Topic: what is the purpose of these dishes and how old.

[essi]

Same as Paul, just picked these up out of interest today.
To me the the cutting does not feel like it has been acid polished.
Plenty of tiny nibbles to the sides.
The base has a nice bit of wear.
70mm high and 100mm diameter at the top. Nice to have a pair.
Any input gratefully accepted.
Tim

[Ekimp]

They are nice, maybe related to my salt/sugar here: https://www.glassmessages.com/index.php/topic,73584.0.html

I said there about my bowl “I think it shares design aspects with the items from the Webb Richardson pattern book c.1830s, shown on pages 46 to 50 in British Glass by Hajdamach.”

Yours are probably salts. In the Hajdamach reference, plate 39 on page 50 shows Celeries with a similar rim to your bowls, I don’t think your bowls would look out of place in those pattern books.

[essi]

Thanks for the swift reply Ekimp, i looked in my Hajdamach book and there is certainly a strong likeness in those pattern books.
Nice to have an idea about the date.
Thanks again.
Tim

[Paul S.]

have a feeling there wasn't any acid polishing in the 1830s  -  this was something that came much later.      To remove the grinding marks and to polish cut glass, the workers would use various polishing compounds and this took time, so the speed of acid seemed to be like a godsend  -  the trouble is that it can wreck lungs and eyes if not handled with extreme care.
I think the suggestion of salts is very likely.