For Sale Glass

One of the delights of having several vases in a collection of American Brilliant cut glass is the availability of a large number of sizes and, more importantly, a large number of shapes!  Shape ‘rules’ and varies from the predictable to the ‘where-did-that-come-from?’

This vase stands 15 1/2-inches tall, has a 7-inch, bowl-like top and weighs 4-lbs. 4-oz.  The 1/2-inch thick blank is clear and colorless.   The eight notched flutes have clear areas that are wide enough to produce a prismatic effect the length of the hollow stem.  We know that page DRE-70 of LABAC’s ‘Cut Glass Advertisements Book 1’  shows a Dorflinger 1896 trade ad with a large vase of this same shape.  We know that Dorflinger sold the blanks to other cutting houses — and we know that the design cut on this vase is not shown in any currently known Dorflinger book or catalog.  It is difficult to capture the true quality of this vase in photos.

A different-shaped vase for your collection that distinguishes itself from those that are ‘ordinary.’  The piece is in better than extremely fine condition and has no internal cloudiness or discoloration.  Enjoy!

This American Brilliant cut glass wine bottle stands 15-inches tall and has a maximum diameter of 3-inches.  The unknown design is very well-cut on a clear, colorless blank; the base has a 16-point hobstar.  The lapidary stopper fits perfectly.  Wine bottles, like whiskey bottles, are a difficut-to-acquire shape; it is a pleasure to offer one that is very well-crafted and cut on an excellent blank.  The design, which is well-suited to the shape, is deeply cut where one would grasp the bottle when pouring, thus providing a ‘good grip.’  The piece weighs 2 1/2-lbs. empty, 3 3/4-lbs. full and holds three full cups (24 ounces) of liquid.  An excellent item for display and for your table.   The piece is in better than extremely fine condition.

This is an exceptional piece of American Brilliant cut glass.  It has a fiery brilliance that is evident from across the room due to the clarity of the blank and the brilliant polish of its cutting.  The vase stands 16-inches tall, weighs 7.9-lbs. and has a very unusual 6-inch ‘square-with-rounded-corners’ top.  The base has a 24-point hobstar.  A piece that will display very well and is ideal for long-stemmed flowers.   It is in extremely fine condition.

This rare-shaped vase is best described as a ‘center bulge’ vase.  It is — at this time — not identified.  To us, the shape suggests a Maple City design and the cutting has some characteristics of the designs of T.G. Hawkes & Co.  Regardless, it is a tall and impressive piece of American Brilliant cut glass.

The vase stands 17 1/2-inches tall, has a top and bottom diameter of 6-inches and a ‘center bulge’ diameter of 5 1/4-inches.  The design is deeply-cut and well-polished on a fine, clear blank that weighs 10.4-lbs.   The piece is in better than extremely fine condition.

J. F. Fradley & Co. of New York, NY made the sterling silver top for this magnificent claret jug.  The silver is trademarked with the Fradley  ‘plus-sign cross’  followed by sterling, 227, ‘H’ 925-1000 fine.  Information regarding Fradley is found on pages FRA1 thru 4 in LABAC’s  ‘American Brilliant Period Cut Glass Advertisements, Book Two.’   Page FRA2 shows a 1902 trade ad with this same claret jug.  A copy of these pages will be delivered with the jug.  A reading of the trade ads and Craig Carlson’s notes show that Fradley sterling was used by both T.B. Clark of Honesdale, PA and Dorflinger & Sons of White Mills, PA.

The best-metal blank of this claret jug is absolutely stunning – it is totally clear and colorless; there is no question it is a Dorflinger blank.  Knowing that Clark located their Honesdale factory close to White Mills so they could easily access Dorflinger blanks, it follows that either Clark or Dorflinger produced this claret jug.  We favor Dorflinger as the cutting house for these reasons:  first, the design is somewhat open, thus allowing the best-metal blank to be showcased; second, the very deeply-cut major miters with very precisely-cut infills are typical of Dorflinger work products; and third, the soft feel of the glass and mirror-like brilliance of the cutting due to being entirely wheel-polished is typical on Dorflinger’s polishing.  The jug stands 17-inches tall, has a maximum diameter of 5 1/2-inches and weighs 8-lbs.; the base has a 32-point radiant star.  Both the sterling and glass are in our better than extremely fine condition.

Regardless of its origin, this is a premier piece of American Brilliant cut glass.  An item of great beauty and substantial size that shows to advantage.

This is one of the finer rose bowls we have been able to offer.  Its very deep and precise cutting is polished to a mirror-like perfection; the blank is very clear and water-white.  The base of the rose bowl is cut in a design that features a 24-point hobstar within six points filled with crosshatching.

The rose bowl has a diameter of 7 1/4-inches, stands 6-inches tall and weighs 4 1/4-lbs.  The condition is extremely fine and there is no internal residue or cloudiness.  Because of the great blank, deep all-over cutting and excellent polish, it presents a fiery appearance that can be seen across the room.     Enjoy!

This 9 1/4-inch diameter ‘sandwich’ plate stands 3/4-inches tall at the rim; it sits on a 1/8-inch tall wafer base with a notched edge.  The center of the plate has a very realistic cluster of grapes; the 2-inch wide rim has a chain of six 8-petal flowers with flashed edges, vines, leaves and ‘berries.’  It is a very well-crafted plate, has an appealing design and a clear, water-white blank.  The piece does fluoresce properly for an American Brilliant Period blank.  It is, of course, unsigned.  If you can identify the design and/or cutting house, we would greatly appreciate your effort.   The piece is in better than extremely fine condition.

L. Straus & Sons of New York, NY was one our finest cutting houses during the American Brilliant Period (1875-1915).  They are known for the quality of their blanks, their well-conceived designs and their attractive and unusual shapes.  We are offering, from our personal collection, a double-gooseneck decanter with matching sterling silver stopper.

The decanter stands 12-inches tall with the stopper and has a maximum diameter of 6-inches; the sterling stopper has a trademark that appears to be that of the Mauser Manufacturing Co. of New York, NY.  The decanter is cut in the “Kenilworth” design; the second ACGA Straus catalog shows the design in two 1901 trade ads.  The decanter has no internal discoloration or residue and is in better than extremely fine condition.

We are offering five of these fine emerald-green-to-clear clarets.  They stand 4 1/2-inches tall and have a top rim diameter of 2 5/8-inches; they are very well-cut and entirely wheel-polished.  All have a heavy, well-balanced feel.  Due to the color, blank shape and the excellent craftsmanship, we suspect they are Dorflinger blanks, cut either by Dorflinger or T.G. Hawkes & Co.   The base of the clarets have 24-point rayed stars and all the stems have original top and bottom rims.  These clarets have an unusually deep color and display beautifully.

$375/each — $1,850.00 for five.
All five clarets are in better than extremely fine condition.

When viewed from some angles, these clarets appear to be a beautiful, soft green color whose intensity of color increases as the glass thickness increases.  When you look straight into the bowl, the various miter cuts appear to charge from an intense green color to clear.  The foot also can appear either an intense green color or clear.  In fact, both the foot and the bowl are clear glass.  It is a most unusual occurrence and we offer no explanation.  Please let us know if you have knowledge regarding this phenomenon.

The clarets are 4 7/8-inches tall and have a top diameter of 2 3/4-inches.  They are beautifully cut, wheel-polished and have a soft, silky feel when handled; the base has a 16-point radiant star.  The quality of these stems is very high and the cutting — though apparently simple — was very difficult to effect.  It is very difficult to determine whether the ‘chameleon-like’ optical effect was planned or ‘just happened.’  Regardless, these clarets are simply elegant!
There is a very small chip on one of the top rims; otherwise, the clarets are in perfect condition.

We have a set of four priced at $400 for the set.
The single carets are priced at $100/each.

This is a very well-crafted 6-inch square dish that stands 1 1/2-inches tall and weighs a very heavy-for-its-size 1-lb. 13-oz.   It is ‘old glass’ at its best!  It is a best-metal blank that is very clear and water-white; the cutting is very deep, precise and entirely wheel-polished to a mirror-like brilliance.  We are unable to identify the design and would welcome your comments as to its origin.  The piece fluoresces a deep apple green consistent with early American Brilliand Period blanks.  The only clue that we have as to its origin is the unusual blank shape.  Each corner is pushed out, forming a sharp point at each corner.  The corner serves as a center point for its partial radiant star motif.  We have seen the Libbey “Isabella” design cut on the same unsual blank.  Regardless, a fine, well-crafted piece of early American Brilliant cut glass.   The piece is in better than extremely fine condition.

This most unusual whiskey jug has an elongated oval shape and a design that features both geometric and realistic cutting.  It stands 10-inches tall, has a 5-inch width and measures only 3 1/2-inches front-to-back; it is heavy to the hand at 3 1/4-lbs.   Each side has a 3-inch round, 32-point suspended hobstar; there are also three, 16-point suspended hobstars on the ‘narrow’ portion of the jug.  All of the hobstars are surrounded by deeply-cut vines with ‘holly-like’ leaves.  The leaves have a matte finish while the vines are wheel-polished to a mirror-like brilliance.  The triple-notched handled is perfectly attached and the base has a finely-cut, 32-point radiant star.  The blank is clear and water-white and has no internal discoloration or residue.  A finely-crafted whiskey jug that is unusual as to shape and design.   It is in better than extremely fine condition.