Awesome Comet Pattern Bowl

Often times, swirled patterns of the Brilliant Period are referred to as comet cutting/work. It’s often thought that all of these patterns were designed to celebrate the coming of Haley’s comment. I think logic would tell us that the swirling style is just plain attractive. This version of a comet pattern is unknown to me, but the cutting is very similar to works of both Dorflinger and Straus.

Two swirling vesicas alternate with one another around this entire bowl. The first features 4-rayed stars. This exact motif can be seen on another swirled pattern – Straus’s unique. The other vesica involves a cutting I’ve never seen before – two double mitered 6-pointed stars which house another 6-point star are stacked horizontally across the vesica. It’s rare that I come across a type of work I haven’t seen before, but this stands out as complete singular. In between each vesica is a field of crosshatching and notching. The rim of the piece is finished with large fans and the center features a large 24 split point hobstar!

This gorgeous bowl is in great condition with only a few minor flakes to the cutting. It measures 9 3/8″ wide and 4″ tall. The blank is wonderfully clear and the cutting is completely wood wheel polished to perfection.