Topic: dog shaped decanter

[david31162]

Can anyone help me ID this?
It is very similar to the Kosta version but not exactly.
I also feel it may be older (wear and clour of glass).
Do you know if Kosta's decanter was a copy of an earlier design? Sorry for the poor photo only a few seconds of decent sunlight between the rain . Ill try again later.
Thanks
David.

[Della]

Hi David,

I saw this one a while ago: http://www.faglaviksglas.se/gamlaglas/11.JPG Made by Faglaviks, Sweden. There are similarities, but they aren't identical. It does go to show though, that there were other manufacturers of dog decanters.

[nigel benson]

Hello,

These were made from the 17th century onward and by countries throughout Europe. Sometimes with 'straight' legs sometimes, as with this example, curved under.

The likelihood is that this is a later version, say 1880 onward, but without handling it ............

They can be referred to as 'gin pigs', despite the similarity to a dog.

Nigel

[Pinkspoons]

I've always been confused as to why some folk call them 'gin pigs' (although it probably has something to do with the 'snapsegris' decanters which are shaped like pigs). The proper name is 'fyldehund'.

I'd agree with Nigel's estimate of 1880s onwards. In the book Dansk Glas: 1825 - 1925 there's an illustration of a similar form attributed to Aalborg Glasvaerk, 1885, although it seems that ones with the curled feet are traditionally Swedish.

Various Scandinavian (and probably European) glassworks were producing this form until at least the late 1970s, though.

[Frank]

Also produced in Russia

[alexander]

I'd say most likely Scandinavian, there is an almost identical dog in the book "Hadelands-glass 1850-1900".
That one is not definately identified as Hadeland but rather the caption says that these were made in all the nordic countries from 1880 onwards (paraphrased). The 1880 year mentioned in the book is derived from the first appearance in a pricelist.

The snout, to mee, suggests a more recent manufacture.

[Pinkspoons]

The proportions seem to be a little too erratic for a newer one (post-1930). All of the later ones I've seen are much more precise and to scale.

But it would be hard to tell either way without handling it.

[david31162]

 After finding some of the other names -gin pig ,fyldehund,I uncovered many more links to pictures of other similar dogs (and a range of other names for them). I think the general feeling is that it is earlier than the more recent productions by the scandinavian factories. They also seem to incorporate a 'frill' along the flank.

Many thanks for all your comments. David

[Pinkspoons]

After a bit of a hunt around, I found that a small gassworks in Denmark called Glasmageriet still produce these decanters. The proportions are fairly erratic (so my earlier assertion about linking form with date hould probably be amended), and there is no flanking frill.

The snout is fairly different to yours, though, and it doesn't have the optic ribbing that yours seems to have. But a fairly modern production might be back in the picture.

PS: You may also have some luck searching for 'snapsehund'.