20 Friday Apr 2012
Posted in Bohemia Crystal
I have owned various pieces of Thistle, including the saucer champagnes which I have sold. I haven’t seen the flutes elsewhere. I have promised these to a neighbour, although I haven’t parted with them yet. But…if I got rid of the five, and a decanter, I’d have more room for more stuff.
I like flutes better than saucers – don’t know why. I’ve had this discussion with the colleague who bought the saucers. She thinks they are more elegant. Can’t agree.
17 Tuesday Apr 2012
Posted in Libbey
Tags
I don’t know if this is a 
drinking tumbler or a small vase. I guess it really doesn’t matter. It can be used for anything I want. I haven’t used it yet. In fact I hardly use any of my pieces except for wine glasses. Even those are on hiatus now that I am in a “Biggest Loser” contest trying to lose 13 pounds!
This little glass is signed with the Libbey mark – a cursive L inside a circle. I can’t date it. The only information I have found is that this mark is an ‘older’ mark. Don’t know what that means.
From the Glass Encyclopedia (great site) – “Libbey Glass was first founded in 1818. In 1878 William L. Libbey leased the New England Glass Company glassworks in Cambridge, Massachusetts, changing the name to the New England Glassworks, L. L. Libbey and Sons, Proprietors. His son, Edward Drummond Libbey, took over the operation in 1883 and in 1888 he closed this factory and moved to Toledo, Ohio, renaming the company Libbey Glass Company.
Libbey’s became the largest cut glass factory in the world during the Brilliant Period (which lasted from around 1878 to 1915). Brilliant Cut Glass was very deep, complicated, and highly polished. This company was one of the major producers of Brilliant Cut glass. At the Chicago World’s Fair in 1893 Libbey’s brought 130 craftsmen to blow and cut glass. Souvenirs sold there were marked “Libbey Glass Company, World’s Fair 1893.”
Joseph Locke, a brilliant glass-maker and designer who had a very successful career in England in the 1870’s, emigrated to America in 1882 and joined the New England Glass Company which was then owned by Libbey’s. At Libbey’s he invented many new art glass processes, including Amberina, Pomona, Agata, Peach Blow and Maize. These were very popular and made both Joseph Locke and The Libbey Glass Company very famous. Locke left the Company in 1891 and moved to the United States Glass Company in Pittsburgh.
Libbey’s continued to make cut glass until around 1918. The carafe on the left is signed with Libbey in a circle, acid etched into the glass at the side near the bottom. The company still exists today as a major supplier of glassware for bars and hotels, operating from Toledo, Ohio.”
I had 14 Libbey cut stems with more intricate designs some years ago. They were gorgeous-very brilliant! But as far as I know this is the only Libbey piece I now own. Hope someone out there knows the cut name.
16 Monday Apr 2012
Posted in Uncategorized
One of these days I will sit and scroll through websites looking for this cut pattern name. But….not today. 
I found these during a recent garage clean up. I just have the two, and I have absolutely no idea from whence they came, or when. They are signed Stuart England. 
According to Great Glass the signature on these glasses indicate a production date of 1926-1950. By the way, this is a great site with well defined glass marks.
These glasses have a brilliance and a very pretty ring. I’m unlikely to collect any more. I have quite a number of onesies or twosies of stems, just because they caught my eye (and were likely cheap!). Their eventual owner is still to be determined.