Glass Message Board
Glass Identification - Post here for all ID requests => Glass => Topic started by: essi on March 15, 2023, 06:59:10 PM
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The colour of this dish reminded me of Stromberg glass but i have been looking at there catalogues and can not find such a thing.
It is 158mm in diameter and 70mm high.
Polished pontil mark and wear on the base.
Any thoughts on its purpose or who manufactured it gratefully appreciated.
Tim
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First thought was a lid …then read the bit about the wear on the base ? ..ashtray with a stubber ?
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Thanks for the reply.
I never thought of the central feature as a stubber.
An ashtray had crossed my mind and the central feature was a more hygienic method of picking it up ?
I saw some pressed glass ashtrays with a central lifter.
Feels a nice piece of glass in the hand.
Tim
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I wouldn't have thought ashtray to be honest as any cig would just slide straight into it without notches on the edge.
It could be, but would have been a very annoying item to use!
Desk tidy? paperweight with upper side for paperclips etc? bowl for olives?
m
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A linen smoother?
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Good shout Ekimp but I'm not sure the short handle and shape fit with that. I don't know for sure though and the only reason I'm commenting is that I have a very old linen smoother (black glass, 1800s maybe older) and did lots of reading into this because I also acquired a paperweight that I thought might be a glass linen smoother type thing. Paperweight turned out to be just a paperweight with a knop handle. Funnily enough the linen smoother/paperweight shape is what made me suggest paperweight with area for paper clips.
The Corning do show this one with a short handle however because of the convex curve of the body I can imagine being able to use this to smooth. It would hold well with a flat hand pushing down on the surface. Essi's shape wouldn't work because of the concave shape I don't think?
https://www.cmog.org/artwork/linen-smoother
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Just a guess :) I had a quick look online before posting and didn’t think it looked that much like others. I suppose the knob on the top must be about 4cm diameter so that could go in your palm with the stem between your fingers, so you could press down and slide it around.
It’s not very decorative for a desk paperweight? Maybe for sewing - to hold cloth in place while being pinned with pins held in the tray (if that’s a thing).
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It would get in the way of being able to get a pin placed correctly to hold bits of material together.
Something for the kitchen? Not that I can think of anything more than something to flatten shortbread with and I've never heard of shortbread flatteners. ;D
I do think it is a flattener of some sort. :)
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Thanks to everyone for there input.
After looking at linen smoothing images on line I'm coming round to that train of thought.
Ekimp, the knob on top is 40mm diameter and in between the the thumb and the index finger it feels just right to be making large sweeping movements they speak about for
smoothing linen. the recess in the top allows the other fingers some space.
The large bottom edge radius would aid the smoothing.
I will try and get a picture of the bottom wear marks as i have convinced myself that there are lines in the wear and not the normal matt finish you see.
What i have written above may be complete nonsense but food for thought.
Tim
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What about a flattener for burgers?
Take a metal ring, shove the measure of meat paste into that, then tamp it down into shape with this, which would fit inside the ring?
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Info on linen smoothers here:
http://www.theglassmakers.co.uk/pdffiles/linensmoothers.pdf
Mine is possibly 19th century. It's extremely heavy - weighs a ton. It's a cross between top right and middle left examples on page 4. It has a horizontal ribbed very thick handle. Worn matt smooth at the bottom and came from Scotland.
It looks like this one but hasn't been buried so is sheeny black with very worn matt middle of the underneath base.
https://www.museumoflondon.org.uk/discover/can-you-solve-three-mysteries-archive
There is also this one on this museum website - :
http://www.futuremuseum.co.uk/collections/people/lives-in-key-periods/archaeology/early-medieval-%28400ad-1099ad%29/vikings/domestic/linen-smoother,-gribdae-farm.aspx
Here is some research I made into the Gribdae Farm linen smoother:
https://www.glassmessages.com/index.php/topic,64233.msg359961.html#msg359961
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Essi says there is a polished pontil mark, so if that is concave it might make it unsuitable for pressing things like pastry or burgers?
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Indeed, and thanks for pointing that out.
I got carried away. :-\
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It was the thought of burgers with shortbread after ;D
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A lid for a tobacco or pharmacy jar?
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Thanks for the links to the linen smoothers information.
I had a look at glass jar lids earlier and they all seem to have a certain diameter on the base to fit into the jar.
what ever this is,it does not seem to have had a hard life. wear on the outer ring of the base but no other marks or blemishes.
That was a reason why i did not think it was an ashtray.
It does not have the look of an old item of glass, but who would be making linen smoothers in the last 50 or 60 years?
The item weighs 1.072 kgs/ 2 lbs 6 ounces.
Tim
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That's heavy.
I just think the short knop doesn't work for linen smoothing. Ergonomically I can understand a) a very old slickstone (one with no handle),hand held from top and well controlled, and b) one with a long handle like the ones I've shown, gripped around the handle so able to be well controlled, but with the short knop you'd be holding it between thumb and forefinger and I think that would be uncomfortable to use or gripping the knop and that wouldn't give you enough pressure and would be really tiring to use.
A puzzle :)
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Dragging myself away from food ::) what about something for pressing the paper over an etched something to make prints? In the absence of a pressing machine. Or the thing for spreading the ink or paint on the etched/scratched something? Perhaps for something more like Lino cuts than copper etching. :)
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If the top of the knop is completely flat then I think this could be a pipe knocker.
no idea if this really is a pipe knocker but here's another example;
https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/1113721185/vintage-lead-crystal-cut-glass-pipe
m
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Thanks again for the interest shown. Sue, there are some very similar looking items that are used for pigment making .
They are called mullers. These have a flat surface on the base for grinding the powders. My pontil mark rules this item out as a muller.
M, very good spot on that pipe stand. Looking at my glass again it does have a slight flat at the top.
Sorry about the poor quality photo's.
Tim
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I knew about them as used to have one from Stevens and Williams. Well ... at the time I also didn't know what it was but someone emailed to tell me.
It just suddenly occurred to me this evening that yours may be that and I found that one as an example (no idea if the seller is correct mind you). Mine was a very different shape so I can't compare but I think that's what it is.
m
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copper 1920s version here - signed
https://www.bidsquare.com/online-auctions/california-historical-design---ac-stickley/roycroft-hammered-copper-pipe-knocker-c1920s-2961318
And another Mahogany version here:
https://www.rubylane.com/item/632271-0010548/c1900-1940-Mahogany-Turned-Wood-Pipe
I suppose it could have been the lid of a tobacco jar with integral pipe knocker as it were?
https://www.arnoldauction.com/lot/70708-195392-121513/antique-glass-humidor-tobacco-jar-pat-dec-7--1915/
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Looking for something else I found this site:
https://www.hardernet.dk/
I can't link the item itself but if you look in the art glass section, towards the bottom on the left is a "Sumatra askebaeger hvidt glas m.pibe bank", roughly a white glass ashtray with pipe bank, by Michael Bang, Holmegaard.
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My vote is for the pipe knocker. ;D
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Here it is:
https://www.hardernet.dk/Artglass/Sumatra_3410160_askebaeger-Michael_Bang_HG_1977.htm
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:D Not only the object's purpose sorted, I have been convinced since m suggested it, you've even found what appears to be the maker and designer, Nev. Well done.
Can we take the rest of the day off? ;D
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Great job Nev for finding that image and to M for pointing us in that direction.
And thanks to everyone for the input into this mystery.
It's always great to get an attribution.
Tim
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fabulous find Nev.
It's been a good bit of sleuthing for the glass board:)
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I've really enjoyed it and the company of all contributors. ;D
Lots of interesting rabbit holes found along the way too. 8)
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Pure luck, I was looking for Aarhus glass.
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Not forgetting the first reply from bat20, an ashtray with stubber.
Excellent job all round.
Tim