Topic: Rare 1840s Baccarat uranium glass becher -show and tell Launay Hautin 1841

[flying free]

yes from what I've read it seemed  there was a lot more Bohemian glass and some French glass coming this way than going back the other during that period.  But again, that's just my impression.  I don't have tonnage of imports to back up that surmise, though I think they do exist.  My impression from my readings over time is that it was a hay-day period for Bohemian glass and their exports (not pressed glass though).  Pressed glass seemed to be in ascendancy from Baccarat and Saint-Louis. 

I wondered when doing all my reading, whether the Hale Thomson patent was done because the technique was good for use on mirrors for example (that method was much more healthy as the previous method was poisoning the workers) and Belgium and France, where they registered their patent, was a big supplier/maker of mirrored glass. From reading the court reports on their case, it seemed they didn't have a problem popping across the channel to register their patent. There was no indication it was  a difficulty.  Also prior to 1850 they were using Bohemian glass and silvering the interiors and again there seemed to be no problem with supply. 

I think glass trade into England during that time (early 1800s to 1850)was big.  And part of that was possibly due to more attractive colour developments (certainly with Bohemian glass) but possibly also English development of coloured glass was restricted by the prohibitive tax up to the 1840s.

In the case of the Hale Thomson patented silvered glass there were lots of developments in that time for the use of mirrored glass for telescopes for example, so presumably they also wanted to register their patent to protect for a potential growth in that market. 

A little bit of information found in this 1853/1854 report on Bohemian glass exports
The World of Science Art and Industry page 222
https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/The_World_of_Science_Art_and_Industry_Il/Zjk_AAAAcAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=hock+glass+1837&pg=PA220&printsec=frontcover

Under the Section Heading ' The Austrian Empire':
'The manufacture of glass is one of the oldest and most extensive branches of industry in Bohemia; this country supplies more than half of what is produced in the Austrian Empire, and has long carried on an extensive trade with all parts of the world. In 1847, there were exported of hollow and table glass, 102,119 cwt; of cut and crystal-glass and mirrors 23,075 cwt,; of beads, artificial gems, &c., 5,619 cwt; of this amount, in each class, Bohemia contributed 88%.  The consumption of these articles at home is nearly equal to what is exported.'
[/color]
It then goes on to talk about the beauty and excellence of Bohemian glass ... as it did about German glass on the page previous.

That's a huge tonnage of exports.  [/color]

[cagney]

  Bohemian glass imported into U.S.A. in large quantities in the time period you mention. Many importers/dealers along the east coast in major cities. So popular with the buying public, American class companies took up the style and processes to stay competitive.
  A newspaper account from the Philadelphia Bulletin June 16,1852 states:
"A recent visit to Boston gave us an opportunity to visit the New England Glassworks which for the extent and variety of their operations probably surpass all others in the country. We were repeatedly struck with the fact new to us that most of the exquisite richly colored and decorated glassware which is so much admired under the name of "Bohemian Glass" is manufactured here. The variety and beauty of the articles manufactured there would scarcely be credited for one not a visitor; but we assure our readers that we saw many works that could not be surpassed in Bohemia or anywhere else in Europe. The various processes by which the different colors and rich gilding are produced, we are not prepared to describe; but they are produced in these works in the utmost perfection.

[flying free]

Thanks Cagney for adding this interesting information.

For discussion, just my thoughts :
I can believe the report but, in the same way I am with the English critics reports in the Arts Journal of the 1840s and 50s, I'm always suspicious of how absolutely fabulous these colours and designs actually were and in how great a quantity they were produced. Where are these examples?  I can understand that in sheer tonnage of Bohemian glass, there will be more around, however for example I remained mystified at the lack of identified coloured English 'Bohemian style glass' of this period.  And when I see what is available in museum collections, even more so, as by comparison it mostly just doesn't stand up to what had been produced in Bohemia. 

French glass of the early 19th is Gorge de Pigeon, amazing shades of blue and dichroic blue, turquoise, green, some rare yellow etc. and examples can be found and seen in museum collections. 
I don't see these amazing shades of colour etc in English glass collections really. But that could just be me.  I see quite a lot of clear glass, and white opaline glass that's been enamelled or decorated but apart from that not a lot else.

In the case of glass produced in England around that time, I do wonder if this is because of the tax laws up to the 1840s, which I think might have meant the development of coloured glass was held back by cost?  And then, by the time the tax laws were repealed in the mid late 1840s, the Bohemian early 19th century fashionable cut coloured glass market was, what? something like 30 years old already and going out of fashion.  Bohemian Biedermeier was out by 1850 and Rococo revival was back in.  I know fashions persist, but by 1850 this stuff was out of fashion and times had moved on.  So in the case of English glass I wonder if this is why there is so little around?  That is probably simplifying it and possibly there is much more English and American 'Bohemian style' glass out there but it still seems to be an opaque area in terms of formal identification.

So in that report from 1852 I wonder exactly what style of glass they were producing that was 'Bohemian style'?  'Bohemian style' I tend to read in my head as cut faceted Biedermeier style glass as that is how it's been described in Great Exhibition reports and Arts Journal reports I think from memory.  But perhaps that report meant something different in terms of style?  It's so difficult to tell without engravings to accompany the report really.

[cagney]

  As far as "Amero-Bohemian" glass , I think it relates to techniques rather than form. An influence if you will. Seems if it was overlayed [plated] and cut or engraved, gilded, or otherwise decorated in some technique associated with Bohemian glass that would suffice.The "style" had a longer life here in the states. A fair amount of kerosene lamp fonts [reservoirs] overlayed in one or more colors , cut and gilded still survive in numbers from the 1860s. Cologne bottles  and other accessories in many semi-opaque and transparent colors c.1840-1870 got the full treatment as well.
  The high praise given to the N.E.G. co. in the newspaper article is typical of the bias at the time toward American manufacturers.

 I would be curious to know your FIRST impression of the articles pictured.

[flying free]

Absolute first impressions:

1) The box looks quite like the design of a melon shaped box and underplate from the book Farbenglas 1 (Neuwirth) page 209 which is attributed as 'Probably Bohemian, prior to 1840'. 
However, the underplate is oddly shaped, too symmetric and looks a bit strange for some reason.  The photograph makes the bowl look round but it's probably oval melon shaped I guess and that foot on the bowl caught my eye.  All molded?  No gilding which seems odd to me.  A strange green opaque? glass - difficult to tell from the picture. 

2) The second two bottles I have no idea.  I don't like gilded amber glass and tend to associate it with the 1930s/40s rather than the 1800s though at earliest maybe 1870s?  I wouldn't have thought Bohemian as I don't leap to that on seeing amber glass.  Are the facets hand cut or are the bottles mold blown?

3) The last one looks like it should be Saint Louis however the pattern on the green doesn't look quite right to me (but on second look it seems ok), and the wavy rim also not right for Saint Louis c.1860 I don't think, nor the foot somehow (although on second look the foot looks ok),  so I'd be looking elsewhere to start with and not Bohemia.

I'm quite happy to be miles out and totally wrong on all of them I guess thought processes do start somewhere ... there's always a beginning




And further to my question in the post above, this looks interesting:
https://www.historicnewengland.org/inside-conservation-lab-curing-diseased-uranium-glass/

[flying free]

  ...
  The high praise given to the N.E.G. co. in the newspaper article is typical of the bias at the time toward American manufacturers.

...

This is what I come across in the Art Journal articles of the period and the Journal critics' comments about the wonderfulness of English glass - and by contrast (some of) their barbed comments about Bohemian glass - how clear glass is so much better, English clear glass can't be surpassed, the cutting around the rims of Bohemian glass oooh how awful, I mean who could possibly drink out of that?.  Those type of comments.  It's so blatant I feel the need to counteract it when I read these critiques.

[cagney]

 Thank you for your honest FIRST impression. Of course I was bateing you a bit in fun.

1. The oval lidded bowl w/underplate is blown molded with applied stem on top. Ascribed to Sandwich in one of series of books "A GUIDE TO SANDWICH GLASS". Blue lead glass.It is stated in the book that one difference from the European version is that there is a pontil mark on the inside of the lid from when applying the stem. Very rare only two known c.1850-1870. Luckily, my cousin a longtime dealer/collector [the person who got me started in early American glass] took photos when he visited the Sandwich Glass Museum.

2. Blown molded cologne bottles with original stoppers in amber lead glass of a decided red tone in the thicker areas. Very much like Cambridges amber from the 1930s. Matching numbers in gilt on the stopper bottoms and bottle bottom. Polished pontil. Not documented, but I think very American . Formally my collection. C.1850-1870.

3. Vase blown molded center and applied free blown stem/foot and upper part. Many shards dug at the Sandwich site back in the day. Almost all examples are 2+ inches taller than this 5 1/2 in example [longer upper and lower part] . The molded center section usually in a oval hobnail or mitered diamond [sawtooth] pattern, this pattern a little scarce. Colors may be reversed. Some examples known in a dark semi-opaque sapphire color molded section. Lead glass. Rough pontil mark. C. 1850-1870. Formally my collection.

Some documented examples from N.E.G. glass co. in the Corning Museum showing a definite bohemian influence. If you type in Leighton in the search collection function a hand full of examples by one or another of this family that emigrated from England in 1826. Three became superentendant Of N.E.G.co.

[cagney]

  I forgot to comment on your becher. I think it French in part do to the soft edges of the pattern, most common on French glass of the period in my experience. Even French lacy.

[flying free]

Thanks for the sharing these lovely pieces. It's interesting to see the different influences and the different methods of construction.   

I have two 'fruit' boxes, both I think are Bohemian and neither have a polished pontil mark where the stem is attached, although you can feel a raised area of glass inside the lid where the stem was attached.   They both have cut and polished rims on the lid and on the  base and no 'foot' to either of the boxes. 

I know absolutely nothing about American glass.  The only time I ever looked into it was when I was looking into a ruby overlay goblet.  It always looks like a very difficult area to research to me regarding the mid 19th century pieces.

m

[flying free]

  Bohemian glass imported into U.S.A. in large quantities in the time period you mention. Many importers/dealers along the east coast in major cities. So popular with the buying public, American class companies took up the style and processes to stay competitive.
  A newspaper account from the Philadelphia Bulletin June 16,1852 states:
"A recent visit to Boston gave us an opportunity to visit the New England Glassworks which for the extent and variety of their operations probably surpass all others in the country. We were repeatedly struck with the fact new to us that most of the exquisite richly colored and decorated glassware which is so much admired under the name of "Bohemian Glass" is manufactured here. The variety and beauty of the articles manufactured there would scarcely be credited for one not a visitor; but we assure our readers that we saw many works that could not be surpassed in Bohemia or anywhere else in Europe. The various processes by which the different colors and rich gilding are produced, we are not prepared to describe; but they are produced in these works in the utmost perfection.

I'm not sure how old this article is ( I think 1983?) but has interesting time frame for American glass in Bohemian style  starting in the 1840s:
https://www.botlman.com/pdf/NE_Glass_Co_v25_1983_JGS_CMG.pdf