Antique Box Guide

The method of sculpting and cutting decorative designs into glass was achieved by the use of a Copper Wheel Crystal Engraving Lathe. A vast array of spindled copper and stone grinding wheels of varying size and form could be attached to the lathe to create the desired cut-glass incisions.

The glass was very carefully hand held and manoeuvred as it made contact with the grinding wheels. This was a very skilled, precise and incredibly time consuming technique, but the results could be spectacular, with decorative three dimensional surfaces creating brilliant light refractive effects.

Both lady’s and gentleman’s dressing cases often featured cut glass designs to the bottles and jars. These cut glass techniques tended to be a lot more fancy and ornate in the lady’s examples, often using a style that is commonly referred to as ‘Hobnail’ cut glass.

Cut-glass perfume bottle from an antique dressing case.

Antique ‘hobnail’ cut-glass bottle taken from an Asprey dressing case.

Antique ‘hobnail’ cut-glass vanity bottles taken from an Asprey dressing case.

Asprey Antique Jewellery Box with Betjemann Patent Mechanism and Candlesticks.

Antique ‘hobnail’ cut-glass vanity bottles taken from a coromandel dressing case by Jenner & Knewstub.

Antique cut-glass bottles and jars from an Asprey dressing case.

Antique cut-glass bottle from an Asprey dressing case.

Antique dressing case bottles and jars with silver-gilt / gold fittings by Asprey.