What is a Cut Glass Vase?

When we speak of a “cut glass vase” we are referring to a glass vase that is decorated solely by cutting or etching the glass either by hand, or with rotating wheels.  A cut glass vase can be in the form of a variety of different shapes and created from different processes.  The glass can be clear, transparent color, opaque color, painted, enameled, etc and can be blown or molded.  The one thing that they all have in common is that they are designed by cutting.

For collectors, a cut glass vase is almost always used to describe vases made in the American Brilliant Period.  This was between 1876 – 1917.  Some of the best examples of Brilliant Period cut glass were created in what was known as the “Era of Super Glass” between 1908 and 1915.  Cut glass vases from this period are highly sought after by collectors and can be fairly expensive.

The appeal of cut glass vases is not only in their unique beauty, but in the fact that they are completely hand cut.  They represent the very best of the finest glass cutters the world has ever seen.  Although glass cutting dates back as early as ancient Egypt, and it was very popular in Europe and other parts of the world, cut glass was not produced in America until 1771.  Around about 1830, American cut glass manufacturers began lending their own styles to the craft, which eventually grew to create works of craftsmanship that surpassed that of any other country in the world.

The use of hand cut glass began to decline just prior to the beginning of the First World War.  Since every piece was hand cut, labor costs for each piece was high.  New methods were created to lower labor costs and acid polishing and form molding started to predominate.  Although these processes were cheaper than hand cutting, they produced a lower quality product.  By 1917, the hand cut glass vase (and hand cut glass in general) industry was dead.

Cut glass is still being manufactured around the world today.  Although some of these pieces are very nice, they do not mach the quality of craftsmanship of pieces created during the Brilliant Period.  My best advice is that if you are looking for a cut glass vase, that you do your homework and make sure you know what you want.  For most people, contemporary cut glass pieces are a beautiful addition to their home décor.  For others, only the best will do. If you fall under the latter category, expect to pay quite a bit for your vase, but you already knew that didn’t you?

This article is but a scratch in the surface in the world of the cut glass vase.  For much more information, I would recommend that you check out the American Cut Glass Association at www.cutglass.org.

Here are some great books on cut glass vases.