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 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.

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.

This American Brilliant Cut Glass flower basket is very well-cut on an exceptionally clear, water-white blank. The cut-all-over geometric design has strong Libbey characteristics but we are unable to identify the design. Regardless, it is an appealing, well-crafted piece of American Brilliant cut glass. The cutting is quite precise and very well-polished.   The basket is 9-inches tall, 9 3/4-inches long and 7 1/4-inches wide. The double-notched handle is perfectly attached and the piece is in better than extremely fine condition.

This outstanding punchbowl was cut by J.D. Bergen Co. of Meriden, CT in their “Columbia” design; the “Columbia” design is shown on several pages of the 1893 Bergen catalog (an ACGA reprint).  Early Bergen pieces are among the very best glass produced during the American Brilliant Period.  Their blanks were of the best metal, the cutting was precise and entirely wheel-polished.  The curved tusks used in the “Columbia” design are highly favored by knowledgeable collectors.  We have never seen a ‘bad’ piece of “Columbia.”

The punchbowl is 12-inches in diameter, stands 4 3/4-inches tall and weighs 9 1/4-lbs.   It is heavy for its size and has the soft, silky feel of ‘old glass.’   It is in better than extremely fine condition.

The photos do not do the piece justice!  A great introduction to ‘tusks,’ one of the most difficult motifs to cut.

Page 28 of the 1906-07 C.F. Monroe reprint catalog shows this exact piece.  It is labeled  No.111 compote Tempt.  The compote has an 8-inch diameter, stands 11-inches tall and is well-cut on a thick, clear blank that weighs 5.7-lbs.  The bottom has a 24-point hobstar.  The stem has a huge air bubble and features a series of punties that create a prismatic effect.  The piece is in extremely fine condition.

This cakestand on three legs is shown exactly on page 158 of Pearson’s ‘Encyclopedia of American Cut & Engraved Glass.’   It was unidentified then as it is now…….   The quality of the very clear and colorless blown blank, the use of eight-point, fanned hobstars with crosshatched-filled points and the high quality of the cutting and its polish all suggest it is a product of Meriden Cut Glass Co. of Meriden, CT.