Small semi-translucent dishes w/ gold design - jade?

These were on a shelf lot I got last Tuesday & I had no idea who made them or what they were made of, but I thought they were wonderful. They feel cold to the touch like some type of stone material & are highly polished. The first thing I thought of when I saw them was some type of carved jade. They are 3/4" to the side edge.

I actually have 3 different colors of these dishes. These blue one, 2 lighter blue almost white color & 4 a pale yellow green color.

Anyone have any ideas as to what these are made from & what they are supposed to be used for?



Thanks for any & all advice or opinions!!!
Peggy

 

Glass methinks. Opalescent perhaps. Individual dishes for anything or maybe even finger bowls.

 

Maybe salt or spice dishes? Just throwing out an idea.

 

Are they heavier than glass?

 

Are they heavier than glass?

They are definitely heavier & feel colder when held to your cheek than glass. It also doesn't sound like glass when you tap it with something.

If no one comes up with definitive before Friday evening I'll take one with me to the auction. There is a guy who really knows his rocks & minerals so he might be able to help me out.

 

Gosh, I looked all over and nothing They are very nice bowls

I looked under quartz bowls,jade,semi transparent,semi translucent,and finger bowls and evey other key word inbetween. Oh,and opalescent. Could not find anything close to yours. Just looked under salts too. No luck.

I remember I ate at a Chinese restaurant and ordered chicken and they placed little bowls on the table with a dipping salt.

 

This is the closest To the same material I could find though not the same.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Opalescent-...l-Footed-/331359932518?_trksid=p2054897.l4275

--- Susan

 

The color seems to be very even and consistent for stone, but this is an instance where I think you just can't tell from a photo.

 

Thanks everyone for your suggestions!!

I think moreotherstuff is correct about not being able to tell from a photo on these pieces.

I am taking them with me tomorrow night & will let you know if I am able to learn anything new.

 

With my failing eyesight, the pics are too small to see them clearly, but from what I can see, the gilt decoration and the mention of other colors, French opaline glass was my initial impression...

~Cheryl

 

You could take them to a jeweler, with a gem tester they can tell if it's quartz, jade or glass.

 

I took them to the auction last night & my buddy told me they are definitely glass & not some type of mineral. He found a couple of tiny bubbles in the one he looked at with his loupe.

I did some looking around with the flint glass lead & I think it might be a real possibility. Some of the older drawer pulls & curtain tie-back pieces had the same opalescence I see in these bowls.

I think for now I am just going to hold onto them & put them on a shelf until I can find something a little more concrete to put into a listing. I sold 2 pieces off the shelf for more than I paid for the shelf at the auction so I am good.

Thanks to everyone for the help with these pieces!!!