An epergne is a decorative table centrepiece featuring a central bowl with multiple detachable trumpet vases or hanging baskets branching out from the base. They served as dramatic table decorations for holding fruit or flowers during nineteenth-century meals. Victorian examples frequently combined silver-plated frames with cranberry or vaseline glass inserts. The modular construction allowed servants to dismantle the pieces easily for cleaning after dinner.

How do I identify vaseline glass?

Vaseline glass is characterised by its distinctive transparent yellow or greenish-yellow colour, which resembles petroleum jelly. The glass achieves this translucent hue through the addition of uranium oxide during the manufacturing process. When exposed to ultraviolet light, genuine nineteenth-century pieces emit a strong green fluorescent glow. Collectors prize this unusual optical property alongside the delicate forms of the vases.

How were spill vases used?

Spill vases were small, narrow containers kept on mantelpieces to hold thin rolls of paper called spills. Victorian households used these paper spills to transfer flames from the fireplace to candles or lamps. As matches became safer and more common, these vessels transitioned into holding short-stemmed garden flowers. Their compact proportions made them ideal for placing along mantel shelves.