Topic: Small Opalescent Coralene Jar

[Ohio]

Hi, I picked this up today at a small estate sale. The executor held the sale & the lady made several trips to London in the 1960's & brought back a few things. There were a couple of pieces of what I though were Stevens & Williams, bit I ended up with this rather small opalescent coralene decorated jar. I bought it because of its small size at 4 1/4" in height & 3 1/4" diameter. I don't know if its British or ?, but the coralene is glass beading & was decently intact. Silver cleaned up OK, but no markings. My question is...what was something this small & delicate used for? Thanks for any opinions & thoughts.

[krsilber]

I know nothink!  But this reminds me of a heated discussion of the definition of coralene on another board many moons ago!  All started with Norman's Tiffin poppy vase...   

Gosh, I can be such a tiresome pedant about terminology.  I hope I've learned to mellow out a bit.

Something about that lid looks familiar.

[Bernard C]

Ken — That lid doesn't look English to me, and had it been English it would probably have carried either EPNS or Silver maker's marks.   Some years ago I had a couple of examples of Manchester late Victorian pressed through my hands, one Percival Vickers, the other Molineaux & Webb, both bought in France, and with similarly styled lids, which I assumed to be French.   If I remember correctly, the first I sold to the late Tom Percival, who agreed with me that it was good evidence of Manchester glass, made for the electroplate trade, being sold to French metalbashers for French-style mounting.

BTW much more likely to be electroplate than solid silver.   Don't know about the glass.

Bernard C. 

[Ohio]

Kristi let's put it this way...this is not the powered glass & epoxy of McCourt Studios AKA Peacock Products. It is fired on beading.

[Ohio]

Thanks Bernard. You're correct about the silver...its certainly not quality & I'm certain its probably an electroplate as you pointed out. I guess it may simply be a decorative whimsey jar that has no feasible purpose. I was a bit intrigued by the small size...that was the main reason I picked it up. Photos don't show it, but its a pale opalescent shading a bit on the blue side if you get it in the sun however not alot of sun out today. Hey I appreciate your thoughts & expertise. Ken

[Lustrousstone]

For Gentleman's Relish or something similar perhaps that was served and used in small quantities but that required an airtight lid.

[Bernard C]

...   You're correct about the silver...its certainly not quality & I'm certain its probably an electroplate as you pointed out.   ...

Ken — Please note that I do not equate good quality with solid silver / poor quality with silver plate — my experience is that quality, however you define it, is equally variable in both materials.

One further scrap of information, which I missed above.   The French? lid ornamentation on both the PV and M&W pieces was cast.   Is yours cast as well?

I was going to point out a rather lengthy topic with a coralene content for you, Ken, but I discovered that you were brave enough to participate!   Here it is for other readers — Burmese? ewer with enamel and gilt decoration.

Bernard C. 

[krsilber]

Kristi let's put it this way...this is not the powered glass & epoxy of McCourt Studios AKA Peacock Products. It is fired on beading.

Oh, I know!  I wasn't suggesting it was.  Just made me think back to it.

Bernard - I remember that thread, too - got into quite a discussion about "vaseline" that time!  Reminded me that lately I've noticed a lot more people referring to "uranium glass" rather than vaseline on the ebay PGP board when referring to non-yellow glass.  People are learning!

[Ohio]

Bernard...yes the finial? portion of the lid is indeed cast metal held in place by a screw to the disk portion of the lid. I should have noted that before in hindsight. Part of my problem seems to be that I'm a bit of a sucker for smaller items that are a bit different/strange.Three months ago I ran across this set of four yellow punch cups. They are of absolutely superb quality & measure 2 1/2" in height with a 3" diameter while the glass is 3/16" thick & heavy. These are 8 sided with a polished bottom & each panel is covered with very thick floral silver overlay & react to a blacklight. Thought originally by the shape of the handles they were US, but so far no success. Who knows...maybe one of these days I'll learn to pick up stuff that is known. Thanks Bernard. Ken

[Ohio]

Lustrousstone thanks for your abvice...helps since I'm not aware of the possible uses for items such as this. Ken