Most baskets of the Brilliant Period are much later and on thin blanks with shallow cutting. This basket is just opposite – it’s quite heavy and thick with an extremely thick handle – it stands out from most others in both shape and presence.
The pattern on this piece is quite unusual. Bands of hobnail create the major outline and meet at fields of crosshatching. They frame large, deep hobstars which run down to the base of the basket. The edge of the piece has an unusual fan motif featuring almost cornucopia of fan cutting. The very thick handle is double notched with a crosscut “X” in between each notch. Even the base of the basket is finished with a large 28-point hobstar.
The basket is in very good condition with some minor roughness at the edge. It’s impressive size measures just under 12″ tall and 9″ wide.
This low compote is cut in Sinclaire’s extremely sought-after Bengal pattern. I believe these were used as petit four displays – as opposed to the larger cake plate.
A chaine of richly cut hobstars adorns the edge of this compote. Between each hobstar is an unusual crosscutting. Punties follow the crosscut portion and give hte piece a great optical effect. The base is covered with a 24-point hobstar. The neck is elegantly fluted.
The compote is in excellent condition and measures 8 1/4″ wide and 4 1/4″ tall. Most of these compotes are cut in repetitive common patterns like Russian, hobnail and Strawberry-Diamond – this is a much rarer example of this form.
This Dorflinger salad service is absolutely incredible! It may very well be in their Florentine pattern, but it’s quite difficult to tell because of the size and pattern manipulation. The amount of detail in the cutting with all the tiny tusks is stunning! Both pieces are marked Dorflinger on the metal. Each piece has a gorgeous air bubble stretched down the entire piece.
Two tusks surround a vesica of crosshatching on the handles of the set. Perched atop each set of tusks is a clear button 8-pointed hobstar. Fans divide out the rest of the pattern and the ends of each handle are finished with a deeply cut 8 pointed hobstar.
The condition of each piece is excellent with barely a fleabite on either. They measure just under 12″ long and 1 1/2″ tall. Truly a rare set with excellent work by the craftsman at Dorflinger.
I absolutely love the form of this carafe – I’ve always referred to it as a genie’s bottle. This footed carafe and matching tumblers ares in Libbey’s Corinthian pattern. Interestingly, only one of the tumblers is signed.
I consider this carafe to be the best blank for a carafe in the brilliant period – not only is it pedestaled, but it’s dramatic sweeping neck and flaring mouth really set it apart from all others. The Corinthian pattern displays perfectly on the form. Well done diamond shaped hobstars are divided by crosshatching and a strawberry-diamond cutting. The base of the decanter is rayed and the neck is fluted and notched. In the pinch of the neck of the decanter, there is even the wonderfully optical St. Louis diamond cut. Both tumblers match the carafe perfectly and are the perfect compliment to round out the set.
The carafe measures 9″ tall and 6″ wide while the tumblers are 3 5/8″ tall and 3″ wide. All three pieces are in perfect condition on sparkling, clear blanks.
This is a really neat piece, especially the handle. The handle is made up of three globs of pulled glass which elegantly decrease in size towards the outside of the piece. It’s really a testament to the skill of the glass maker. I always thought this was the Minton pattern, but I’m not so sure anymore. It is signed Hawkes in the center.
The center portion of this pattern consists of a cluster of 8-point jeweled center stars. The tip of each one of these stars meets a fan of notched prism. Lying between each of these fans is a richly cut hobstar. The awesome, 3 lobed handle is notched up the center column.
This heart shaped dish is in perfect condition with only some minor pattern roughness present. The blank is exceptional and measures 6″ wide and 2 1/2″ tall.
This beautiful nappy looks to be the work of Bergen or Libbey. Most nappies are neglected little pieces and not particularly well-done. This piece is an exception to that commonly held notion.
The center of the pattern is essentially made up of a 6-point star formation. This structure uses 7 large hobstars and 6 tiny, Christmas-style stars to fill out this section. In between each point of the formation there is a clear field topped with notched prism. Above each pillar of notched prism is a 3-branched fan.
The blank on this piece is particularly stunning and bright. This small dish is in perfect condition and measures 6 1/4″ wide and 1 1/2″ tall.
This is a champagne cooler in a pattern I’ve never seen. Because of the combination of certain motifs and cutting, I’d attribute it to Meriden.
Huge 8-pointed rajah stars cover either side of this cooler. The points of the star are filled with crosshatching and the center is a full hobstar. In between the points of star are sprouting notched-prism (a use of that cutting I have never seen). The other cutting involved in this pattern is two stacked hobstars with crosshatched centers. Two fields of fans divide these hobstars. The base of the hobstar is champagne cooler is covered in a rayed star.
The cooler measures 5 1/4″ tall, 5 3/4″ wide at the top and 3 7/8″ at the base. The cooler is in perfect condition with only some minor scratching to the base and interior.
I have never seen this pattern before, but it seems like something Meriden may have done as they often used the hexad motif.
This set combines an almost shagbark like engraving with a vesica of hexad cutting. The contrast between the realistic engraving and geometric cutting is extremely tasteful. The bases of the salt and pepper are covered with a rayed star and the caps are marked sterling.
The salt and pepper are in perfect condition and measure 3″ tall and 2″ wide. The glass is perfectly clear without the typical salt stained shaker.
This cute little cologne is by Libbey and is signed with the saber mark.
The pattern consists of vertically notched bars intermingled with deep-scalloped clear panels. The contrasting busy and clear cutting really manage to show off the high quality of glass. The base is finished with a rayed star.
The cologne is in perfect condition and measures 5 ½” tall and 3 ¼”.
This is a particularly well-cut celery dish. Unfortunately, it’s on a figured blank and thusly, the quality of glass is not as good as most of the pieces on Criticalglass.com.
The center part of the pattern consists of a cross of 4 bands of crosshatching. Richly cut hobstars adorn the outer perimeter of the celery and bands of hobnail topped with hobstars contorts to the rest of the pattern. The main draw to this pattern are two medallions of DEEP Persian cutting. The cutting is so deep that the relief leaves large knob where the hobstars are.
Unfortunately, this piece is not in perfect condition – the Persian medallions have a fair amount of roughness and there is one small flake to the rim. The celery measures 11 ½” long, 5 ½” wide and 2” tall.
This is a small but cute item made signed Hawkes. The piece features what is essentially a single hobstar. There is a deep miter and coined rim.
The dish measures 7 3/4″ long and 4 3/4″ tall. The piece is in fair condition with some minor chips around the deep miter edge and the price reflects this.
In terms of cruets, it doesn’t get much better than this one in Hawkes’ Venetian pattern.
The Venetian pattern conforms very nicely to this bulbous cruet and wraps around the entire base of this piece. A chain of 8-pointed hobstars wraps around the upper portion of the cruet. This chain is met by extended split-vesicas of crosshatching which stretch all the way to the base of the cruet. The handle is triple notched, which is an extremely nice touch on a smaller piece!
Aside from a tiny fleabite in the cutting, this cruet is in tip-top shape. It measures 5 1/2″ high and just under 4″ wide. A lovely cabinet piece!
