What is a mantel lustre?

A mantel lustre is a two-part decorative vase featuring hanging glass prisms around the rim. They were placed on drawing-room mantelpieces to reflect light from lamps and fires. Pairs of lustres typically stand alongside matching candlesticks or urns to create formal nineteenth-century mantel displays.

How do I identify cranberry glass?

Cranberry glass exhibits a distinct pinkish-red transparency created by mixing gold into the molten batch. It ranges from pale rose tones to deep crimson. This coloration appears frequently in Victorian table lustres, jack-in-the-pulpit vases, and lily vases.

What is vaseline glass?

Vaseline glass is a transparent yellow-green glass containing uranium dioxide. It earned its common name from its resemblance to petroleum jelly. When exposed to ultraviolet light, this glass produces a characteristic bright green fluorescence.

Can these vases hold water?

Many nineteenth-century decorative vases were intended solely for dry display or artificial flower arrangements. Thermal shock from warm tap water can stress old, hand-blown metal. Inspect the interior for residue or unpolished pontil marks before exposing antique glass to moisture.