Need a cruet?

 

Cruets are small glass bottles that are used to hold oil, vinegar, or other liquids on the table.  The high point of their use was during the Victorian era when they were made in a variety of patterns, colors, and even sizes.  They were meant to enhance the beauty og the table setting.

All cruets had stoppers, and most of them had a handle as well.  Cruets also have a pouring lip or spout next to the stopper.  The spout helps you tell them apart from a perfume bottle.  Even though the two are the same size, the perfume bottle will not have a spout on them.

Today’s collector will find a wide range of patterns, colors, and prices—there will be something for everyone.

You can see all of the cruets in my Etsy shop here.  What kinds of cruets have you run across lately?

Hey, it’s International Talk Like A Pirate Day!

ARRRRR!  Shiver me timbers!

This is one of the not-so-well-known holidays that I heard about that actually made me do a double take.  After I heard about this actual holiday, I thought how easy and fun it would be to show off a small portion (or even the entire thing) of your collection that could be tied to this holiday.

The first thing that comes to mind that you could show off is the clothes that a pirate could ware.  It could be a costume that came from the 1950’s, or even a pirate hat from a favorite local amusement park.  Another is to show off the actual clothes that were made during the time that a pirate sailed the open seas.

The next thing that you could show off is the pirate inspired toys that have been made.  It could be a remote controlled ship, or even a model ship that you have made.  Pulp magazines and books sporting articles and characters that have pirates in them could even be proudly shown off on this day.

This is definitely a holiday that you could have tons of fun with.  What kinds of holidays have you heard of that you could show off your collection?

What in the world is Candlewick?

Candlewick is a pattern that was made by the Imperial Glass Company, and it was made from 1936 to 1982.  The pieces don’t have any embossed marks, but they sported a paper label.

This pattern is very recognizable by the beaded crystal glass rims, stems, and even handles.  During its production, more than 700 items were designed.

Because of the very lengthy production run and popularity of the pattern, there were many items that look similar to the old Candlewick.  These pieces show up at estate sales, antique malls, flea markets, and even antique shows.

One of the ways that helps me is to compare the item in question to a picture in a book, or to an item that you know is truly a piece of Candlewick.  The internet is also another great way to help out.

One area to be familiar with is the style of the glass beads on the piece.  Another way is to be aware of what colors Candlewick was made in.  Viennese Blue, Ruby red, and crystal are just some of the colors that this pattern was made in.

It helps me out when there are other pieces of  a set are present.  Take the cologne bottle shown above.  It’s part of a dresser set that has quite a few pieces in it.  If there's a tray or a box that's part of the dresser set, that makes me think that at one time these pieces were sold together as part of a set.

Sometimes a glass maker doesn’t make something like this, so it also helps to have a general knowledge of what was made.

You can see the cologne bottle in my Etsy store here.  What pieces of Candlewick have you run across?

Vocabulary words for the furniture collector

There’s always some terms that you pick up along the way when you either collect a certain area or are a dealer.  Furniture is the same way, and here’s some great vocabulary words that I heard along the way:

Attached Back Pillow: This is a pillow treatment that can’t be taken off the upholstered piece.

Butler's Table: This is an oval wooden tray on legs whose four sides are hinged to fold out flat when it is set down.

Case Piece: A piece of furniture like this provides interior space for storage.  It could be something like clothing or bedding.

Commode: Today, this means something completely different.  It used to be a low chest that had either  drawers or doors (some sort of cabinet on legs) which usually stands against a wall.

Nest-of-Tables: These are small tables that are used every once in a while and are graduated in size so that they slide beneath one another.

These are only a handful of the words that you will run across.  What words have you heard?