Antique cut glass set is a notch above
Q.I have enclosed a photo of a cut glass sugar bowl and cream pitcher set that I bought at a yard sale for $2. They are both about 3 inches tall, and they have saw-toothed edges and notched handles. They are in perfect condition. I think I got good buys.
Can you tell me anything about the set?
A. Antique cut glass was created by artisans on blanks. They cut intricate designs using special tools. Cut glass was produced over 3,500 years ago in Egypt, and it was first made in the United States around 1771. After the 1889 Paris Exposition, the industry exploded with unusual intricate designs. The Brilliant Period of cut glass lasted from the last quarter of the 19th century to the beginning of World War I. Due to high labor costs, it was expensive to produce, and only the wealthy could afford it. Glass factories saw the opportunity to make pressed glass that copied the hobstars and pinwheels patterns, and they marketed the ware to those with modest incomes. True cut glass can be detected by running a finger over the edges; they will be sharp and never smooth.
Your antique cut glass sugar bowl and cream pitcher were made in the early 1900s. The set would probably be worth $50 to $125.
Q. The enclosed mark is on the bottom of a set of six porcelain cups and matching saucers. They are decorated with pastel flowers, green leaves and gold trim. They have been passed down in our family for generations. No one knows anything about the set, and we hope you can tell us who the maker was, the approximate age and the value of the set.
A. Theodore Haviland made your cups and saucers around 1892. It has produced fine porcelain in Limoges, France, from 1892 to the present. The set for six would probably be worth $125 to $150.
Q. I have a large family and love to give antique Victorian baby cups to the new babies. But there is a problem. Some of the beautiful engraved cups have the words "Quadruple Plate" marked on the bottom. Unfortunately, they have a black lacquer-like finish that I have been unable to remove, despite trying many solvents. Why would the Victorian silversmiths have covered four coats of beautiful silver plate with a black finish?
It would be great if you could solve this for me.
A. Standard plate pieces were electroplated with 2 troy ounces of pure silver. Quadruple plate pieces were electroplated with 8 troy ounces of pure silver. That means silversmiths used four times the amount of silver that was used on standard plates. It doesn't mean four coats of a black finish were applied to the silver. Evidently, the silver plate has been worn away over time and you are seeing the base metal.
• Address your questions to Anne McCollam, P.O. Box 247, Notre Dame, IN 46556. Items of a general interest will be answered in this column. Due to the volume of inquiries, she cannot answer individual letters.
© 2017, Creators Syndicate