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Glass Identification - Post here for all ID requests => Glass => Topic started by: mrs vulture on February 03, 2009, 04:05:03 PM

Title: cut glass items?
Post by: mrs vulture on February 03, 2009, 04:05:03 PM: Hello, I bought this pretty pair of things the other day. The lady in the shop had no idea what they are for. Everybody has been guessing their use but nothing seems right. Some people thought they were for some type of cards or napkins. Somebody suggested for olives and put the pips in the bottom, or toothpick holders and put theused ons in the bottom. I thought maybe for cigarettes and an ashtray underneath but that sounds yuk!! They are about 4 and a half inches tall and the base is curved upwards. The pattern is clearer than the photo shows and one is slightly bigger than the other. Any ideas would be most welcome. Please see pics below. Thanks Cheryl.

http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w97/cheryl1300/001.jpg

http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w97/cheryl1300/002.jpg
Title: Re: cut glass items?
Post by: dirk. on February 03, 2009, 04:29:59 PM: hello Cheryl,
i´m not sure about their origin or age, but i´d definitely say they were meant for visiting cards.
Title: Re: cut glass items?
Post by: norcalglassman on February 03, 2009, 05:03:29 PM: Good morning from sunny California. USA.
I’m no expert on cut glass, but back in the day when so many people smoked there was lots of items made for holding cigarettes for your guest. I would think your beautiful cut glass "could" be a holder and person ashtray.. It would be placed around the home for guest to enjoy a smoke along with their brandy.
Just more of a thought that could add keywords for a search.
Good luck.
Tim
Title: Re: cut glass items?
Post by: pamela on February 03, 2009, 05:28:50 PM: may we have a photo of the base, Cheryl, please? stem and base perhaps mould pressed?

tempted to agree both with Dirk AND Tim - the base speaks for Tim, the container speaks for Dirk :huh:
Title: Re: cut glass items?
Post by: mrs vulture on February 03, 2009, 06:53:57 PM: Hello, Thanks for your replies so far, I've taken a couple more pictures for you. As you can see the stems are of slightly different sizes, one is slightly longer and thinner than the other. Hope this helps. Cheryl

http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w97/cheryl1300/glassbase001.jpg

http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w97/cheryl1300/base001.jpg
Title: Re: cut glass items?
Post by: pamela on February 03, 2009, 07:46:15 PM: as presumed, stem at least applied, base too? VERY EARLY IRISH?
Title: Re: cut glass items?
Post by: pamela on February 03, 2009, 07:49:07 PM: very early Irish meant 18th century
Title: Re: cut glass items?
Post by: Lustrousstone on February 03, 2009, 08:19:16 PM: I think the fact that you have two says they are individual cigarette holders. Visiting cards were just left in trays and wouldn't have been a standard size and were kept in little cases.
Title: Re: cut glass items?
Post by: norcalglassman on February 03, 2009, 09:36:33 PM: Just one last note. Lisa looked at them and besides loving them very much, She feels the bottom foot would have held the matches and that would go alone with 18 century cigarette holders.
Lisa & Tim
Title: Re: cut glass items?
Post by: Lustrousstone on February 04, 2009, 07:45:00 AM: No, that can't see them being that old. Much more likely end of 19th century/first half of 20th century when cigarette smoking became popular and widespread, although I would go for 20th century personally, there's not enough wear. We need a cut glass expert :)
Title: Re: cut glass items?
Post by: krsilber on February 05, 2009, 12:39:40 AM: This is a typical shape for cigarette holders, at least in the US. Beyond that, I just don't know. I agree with Christine, they aren't earlier than late 19th C.
Title: Re: cut glass items?
Post by: glass on February 07, 2009, 09:48:32 PM: Hi Mrs Vulture, I think these are great and very unusual, Theres two types in this shape 1) Pinched glass posy holder 2) Toothpick holder.

Posy holders tend to be a bit more curved and have arched rims whereas toothpick holders are more square with straight rims. The feet on yours are known as everted feet.

These are toothpick holders which were popular in the 1930s and were possibly made by Webb c1930. Thanks for showing them. :thup:
Title: Re: cut glass items?
Post by: Lustrousstone on February 08, 2009, 02:19:17 PM: It's not a very practical shape for toothpicks, it's too wide, once it began to get empty they would fall sideways and be hard to get out. It's also not a shape you could arrange flowers in, even violets, you would have to ram them in completely upright. I know some of the frogs are designed for short stems but they are meant for arrangements of flower heads, and you wouldn't get more than two in one of these.

It is however a known shape for cigarette holders cf Royal Brierley pattern no 65669
Title: Re: cut glass items?
Post by: glass on February 08, 2009, 04:42:28 PM: I always thought cigarette holders had wider feet.

I've uploaded a couple of pictures of a Victorian amber pinched glass posy holder.

Thanks
Title: Re: cut glass items?
Post by: mrs vulture on February 08, 2009, 05:12:42 PM: HI, I've certainly prompted some different answers!! They have become a talking point at home too . The age of these appears to be widely ranging to say the least, and their use is still baffling me!!! I had got used to the idea of them being cigarette holders, now they could be posy holders or toothpick holders. I agree that to put toothpicks in them would be awkward because they would fall in the bottom, and flowers seem an odd thing to put in such a shape too. So I'm back to where I started not knowing. This web site is great though, at least people give their honest opinions and all answers are really welcome. Cheryl