Topic: Regency salt cellar - do you agree?

[chilternhills]

I found this yesterday in a shop that does house clearances. I didn't know what it was other than likely a salt cellar. Amazingly, I found what seems an identical one in the collection of Montacute House, Somerset. Please see here:

https://www.nationaltrustcollections.org.uk/object/597427

The friezes are crisply cut, but the star on the underside seems purely moulded. The salt measures 5.5 cm high, 7 cm wide, and 4.8 cm deep. It's quite heavy and probably lead crystal.

The Montacute House example is described as "Regency cut glass salt on circular foot." Do you agree with that? Old glass is not my thing, but I just liked the look of it.

Any further information you can give is much appreciated.

Anton

[chilternhills]

I've cleaned it since taking the photos 

[Ekimp]

If it’s cut around the sides but you can see the bottom is pressed, then it’s likely a figured blank.

It looks like it’s probably much more modern, for cigarettes, and fits on top of an ashtray. The set is shown on this eBay listing, the two parts do look like they belong together:

https://www.ebay.ie/itm/284818547737

[chilternhills]

Hmmm. So why did Montacute House think it was a Regency salt? The National Trust can usually rely on good advice. Maybe I should go directly to them and ask.

[glassobsessed]

A perfect match for the ebay item, they do look deep for a salt. Would the higher walls make it hard to get a pinch of salt from them?

John

[Lustrousstone]

I wouldn't rely on the National Trust for glass IDs; they only seem to know about really old glass and then only if it's in an inventory somewhere. I've seen some quite scarce identifiable stuff hidden in cupboards barely in sight

[chilternhills]

It's easy enough to reach the bottom with my fingers if it's a salt. If this is actually an ashtray why go to all the bother with the fine cutting on the sides? It seems too 'posh' to be used for cigarette ash!

[NevB]

It looks to have some age to me. Small salt spoons were commonly used.

[Ekimp]

If this is actually an ashtray why go to all the bother with the fine cutting on the sides? It seems too 'posh' to be used for cigarette ash!

If you do an image search for “vintage glass ashtray”, hardly any are just plain, they are nearly all decorative, either in cut or art glass styles. I assume your bowl is to hold the cigarettes, the dish it fitted into would be the ashtray.