Old Glass and How to Collect it

by J. Sydney Lewis

The centre decanter has a finger-fluted base, and the length of the neck makes it an unusual specimen. Possibly the idea was to enable it to be more easily grasped and held when full; but the design is undoubtedly graceful, and this is one point which the amateur collector should never ignore when seeking to make a worthy collection. It is well to bear in mind both artistic merit and intrinsic worth.

Two other fine early specimens of Waterford glass are illustrated in Fig. 31. The “collared” or turn-over flower bowl is a fine example of eighteenth-century work. The cutting, it will be seen, is entirely different from that of the piece on the right; for whereas the latter is entirely flat cut, with the exception of its finely scalloped edges in the former, the whole design is finished in the “fluted” style. In both, as in most pieces of the kind and period, the “dome” or hollow foot is found.

The large glass dish on a stand on the other side is almost unique. Such pieces are very difficult to find in their entirety; indeed, the only other existing, to my knowledge, is in the Marquis of Bute’s collection. Perfect specimens are hardly obtainable now except when a fine collection is dispersed at the death of its owner. Even then, as all such notable pieces are well known to collectors, the competition for them is very keen, and the private buyer, unless his purse is of the “bottomless” kind, is hardly likely to obtain them. Occasionally one may, by happy accident, come across a really fine piece in some unexpected quarter, but such chances are few and far between. Moreover, there is always between the finder and his find the spectre of the fake merchant, whose wont it is to plant his most seductive wares in out-of-the-way places, so as to give them a fictitious appearance of genuineness. No important piece should ever be purchased without an inquiry into its history. It ought to be possible in every such case to discover sufficient as to its origin and former ownership to place its bona fides beyond doubt; if not, it is best to let the apparent bargain go.

I remember, not many years ago, waiting upon a lady in a very ordinary house in a London suburb. She had replied to an advertisement in which I had offered to purchase old glass. A glance was sufficient to show me that her collection contained nothing likely to appeal to my taste. Yet I did have a find; for she had, in addition to what I saw at first, two dishes somewhat similar in shape to a large fruit dish, but with the cipher C.R. cut upon each ([Fig. 36]). These were actually made and presented to Queen Charlotte on a visit which Her Majesty paid to some glass-works during a tour in Ireland. Their authenticity was guaranteed by a letter from an old tutor of the Queen relating the circumstances and handing down the pieces as a relic. The owner asked £15 for them. Needless to say, they changed hands, only to do so again shortly after, and this time at the enhanced and respectable figure of fifty-five guineas. In spite of their beauty and their apparent air of genuine antiquity, I should have hesitated to purchase them but for the additional evidence afforded by the letter. One cannot be too careful.

The sweetmeat glasses ([Fig. 11]) are particularly fine of their kind. Each has its individuality: the one has an opal-twisted stem with a “dome” foot and a finely cut edge, whilst the other displays some exquisite cutting both on the upper part and the base. These, again, are uncommon pieces, not to be met with every day nor easily procured when met. Still, they make a more frequent appearance at sales than the larger pieces. A more ordinary variety is not so high and has flat sides and cutting. A genuine specimen, though, is not to be despised, but the type is one very freely imitated.

Some fine celery bowls of the same period are worthy of note. They are excellent specimens of the art of glass-cutting both as regards design and finish, and they are somewhat rare. As much as seven or eight guineas was recently asked in the West End of London for a

FIG. 36—SPECIMENS OF IRISH GLASS.

plain example with a slight herring-bone cutting. It was certainly genuine, but was hardly a supreme specimen of the decorative cutter’s art. The price, however, will give some idea of what would be asked for such superb specimens as those reproduced in the photograph.