Tuesday, May 4, 2010

Green Glass

Last weekend while doing errands in the nearby town, I came across a handsome 19th-century blown green-glass decanter with what seems to be its original cut glass stopper, sitting on a crowded table in a little antiques shop.

photo by Boy Fenwick

While I was initially drawn to the decanter because of its attractive emerald hue and pleasing shape, I decided to buy it because I suspected that it was almost the same color green as a set of reproduction shrubs that Boy bought in Old Salem, North Carolina, nearly a decade ago.  Similar glasses, in red, blue, and colorless glass, are available today from Colonial Williamsburg.  When I got home with the decanter I was quite happy to find that it was exactly the same shade of green as the shrubs.  Now I have a matched set to share dessert wine or brandy at the end of dinner parties with delighted guests.

Photo by Boy Fenwick

We've been on a bit of a green-glass acquisition binge lately at Darlington.  Several weeks ago we found this 19th-century period lantern in a shop.  We plan on hanging it over a table in our restored back kitchen when we procure the perfect, period hook to hang it from, something our architectural historian, Isaiah Cornini, has promised to find for us.

Do you have colored glass in your house?

22 comments:

  1. I used to have a green lantern similar to yours. Looks best without electricity .. with lights, the resulting green shade is not too attractive ..

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  2. The only colored glass we have are those little European cordial glasses -- with clear stems -- and the colored bowl is cut. They're all little odds and ends -- and sometimes we'll put them on a tray and place them on a table where the light can shine through them.

    But I love both of your green glass pieces -- the decanter is beautiful and how great that it exactly matched your glasses! What an attractive way to serve after dinner libations!

    And that lantern -- I can't wait until you get the hook and get it in place!

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  3. Anon 6:44: Agree with you on this. We are not planning on electrifying it but lighting it with a candle instead, which is what it was designed for.

    Martha: Thanks, I'll post a picture of it once we hang it.

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  4. Boy- I too adore that wonderful teal green glass and have been collecting it for years. I have two sets (don't ask why- I don't know)of antique wine glasses- glorious to look at but so tiny as to border on the impractical, 2 sets of antique decanters as well as a large bell jar lantern in my front hall (in which I use a candle as well). I still rue a pair of magnificently scaled hurricane shades that Mario Buata purchased from a dealer at the Winter Antique Show in New York three minutes before I arrived. I also love purple glass. William Yeoward who makes the prettiest glass today to my mind, used to make wonderful stemmed purple water goblets. Despite the strong color, it's strangely neutral in that it goes with everything. Sadly, like all good things, that particular item seems to have been discontinued.

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  5. Ah, Magnus, why am I not surprised? Here's another coincidence: we, too,are mad for amethyst glass and own more than a dozen of the water goblets you describe that Wm. Yeoward once produced. I believe that Boy may have purchased the last four of them that were available from Mr. Yeoward himself, who brought them out from the store room in his shop on King's Road when Boy asked after them, since we were not able to find any more of them in New York.

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  6. Reggie, I love the design of the decanter and the color is stunning. Lanterns like this are so wonderful lit with a candle.

    Karena
    Art by Karena

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  7. Yes, but only of the Crate and Barrel sort:(. My grandmother had ruby and transparent wine glasses. Were they Venetian?

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  8. I'm one of those Antique Dealers who collects nothing for himself---shoemaker's children and all that--- but, oh, if I did, I would collect green glass, which I love. I find myself thinking of a hanging hurricane fixture in green for the dining room...

    As for amethyst glass, one need only to think of the brilliant octagonal dining room at beauport.

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  9. any colour in glass is a favourite of mine. nothing steadily collected, but cranberry glass (from the 20's GranMa's along with turquoise and blue with silver inlay, green) Mother's selected wedding crystal 1959 was pale pink. Amethyst- I love love the idea of it. As a stone I have collected it,perhaps it is time for the glass. pgt

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  10. okay, so intrigued by those amethyst Yeoward glasses you and magnus were talking about, I think I may have found some ...that's the good news. The bad news is they are here:

    http://www.thebaytree.com.au/new%20site/products/glassware/crystal/crystal.html

    Should I send the virtual jet to pick some up?

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  11. Lindaraxa,
    Yes I believe that is the one. Handsome, yes?
    Reggie

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  12. very, thank heavens they are far, far away!
    My mother has Val St. Lambert crystal and the white wine glasses are a beautiful green. I like the idea of just one glass in color, the water goblet.

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  13. I like cranberry glasses, but only have two rather large goblets on clear stems, which are used for long cocktails - vodka and soda looks, (and tastes) good, but anything clear would. I do remember enjoying drinking champagne from Victorian cranberry flutes, which gave the illusion of pink champagne. Purely aesthetic, but one's imagination allows a delightful impact on taste.

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  14. Magnus and Lindaraxa: You can see the Yeoward amethyst goblets sitting on our dining table in my "A Good Friday Darlington Dinner Party" post.

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  15. Lindaraxa- yes, please fire up the virtual jet- I'd like four more of the Avril (large, please). And Reg- i meant to tell you that your decanter is glorious- far better than mine.

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  16. We have no coloured glass, alas. Instead we have a great deal of old flint glass, which has a curious gray cast.

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  17. Very Nice, I think you did wonderful!
    Color is so hard to match....

    I brought with me from Europe, Green handblown white wine glasses that belonged to my Grandmother. I dug them out of a bottom drawere in the basement, no one wanted them, so I packed them up, put them in my hand luggage, and carried then to The States.
    They now have a prime spot in my new kitchen, and I can't wait to use them.

    Northern Light

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  18. We have a wonderful vintage Japanese glass fishing float that sits on a shelf. I love how it captures the late afternoon sun!

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  19. The green is absolutely fabulous. So yummy! I just redid my china/silver closet and had such a good time taking the pieces out and enjoying them. I have a small but lovely collection of yellow button dishes and bowls and some pressed early American glass, but that green really appeals to me.
    Thanks for the fun in seeing it!

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  20. Many windowsills in my home have colored glass of some sort; mostly Blenko and similar items, and a collection of colored glass salt cellars in the form of swans.

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  21. Reggie, Great finds. Thank you for sharing.

    Always Bumby

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  22. I have an old green glass fisherman's float, a tiny yellow glass salt dish from the Sandwich glass museum and some blue glass bottles which I wish were Bristol blue, but am sure are not. Other than that, I enjoy the light that comes through our stained glass panels in the hall, front door and fanlight windows. Oh - and marbles.

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