Topic: Whitefriars boxed set of cut champagne flutes

[Bernard C]

See Whitefriars Presentation / Gift Boxed 6 x Cut Champagne Flutes for set of images.   Click on any main image to enlarge.

Box marked with gilt stylised monk (1963 on) and "Whitefriars / English / hand made crystal".   Measures 16"x10½".

Typical glass h. 7", foot d. 2½", weight 7½oz 216g.   Main pattern repeat 14, flake cuts 6, base star 24 points.

I've been through the post 1963 catalogues on the Whitefriars website twice now, but haven't found this pattern, although I could easily have missed it, particularly if it was shown on a different object and/or inverted, as sometimes happens on decanters.   The pattern comprises three interlocking rows of diamonds.   The middle row has a single vertical cut in each diamond, which is continued up, nearly to the rim with a single vertical cut in the valleys of the top row of diamonds.   At the junction of stem and bowl are six flake cuts.   The base star extends nearly to the edge.    Anyone know the pattern number and catalogue date?

Occasionally I've seen "Gift" boxes in the Whitefriars catalogues, but, from memory, these usually contain pairs, not sixes.   Boxed sets of six champagnes may have been marketed using different terminology such as "Presentation" rather than "Gift".   Enlightenment welcomed.

A further possibility is that the pattern and/or the box may have been an exclusive for one particular important buyer, so may not appear in the trade catalogues.

Any help or ideas welcomed.

Finally, I've tried one of these glasses with the nearest fizzy drink available (sparkling water) and it was a delight to hold and drink from.

Thanks for your interest,

Bernard C. 

[vidrioguapo]

Are you sure there is not a pattern number on the box Bernard? Quite often there was.

[Bernard C]

Emmi — I've unpacked (very very carefully) everything as much as possible, looking for any sort of mark or one of those little pattern number labels you sometimes see on Whitefriars glass, but nothing, nothing at all.   I made sure that the glasses went back into their original positions in the box as I've been caught before when each space in a box had been tailored to fit each individual glass.   It took a long time to get that set fitting properly again.   If my maths is correct there are 720 different ways of arranging six glasses in a box!

So no luck there.

Have you seen such boxed sets of six before?

By the way it's the first time I've had all six out together.   They look fantastic — restrained, elegant and really classy.

Bernard C. 

[Antwerp1954]

Your maths is indeed correct. There are indeed 720 permutations.

[Bernard C]

One further trawl through the catalogues on whitefriars dot com and, third time lucky, 1972 catalogue only, C624 BACCHUS.

I can't be certain whether my glasses are large or small wines, but I prefer large wine as the main pattern repeat seems to be a slightly better match.   Something like a contemporary Whitefriars price list might show exact measurements and resolve this.

The catalogue entry seems to indicate that C624 BACCHUS was sold exclusively gift boxed.   Was that realistic?

That's all,

Bernard C. 

[vidrioguapo]

Well done Bernard, those catalogue trawls can be a nightmare......looking at your box it does seem to be a "gift box" which would probably account for the lack of a number on it.  I haven't see this type of gift box before, so that in itself is something unusual, and possibly not realisitic from a commercial point of view. Sorry cannot help further.

[Bernard C]

Emmi — thanks for your kind comments.

I had a search around the Internet, and found that a set of C624 BACCHUS liqueurs was sold on ebay in May 2011.   Smaller box, same gold logo and text, even the same colour satin liner.   This gift boxed set came with a "plastic insert", missing from mine, that presumably detailed information like the pattern number and name.

Unfortunately the copyright status of the image shown is, at best, questionable.   Also there is no way of contacting the copyright owner.   It does serve to remind us of the importance of watermarking any images you put up on ebay, and of opting out of ebay's default system of presuming their ownership of your images and selling them.

Bernard C.