When did they start making crystal cut glass?
Few items add as much elegance and beauty to a room as a piece of crystal or cut glass, especially American brilliant cut glass. The American brilliant period, 1880 to 1905, utilized new technologies to make cut glassware of surpassing beauty. Now that beauty can be yours.
Which is thinner cut glass or lead crystal?
Lead crystal is often thinner than glass, as the material can be manipulated during manufacturing to create more delicate shapes without breaking. Confirming the cut glass or lead crystal piece may be easier with a known manufacturing company, year, or location of production.
What kind of glass is American brilliant cut?
Items with an outer layer of colored glass, called cut-to-clear, also bring high prices. Be sure to do some research to make sure you’re not purchasing a piece of newer European glass. The new pieces don’t have the fine look of American Brilliant cut-to-clear glass but can be confusing to a novice just the same.
What kind of glass was made in the American brilliant period?
The nicest pieces of cut glass have a high lead oxide content giving them extra sparkle showing off the exceptional shine of the cutting in this clear glass. Through the American Brilliant Period, crafters moved away from hand blowing blanks to blown glass made with molds, and eventually incorporated design elements in the blown mold as well.
Few items add as much elegance and beauty to a room as a piece of crystal or cut glass, especially American brilliant cut glass. The American brilliant period, 1880 to 1905, utilized new technologies to make cut glassware of surpassing beauty. Now that beauty can be yours.
When did American brilliant cut glass come out?
American Brilliant Cut Glass. American Brilliant cut glass came out of the shadows of European cut glass in 1876 at the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
What are the characteristics of cut leaded crystal?
Cut leaded crystal (or cut glass) has three distinguishing characteristics: a bell-like ring when gently tapped with the finger, a clarity and brilliance unmatched by pressed or molded imitations, and weight noticeably greater than the same sized piece made of unleaded glass.
When was the peak of antique cut glass?
Antique Cut Glass. While cut glass has been produced for thousands of years, it reached a peak of popularity during the late 19th century in the so-called “Brilliant” period, which lasted until the early 1900s. Brilliant period cut glass, a popular wedding gift at the time, was heavy leaded glass, intricately cut with geometric patterns and prisms.
