Topic: Unusual green clambroth/jadite glass stand/holder id help?

[DeanK]

Hello everyone,

I have just purchased a very unusual (at least to me) green glass stand or holder of some sort that has me quite puzzled as to it's exact function and certainly to it's manufacturer and age.  When I purchased the piece the thrift shop I purchased it from had it reversed with the wider base up to appear as a small compote.  I noticed though that the seals were actually upside down and it didn't make sense till I turned it the other way round.  I then saw that it had a small concave bowl top that looked to be meant to hold a round object on it's top (making perfect sense that the seals would be balancing the object on their noses, such as circus seals do).  I also confirmed this when I saw that the base had a lot of good honest wear scratching to the bottom rim.  My questions for anyone generous enough with their time and knowledge are: Does anyone know who made this piece and it's approximate age?  Does anyone in fact know it's specific purpose?  And, is this correctly referred to as clambroth or jadeite glass or other?  The piece measures 4 3/4" base diameter x 3 1/4" at the top small bowl x 2 3/4" in height.  I truly appreciate any help and insight for my little piece...I'll try to attach some images to help with id.

Thank-you in advance,

DeanK

[Ohio]

These have been around for years & have yet to be attributed, but are supposedly from the late 30's. They have been found in green opaque, pink opaque & black. They are a pin or ring dish.  Ken

[DeanK]

Hello Ken,

Thank-you very much for replying!  I appreciate your time and expertise.  It's funny, that's one of the things that came to mind while I was trying to determine what it was used for. I couldn't stop thinking that perhaps it might have been designed to hold a ball shaped "whimsy" of some sort such as another piece of orb shaped glass for display.  Good to get feedback from others of what these were for.  I've been dealing in antiques (general antiques, not just glass) for many many years and hadn't come across one before.  It does make a wonderful ring tray though.  Perhaps they were made as part of a dresser set.

I'm so glad I found this forum to ask about the piece.  I'll know where to come to look for advice in the future when I come across another "mystery" piece    I'm usually quite good at researching items but this one really had me stumped!

best regards,

DeanK

[Bernard C]

These have been around for years & have yet to be attributed, but are supposedly from the late 30's. They have been found in green opaque, pink opaque & black.   ...

DeanK & Ken — If that's a minimum age, i.e. "Over 70 years", they could be ostrich egg stands, or, just possibly, pineapple stands.

Bernard C. 

[DeanK]

These have been around for years & have yet to be attributed, but are supposedly from the late 30's. They have been found in green opaque, pink opaque & black.   ...

DeanK & Ken — If that's a minimum age, i.e. "Over 70 years", they could be ostrich egg stands, or, just possibly, pineapple stands.

Bernard C. 

Hello Bernard, That's sort of the line of thought that occurred to me when I found the piece.  I just assumed it was a stand and meant to hold something.  I thought if it was meant to hold rings or was a pin dish the base seemed so large for it's purpose.  Not to say it isn't but it seemed sort of unusually large to be that.  Interesting that it might have been used for an old fashioned style ostrich egg stand or pineapple stand....I had even thought originally a glass ball shaped item such as a crystal ball stand such as a fortune teller would have used.

I also had the thought that it might have been a ring/pin dish lid to a larger jar (dresser jar ?) but the base wear and shape does not suggest that very strongly.

Just to add to my description, and I'm not sure it is evident in the photos but the piece is a molded piece showing faint mold lines just below the seals tails on the base.  It reminds me more of an American made piece but I am not knowledgeable enough to tell for sure.

Thanks for your thoughts.  Certainly something to keep in mind.

regards,

DeanK