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Pair Vintage Iridescent Amber Lustre Sherry Liqueur Glasses — Pearly Carnival Effect — Twisted Knopped Stem — European
DESCRIPTION:
A beautiful and striking matching pair of vintage iridescent amber lustre sherry/liqueur glasses featuring elegant twisted knopped clear stems — a charming and highly decorative pair of mid-century European art glass stemware displaying a breathtaking pearly iridescent surface sheen.
THE IRIDESCENT LUSTRE
The most extraordinary feature of these glasses is their beautiful pearly iridescent lustre — a shimmering, shifting rainbow-like metallic sheen across the entire surface of the amber bowl that photographs simply cannot fully capture.
This iridescent quality is achieved through a traditional technique where metallic salt spray is applied to hot glass before it cools — a method pioneered by the great Bohemian and Viennese art glass makers of the Art Nouveau era, most notably Loetz of Bohemia and Louis Comfort Tiffany of America, and continued throughout the mid-20th century by quality European glassmakers.
The result is a surface that shifts and glows with every movement in the light — flashing through the spectrum from amber and gold through to green, blue and purple — a truly mesmerising optical effect that makes these glasses as beautiful as decorative objects as they are functional drinking glasses.
THE GLASSES
The Bowl:
Each glass features a beautifully proportioned oval bowl in warm amber/orange iridescent glass with a subtle swirl optic/twisted rib pattern within the glass itself — catching and refracting the light beautifully. The amber colour is deepest and richest at the rim, graduating to a warmer golden tone at the base of the bowl.
The Stem:
A beautifully formed clear glass twisted/knopped stem with characteristic bobbin-like nodes — an elegant and distinctive decorative element that lifts these well above ordinary stemware and gives them a wonderful period character.
The Foot:
A neat circular clear glass foot/base provides a stable and elegant foundation — the clear glass of the stem and foot providing a beautiful contrast to the warm iridescent amber bowl.
ORIGIN AND DATE
The combination of iridescent lustre, amber flash bowls, swirl optic pattern and knopped twisted stems is characteristic of quality mid-century European art glass — most likely Bohemian Czech, German, Austrian or Italian in origin — dating from approximately the 1940s to 1960s.
No maker’s mark is visible — entirely consistent with much glassware of this era and European origin.
PERFECT USE
At 12.8cm tall these are ideally sized for:
- Sherry — the classic use
- Port or Madeira
- Liqueurs and as decorative art glass objects — the iridescent amber colour glows and shifts magnificently in natural light, making these stunning display pieces even without use
DETAILS
- Quantity: 2 glasses — a matching pair
- Height: 12.8cm each
- Colour: Iridescent amber lustre bowl — pearly shifting surface sheen — clear twisted stem and foot
- Pattern: Swirl optic/twisted rib in bowl
- Stem: Clear knopped/twisted bobbin style
- Material: Iridescent art glass — metallic lustre technique
- Origin: Believed European — Bohemian Czech, German, Austrian or Italian — circa 1940s–1960s
- Maker: Unknown — no visible mark
- Condition: Please see all photos carefully
WHY THESE GLASSES ARE SPECIAL
- ✅ Rare iridescent/carnival lustre — the pearly shifting sheen is far more desirable than plain coloured glass
- ✅ Matching pair — increasingly hard to find in vintage glassware
- ✅ Elegant knopped twisted stems — a premium decorative feature
- ✅ Swirl optic pattern within the bowl adds additional visual interest
- ✅ Art glass quality — in the tradition of Loetz, Tiffany and the great Bohemian iridescent glass makers
- ✅ Dual purpose — beautiful as functional glasses AND as decorative display objects
- ✅ Mid-century European — a highly collectible era and origin
CONDITION
Good vintage condition — no chips or cracks noted. The iridescent lustre is intact and glowing. Please examine all photos carefully before purchasing as they form part of the description.
Please note: The iridescent lustre and shifting colour play of these glasses is considerably more spectacular in person than photographs can capture — the pearly sheen shifts through amber, gold, green, blue and purple as the glasses move in the light.
PERFECT FOR
- Vintage iridescent art glass collectors
- Carnival glass enthusiasts
- Bohemian/Czech glass collectors
- Mid-century barware enthusiasts
- Sherry and liqueur glass collectors
- Home bar decoration
- Display collectors
- A beautiful and unusual gift for lovers of vintage art glass and entertaining
Please view all photos as part of the description. Will pack very carefully.
Happy to combine postage with other listings in my store.
