Glass Message Board
Glass Discussion & Research. NO IDENTIFICATION REQUESTS here please. => USA => Topic started by: cagney on June 16, 2024, 12:10:11 PM
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Strawberry diamond & fan with blazed punties. One of a handful of patterns that consistently show up in American cut glass from roughly the 1820-1840 period. Usually attributed to a Pittsburgh manufacturer. The shape and construction of the blown blank [three parts] bowl, stem and foot also typical for the period. In this case the foot has a ground/polished foot ring with extensive wear. Approx. 8 5/8" wide [21.9 cm] and 6"tall [15.2 cm].
I always wanted one of these early compotes for my collection but the cost was prohibitive [usually $300.00 at auction]. Got lucky on eBay as they were selling it as pressed glass and nobody else noticed.
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Some more of this pattern in different forms. Decanter, jellies, wines and a tumbler
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Nice find :)
I have no idea who Pittsburgh makers might have been. Was Pittsburgh a big glass making area and do you have any idea who candidates might have been for your bowl?
m
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By mid 19th century Pittsburgh was the epicenter of glassmaking in U.S.A. From Bakewells factory beginnings in 1809 it grew exponentially. In 1880 the U.S census took a special interest in the industry .Their findings are telling. Of the 91 establishments producing tableware in the U.S.A. [ pressed and luxury table glass] 30 were located in Pittsburgh and environs.
Bakewell would be the obvious attribution for this compote, the probem is there were probably a handful of other co. producing the same article in this period.
Enter "Pittsburgh in the search function at CMOG you will get results that give a sort of overview. 19 pages some extraneous.
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ooh I looked into Bakewell (?Pears) when I was investigating a goblet c.1850.
I didn't actually manage to come up with very many items but I liked the ones I saw. Heavy, substantial and well designed pieces.
I'll have another search when I get a minute. Thanks :)
m
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Another compote in the same patternhttps://metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/16738 (https://metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/16738)
Decanter rich cut [ faceted neck rings, star cut foot, etc.] https://artgallery.yale.edu/collections/objects/58047 (https://artgallery.yale.edu/collections/objects/58047)
The smallest cut glass three ring decanter I have ever seen from this period. It literally fits inside a cut tumbler of the same period.
Still have a photo of your goblet. They are kinda rare in American cut glass from this period.
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oh the goblet turned out to be Saint-Louis but I originally thought it was American. I can't quite remember now why I looked up Bakewell Pears but in the end I wrote to maybe the Boston and Sandwich curator(?) and they said not theirs.
Thanks for the extra photographs. I wonder why the small decanter is so small and what it was to hold? Perhaps a one person whisky decanter?
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I really don't know. I will say it approximates the size of several different forms [bitters and colognes] but does not conform to any I have seen. I think it an actual decanter. Whatever it was meant to hold was probably very dear or expensive, or both.