Topic: opaline/vitrified glass bowl for id ID = S & W 'Alabaster' base, unmatching lid

[Paul S.]

sold to me as a butter dish, with the top as shown  -  which I suspect has nothing remotely to do with the bowl.    Translucent, and with the inclusion of quite a few small bubbles  -  diameter is something like 6"/150mm.   The almost jade coloured foot has a good quality ground/polished pontil, and there is heavy wear showing on the flat - which would indicate some considerable age, probably.  Do people think this 'inset' rim means there was a purpose made lid originally??            I'm outside my area completely on 'opaline/vitrified/alabaster', but it certainly has some appearance of similarity with pieces shown in Manley  -  am I correct in thinking it may also look not unlike some Nason (Muranco)  -  with this almost pastel colouring??       Unfortunately, the inside shows some sickness/water staining, with a liquid level 'line' a little below the pinching of the rim.
Anyone like to commit themselves to an id and/or age  -  and thanks as always for looking.

[Ivo]

The lid does not seem to go with the lower half  - there seem to be two different techniques which is quite unlikely. The material is opaline, so it could be French or Italian - and it may have had a silver flat lid at one stage, now replaced with a pressed (yes?) Lid which might have started life as part of a coffee maker. Do check the lid carefully. Do I see pres seams??

[Paul S.]

yes, you're quite right of course about the lid being pressed (two part mould I believe) - and I didn't comment on the lid, as I was convinced the two parts were un-related, and it was the bowl only that warranted interest (being a lot older than the lid - I'm sure).      It may well have been a butter dish with a metal lid as you suggest, and the French I believe made some of the best opaline.       Believe I'm correct in suggesting that the bowl would have been mould blown  -  then re-attached at the foot by a pontil rod  in order to cut/fire polish the rim  -  and finally snapped from the pontil rod so that the pontil 'mark' can be ground/polished.    I had wondered initially if the bowl might have been C19  -  but I suspect not.   

[nigel benson]

 
The base is a standard shape for a S&W lidded dish from the Alabaster range. The correct lid is missing, so you only have half the item I'm afraid. Ivo is quite right, pressed and wrongly matched.

There's a whole section on it in "The Crystal Years", where it explains that it originally began in 1914, but continued variously until about 1938 - so not C19th !!

Nigel

[Paul S.]

thanks.......the moment I saw this at the boot sale, it seemed apparent that the two parts were very unrelated, but for £1. I couldn't resist what seemed a potentially interesting item.     In view of your comments regarding 'The Crystal Years', I have this morning now purchased a copy from Abe Books, so look forward to reading more about this material.       I have also now thrown the lid into the recycling box, although doubt very much that I will find the correct one at next Sunday's boot sale, especially as we have a member who is giving out the location to all and sundry