethyst overlay glass items at all. 
There are lilac coloured glasses made by Buquoy but they are Agatin glas (I'll try and find an example to show you). Link now here to a piece:
https://imkinsky.com/en/auction-results/124/649/4/72997
 I believe Buquoy offered a very wide range of colour development in their glass for that period.  It seems to be something they were known for.  But even these are Agatin glas, not amethyst cut to clear.

I don't think it was that easy to make and to maintain the colour in the first half 1800s ( though I know there were Regency? amethyst glass decanters if I recall correctly).

[bat20]

Yes ,I’ve been searching for amethyst cased glass for a few days and it’s defo the elephant in the room.Georgian all amethyst on the other hand abounds .In the Bohemia glass making area they started casing glass just after 1800..It’s an odd piece in a way,heavy with a slightly oversized handle and a lot of skilled work going into it ?You wouldn’t say elegant..maybe strong would be better…Or a missing link ??

[flying free]

Thanks for the input and I hope in my posts I haven’t come across as adamant about it’s attribution,it’s more about getting there in the end .We have a very thick handle with sharp cutting most commonly seen up to about 1830,mossy wear looking a tad older than 1930,anthemion motif (I think?)described as being used during the period Hajdamach describes in the chapter on ‘the bohemian connection ,in the same chapter plate 57 shows glass with similar cutting,with an obvious bohemian influence…Come on guys you know I’ve always had to learn the hard way !😂😂

I don't think it's an anthemion motif.  However that design of a wavy pattern of thin leaves was used in the 1820s in French enamelling and also on Bohemian enamelled glass.  I wouldn't say that puts your jug in the 1820s however that pattern was in use then.


And by the way, I could be wrong on all of these thoughts so I'm always open to correction

[Ekimp]

The leaves cut around the shoulder look like typical Intaglio type cuts, the technique between cutting and engraving supposedly developed by Northwood in around 1890. Ref Hajdamach pages 289-290.

[bat20]

Maybe arcanthus ??,Any thoughts are very welcome and many thanks for your input m,it’s given me loads to think about.