topic Re: MYSTERY GLASS? in Home

MYSTERY GLASS?

Oznell — Sun, 01 Mar 2026 23:20:05 GMT

Browsing an antique store a while back, I found an antique glass spooner that I loved. Have not been able to identify the pattern, although I usually can with other obscure pieces, just by using the Early American Pattern glass search site.

Hubby helpfully took these pictures of it for me:

I plugged in these descriptions to the EAPG site, with no luck:

ribbed, (spooner), fluted, feathers or plumes on sides, arched, scalloped, columns

None of those pulled up what the pattern is, or even the company making it.

I tried plugging the photo into Google image, and they also didn't come up with the pattern-- just made very vague comparisons to other motifs and types of glass objects.

I thought it was turn-of-the-century, but interestingly, our neighbor thinks it is from a bit farther back in the 19th century.

I've only seen one other "out in the wild", in a different antique store.

It's not expensive ( very old clear pressed glass is still one of the great bargains) or rare, but still, I'd love to know the pattern and what company made it.

Thought I'd poll our posters here and some knowledgeable person might know! Thanks much in advance, if anyone does.

Re: MYSTERY GLASS?

Kachina624 — Sun, 01 Mar 2026 23:47:30 GMT

@Oznell. It's a very attractive shape but what is a spooner? New term for me.

Re: MYSTERY GLASS?

SilleeMee — Sun, 01 Mar 2026 23:59:43 GMT

I saw a pair of those on eBay and the vendor calls them "bud vases". Art deco style.

AI Overview

Clear glass Art Deco bud vases from the 1920s-1930s were produced by iconic makers like

René Lalique, Daum Frères, Sabino, Steuben, and Orrefors, along with German firms like Ankerglas Bernsdorf.

Re: MYSTERY GLASS?

tends2dogs — Mon, 02 Mar 2026 00:27:52 GMT

What are the dimensions, @Oznell ? I don't see bud vase which is usually more narrow. I also don't see feathers, but rather conch or shell-like. I don't think of a spooner as being tapered either. I am not being much help, sorry.

I have a couple pressed glass spooners from my mom that I use. I have a matching sugar and creamer that makes a nice set up for coffee or tea.

Good luck with your search!

Re: MYSTERY GLASS?

SilleeMee — Mon, 02 Mar 2026 00:32:30 GMT

@tends2dogs

That's what I thought, too, about a 'bud vase' being more narrow in the top until I started looking around. Apparently there are wide-mouth bud vases out there.

Re: MYSTERY GLASS?

tends2dogs — Mon, 02 Mar 2026 00:33:48 GMT

Who knew, @SilleeMee ? Apparently, not me.....

Re: MYSTERY GLASS?

tends2dogs — Mon, 02 Mar 2026 00:35:36 GMT

@SilleeMee wrote:
I saw a pair of those on eBay and the vendor calls them "bud vases". Art deco style.

AI Overview
Clear glass Art Deco bud vases from the 1920s-1930s were produced by iconic makers like
René Lalique, Daum Frères, Sabino, Steuben, and Orrefors, along with German firms like Ankerglas Bernsdorf.

These would make a fun hot fudge sundae dish....YUM! And fancy!

Re: MYSTERY GLASS?

kitcat51 — Mon, 02 Mar 2026 00:40:55 GMT

Wish I could help with the pattern, it's pretty. Thought I'd share with you...what I thought was a glass spooner turned out to be a celery keeper, the difference between the two is height. I never heard of a celery keeper but those old glass sets had something for everything, lol. None of my old glass matches, what got me started collecting is a beautiful old cut glass domed butter dish from my late husband's mother. I collect primitives now. Hope you find the pattern name @Oznell, I enjoy your posts.

Re: MYSTERY GLASS?

Citrine1 — Mon, 02 Mar 2026 01:11:07 GMT

@Kachina624 It's a new term for me as well. When I googled "what is a spooner?" I got this ... "a person kissing and cuddling another person amorously". LOL

So then I googled "what is a glass spooner?" and got this .... "a specialized Victorian-era container, often made of pressed or cut glass, designed to hold spoons on a dining table or side board. Popular from 1860 - 1930, they served as status symbols for holding silver spoons."

Re: MYSTERY GLASS?

Ronettes — Mon, 02 Mar 2026 01:23:08 GMT

Reminds me very much of the Depression Glass Vase style.

Re: MYSTERY GLASS?

Oznell — Mon, 02 Mar 2026 01:35:57 GMT

Great detective work, as usual, @SilleeMee ! I also think of most bud vases as a bit more narrow and linear, but there are some wider mouthed ones out there...

So, the vendor could be right, but because of that particular, rather short shape, and similarity to other spooners, I guessed it was a spooner.

By the way, @kitcat51 , when I first got it, I did think it was a "celery" ( for anyone not familiar, an old-fashioned glass vessel for holding celery upright on the table), but for some reason, ultimately guessed, spooner. Your butter dish sounds fab, by the way...

Anyway, my glass vessel definitely has some Art Deco characteristics, ( ribs, arched top) and that's one reason I liked it so much, but those motifs can also appear in Victorian and Edwardian pieces.

For example, here's a pressed glass pitcher I have, "Double Fan" by Dalzell, Gilmore and Leighton Glass, that I thought was Deco -- turns out, it was introduced in the 1890's:

Here's a spooner I found online, I would have sworn was from the 1920's, but was first made in 1890. The pattern is "Hexagonal Bullseye" --

@Kachina624 , you will already have gathered what a spooner is from this discussion-- on Victorian tables, people loved to have all their silver out, and one thing they would do is put teaspoons, for example, in a designated glass receptacle, so that people could take one to stir coffee or tea. They would often be part of a matched set, along with a creamer and sugar.

@tends2dogs , good observation, I forgot that one of the words I plugged into the search engine was "shell-shaped"-- but also to no avail.

It's about 6" high, by 4" across.

You're right, they would make excellent, nostalgic sundae holders!

For fun, a few more antique spooners or celeries from online, there are so many varieties--

Well, I still don't know the pattern name, but I really enjoyed all your contributions, posters, thanks for responding!

Re: MYSTERY GLASS?

SilleeMee — Mon, 02 Mar 2026 01:49:02 GMT

@Oznell

I think you're correct to say that it's a 'spooner'. The vendor on eBay may not have known what they have and called it a 'bud vase' instead.

Re: MYSTERY GLASS?

Snowpuppy — Mon, 02 Mar 2026 02:29:45 GMT

Try Replacements dot com. They not only identify china and crystal patterns, but they can also identify other pieces and collectables as well. It requires you to upload a pic.

I grew up in my Gram's house. She used both a spooner and a celery jar. Her spooner was an orangey carnival glass. Filled with teaspoons, it was on a shelf in the kitchen for easy reach.

The celery holder was in the fridge. Similar style but clear EAPG. Held cut celery in ice cold water. You could grab a piece to snack on with peanut butter or cream cheese.

Re: MYSTERY GLASS?

Kachina624 — Mon, 02 Mar 2026 02:29:56 GMT

@Citrine1 wrote:
@Kachina624 It's a new term for me as well. When I googled "what is a spooner?" I got this ... "a person kissing and cuddling another person amorously". LOL

So then I googled "what is a glass spooner?" and got this .... "a specialized Victorian-era container, often made of pressed or cut glass, designed to hold spoons on a dining table or side board. Popular from 1860 - 1930, they served as status symbols for holding silver spoons."

@Citrine1. I guess it was before our time but I never heard of it or the custom off putting flatware in glass on the table.

Re: MYSTERY GLASS?

LTT1 — Mon, 02 Mar 2026 03:10:31 GMT

Very much fun...all of them❤️

Thanks

Re: MYSTERY GLASS?

AuntMame — Mon, 02 Mar 2026 09:14:53 GMT

I love how in our grandmas' day they used to have special dishes for every sort of thing. Salt. Celery. Pickle-and-relish trays. These days it's a challenge to figure out purpose specific dishes were intended for.

Years ago I was regularly using a long vintage teapot as a gravy pourer.

Re: MYSTERY GLASS?

tends2dogs — Mon, 02 Mar 2026 14:34:01 GMT

@Oznell I have a collection of various pieces of pressed glass that my uncle started for me years ago......like close to 50 years ago. The design is Paneled Thistle. I don't believe in sticking cherished pieces in the cupboard so I use them. I have make up brushes in one, pens and pencils, in a couple. They are not $$$ valuable, but to me they are priceless.

Years ago, I got out my good dishes and silverware and use them everyday. I loved them when I bought them (again, 50 years ago) and I still do. What are we saving these treasures for?

Re: MYSTERY GLASS?

SHOPR — Mon, 02 Mar 2026 21:11:28 GMT

@Oznell What an interesting find!

My only suggestion, to add to all the others, is to try searching Etsy and eBay for it as just "vase" and not spooner. Although I imagine that would take you forever to find a match, I bet you would eventually find one that names the pattern or maker.
I would think that a lot of sellers would not know what a spooner is. So interesting, and I had never heard of one.

Re: MYSTERY GLASS?

PA Mom-mom — Mon, 02 Mar 2026 21:39:37 GMT

They remind me of Cambridge or Fostoria I've had in the past.

Re: MYSTERY GLASS?

Sooner — Mon, 02 Mar 2026 21:54:28 GMT

It certainly would function as a spooner--spoons and tiny forks come in all sizes for many purposes. I would think it would be perfect to hold a nosegay--which is sometimes defined as: a small, tightly packed, handheld bouquet of flowers and herbs, historically used since medieval times to mask unpleasant odors.

I have used my spooners and celery vases many many times over the years to hold flatware at gatherings. The celery vases are great for chop sticks, bread sticks and iced tea spoons as well as celery or veggie ticks.