Featured Milk Glass Opaline - 18th Century??

Hey everybody,

Is there anyone here who knows about old glass? (17th / 18th Century)
I have bought 2 items that I estimated at around 1770-1780.

But who knows, maybe they are a bit older.
I have no idea how I can recognize this. I have been on the internet for an eternity, and I have looked at a lot of milk glass from the 18th century.

But this all seems to be quite solid, whiter milk glass.
I believe that it was made to imitate porcelain.
The origin is also unknown.

I bought the 2 pieces separately, which might be useful to know.
(If you ask me it can be anything; from France to Bohemian to German)

It is super small.
The vase is 7 cm high.
The cup / egg cup is 4.5 cm high.
Handpainted and hand blown.

I have no idea whether this should be called opaline glass, opal glass, milk glass, or opalescent glass.

Thanks!

 

More pictures..

 

It’s typically referred here in the States as fiery opalescent or opaline milk glass.
Those are most likely last quarter 18th C Bohemian but similar enameling could suggest they’re English.

 

the difference and miserable quality of handles that look as if some amateur tried to fix them on in a hurry points towards either an Italian, Turkish or German backyard atelier in the 1940s.
this stuff would NEVER have passed quality control in Bohemia.

 

WOW, they are from the late 1700s?

 

Wow @Historic milk glass
Is this your collection in your avatar?

Very nice.
Welcome to the board. I think we may be calling on you! ! !

 

Thank you, it’s my collection...well part of it. Lol

http://www.peachridgeglass.com/2013/05/gary-katzen-milk-glass-collection/


https://www.peachridgeglass.com/2013/12/why-white-or-how-the-did-you-choose-that-category/

 

I’m in the process of offering some of my 18th and most of my 19th C milk glass for sale.

 

Upon closer inspection, it appears as if the handle on the right may very well be a repair but those are 18th century pieces and I am still going to argue the form and enameling are of a Bohemian or English pedigree.

 

Just noticed something very odd, there’s a tooling mark/depression in the top of the handle. That detail showing is indicative of a missing hinged pewter lid; the dimple was made in order to prevent the pewter ring from movement. Moreover, that piece is appears as if it most likely would have had a glass lid if at all anything? It’s diminutive size lends itself to being more for sweet meats than a sugar bowl but it could have been used for anything.

 

Very nice website. Thank you for the link.
We have a "Sell" forum, not sure how well people actually do there though.

I would think auction house, but you are probably better versed in that area than I am.

 

JMHO. with that decoration it's not earlier than Biedermeier. the vase is not a vase but a Fussbecher (foot beaker).

 

It's a bit tricky to nail down a date, but it's my general understanding that opalescent glass tableware wasn't really deliberately produced or popular until the mid-19th century. The "art glass" movement of the latter 19th century led to a technological explosion of novel art glass effects. Could these pieces be much older than that?

 

Fid, what do you mean by this term?
I received a brooch in a job lot and found an identical one on eBay with this in the title but my lack of fluency in German stopped my research right there!.

 

Milk glass, opalescent or otherwise has been around since the days of the Romans. In the 1700’s milk glass became most prevalent as an affordable substitute for the import Chinese porcelain which couldn’t be manufactured at a reasonable price point in Bohemia and the like. It’s no coincidence Bohemian milk glass was decorated in a similar fashion to replicate costlier import porcelain. From a distance, one might be hard pressed to tell the difference; some resellers can’t even tell the difference, as I’ve purchased countless pieces misrepresented as “fine china”.
Below are some examples intended to mimic import Chinese pieces. Most of these were blown and decorated at the Harrach glass house which is still operating after 300 years!

 

I'm not seeing any examples of deliberate opalescence in any of those examples. My question remains, was opalescence ever a deliberate manufacturing goal before mid-19th century?

 

Apparently I misunderstood you’re query?
Unfortunately I cannot answer intelligently as to whether the first batch of “Fiery opalescent” glass was intentional but I’d venture a guess and say it wasn’t. Recipes for glass were closely guarded secrets and most likely were tweaked with the expectation of improving the color. Back to your question, these two pieces are early to mid 1700’s with the one with the applied foot being about 1740; they are attributed to a glass house in Transylvania. They both have applied strap handles are clearly fiery opalescent with blood red looping. Additionally, I have posted a pic of a handled mug ca. 1780, a half post utility bottle ca. 1750, and an apothecary type vessel...all with fire about them.
Again, was it an accident? I have no idea what came first the chicken or the egg, but what I do know is fiery glass has been around long before the industrial revolution!

 

A little help here, any reason why all my photos appear to be rotated 90° to the left?

 

Not a clue. But it has been happening a lot in the last month.

We have had several pieces of milk glass on the board that were hard to tell between glass and ceramic.
Most of it was assumed to be German because of the floral decoration.
I've always guessed it to be mid to late 1800s. Would I be correct in that assumption?
I'll try to find the thread, or maybe just ask @i need help if she can work her magic.

 

Jeeze, I guess I got lost here...same thread! Lol
I would need to see it… Glass blowers and enamelers traveled and took their styles with them! As you become an advanced collector, you’ll immediately be able to differentiate and identify periods of forms, motifs, styles and what are truly period pieces, Historimus, reproductions and fakes.
I need to see the pieces you were talking about in order for me to offer up an opinion.