ORNAMENTAL GLASS.
For the brilliant lustre of our glass, that splendid crystal look like the purest of pure Wenham Lake ice, the English makers have long been unrivalled ; but in some cut, enamelled, and coloured glass in various fantastic forms, the foreign manufacturers surpass us. Some splendid specimens of ornamental glass are to be seen now. Messrs. Phillips have a pair of semi-opaque white amphora shaped vases, about three feet high, of Bohemian manufacture, the corresponding pair being in the possession of the Queen. The form of these is beautifully true and symmetrical. A very elegant application of spun glass is exhibited by Messrs. Osier. It is of true Venetian work in the form of little baskets of various forms. The glass is of different colours, and is woven together, giving a very delicate silky kind of wicker-work in glass. The display of crystal chandeliers at Messrs. Osler's new room in Oxford Street is really enough to make one feel proud of the nation of shopkeepers. The room, too, designed by so distinguished a man as Owen Jones, is of itself a work of art remarkable for great originality and beauty of design. Next to making fine glass is showing it well, for even a diamond looks dull when badly set ; and so this new salon of Mr. Osler's forms a splendid setting for his crystals that sparkle like diamonds hanging in clusters from the roof. The lighting by day is given by myriads of star shaped openings in the arched ceiling, each filled with coloured glass of different tints ; by night it is lit by star shaped gas-lights. The sides of the room have large mirrors upon a crimson flock paper, and the tables are all mirrors ; so that glass is to be admired in almost every form.
In engraved glass we are fast gaining upon the domain of the German and French artists of the Seventeenth and Eighteenth centuries. We have seen at Apsley Pellatt's some extremely good species of work in engraving. Some of these are also very beautiful in execution, and tastefully designed. We should mention particularly finger-glasses, and others engraved with the leaf and flower of the water-lily, as if rising from the water. Another very pleasing example was a water-jug and glasses ornamented with the passion-flower. Equally good in its way was a jug engraved with figures and honeysuckle ornaments from the Greek vases.
A very beautiful dessert-set, engraved in the renaissance style of or- nament, is not only remarkable as a very elaborate production, but in- teresting from the fact that we have men among us ready to give as much as five hundred pounds for such a very.fragile work of art-manu- facture. This should give great encouragement to skilled artizans, for we may be sure our wealthy manufacturers will always find purchasers for the really beautiful and good articles. Indeed in this one department of engraved glass, it is with great difficulty the demand for it is met.
Previous page
