(Editor’s note: This column was originally published Jan. 8, 2018.)
Dear Helaine and Joe:
I bought this Libbey dressing holder for a dollar at a yard sale. It has the number 243 on its side as well. Just wondering about the history of the piece and how much it might be worth.
Thank you,
L. T.
Dear L. T.:
What a wonderful yard sale find! It is beautiful, useful, over 100 years old and handmade by a highly respected manufacturer. That amounts to a quadruple bonanza in the world of collecting.
We must admit we have never heard a piece such as this one called a “dressing holder.”
We suppose that is an apt description of its function, but most people would call it a “cruet.”
This generally describes a stoppered, flat-bottomed vessel with a narrow neck. Such bottles usually have small spouts and often have handles.
They can be found made from ceramic, glass, metal and plastic. It is speculated that cruets may have been used first for ecclesiastical purposes, such as holding the water and wine for the celebration of the Roman Catholic Eucharist.
Today, they are used for holding oil (often olive or vegetable oil used for salad dressing), vinegar, lemon juice or other dining table condiments. They are often part of a set. Smaller versions can also hold salt and ground pepper.
The piece was made by the Libbey Glass Company of Toledo, Ohio, which was founded in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in 1818. It was bought by William L. Libbey in 1878 and moved to Toledo by Edward Libbey in 1888. Its name was changed to the Libbey Glass Company in 1892, and the descendant of the firm is still in business.
This particular cruet is American brilliant period cut glass, a type of glass generally in vogue between the late 1870s and the beginning of World War I. It was decorated with deep miter cuts in a variety of patterns, many of which feature the “hobstar” design, which is a star typically with 12 points, but may have as many as 60 or as few as five. This cruet also has an applied strap handle and a facetted ball stopper.
American brilliant period cut glass was extremely popular in the waning years of the 19th century and early years of the 20th century. It was a kind of go-to gift for brides and wives. Prosperous household had sets of the glassware, and stoppered pieces were sometimes numbered so that stopper No. 4 should go with decanter or cruet No. 4.
We are a bit perplexed by the number “243” on the side and find this to be unusual. Such a number on the base might indicate a style number, but on the side, it makes little sense.
The monetary value of American brilliant period cut glass has fallen dramatically in the past decade. If this were pressed glass, the retail value would be in the $20 to $35 range, but a circa 1900 cut glass piece signed by Libbey should still be valued in the $125 to $150 range.
This story was originally published December 3, 2021 5:05 PM.
