St Louis, France, Water Goblet 6.125"
Here is an exmple of an American luxury glass manufacturer copying a much older French pattern. The original St Louis stems were .25" taller, the only real way to distinguish them. Both share the same high quality workmanship. In this instance, the St Louis piece has the addition of red casing, cut to clear.
Where might I find more information about Seneca crystal online. I am interested in knowing how the various lines of crystal compare as to clarity and cut. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteHi Jerry,
ReplyDeleteYou can get a little information from the Morgantown Glass Museum––they have a few excellent pictures at
http://www.morgantownglassmuseum.com/Collections.php#
There are numerous books as well; one of the best is Seneca Glass Company 1891-1983 by Bob Page and Dale Frederiksen of Replacements.com.
You can also browse Replacement's inventory, though the best quality pieces rarely stay long––the pictures do remain so you can at least see what some look like. http://www.replacements.com/crystal/SEN.htm
Most of Seneca's glass was low to mid-range, but a few of their high-end products rank up there with some of the best American glass makers as far as decorating, engraving, and design go.
The quality of pieces in the St Louis/ Seneca comparison are identical in weight and precision. The other pieces of Seneca I've shown in the blog have great workmanship, but the quality of the glass itself isn't quite as good as the best of Steuben, Libbey, Pairpoint or the other super high-end glass makers. The clarity is there, but the weight and ring sometimes are missing.
Thanks for your interest in Seneca, one of the greatest American glass companies that is too often overlooked.