Archive for the ‘sugar bowl’ Category

Staffordshire sugar bowl, c.1860

Sunday, August 23rd, 2020

This soft paste pottery footed sugar bowl was made in Staffordshire, England in the mid 1800s. It is decorated with polychrome hand painted flowers & leaves and measures 5.5 inches high, 7.75 inches wide. On the underside is an incised “2” and what appears to be a green hand painted number.

At some point during the early life of this pretty sugar bowl the lid slipped from someone’s fingers and the knob broke off. Rather than toss out a perfectly good bowl, a repurposed brass ring was attached to the lid, held into place with lead. Quite an unusual repair, as tiny rings such as this were used as small box or drawer pulls, and for picture hanging. This is the first time I have seen this type of repair and am pleased that over 100 years ago, someone saved a family heirloom by using a household object and a little bit of ingenuity.

This sugar bowl with similar form suggests what the original knob on mine might have looked like

Photo courtesy of The Townhouse Antiques

Chinese dollhouse sugar bowl, c.1690

Saturday, October 3rd, 2015

This Chinese export porcelain dollhouse miniature with blue underglaze floral decoration dates from the Kangxi period (1662-1722) and stands nearly 2 inches tall. Contrary to popular belief, miniatures like this were displayed in doll houses owned by wealthy adults and were not intended to be played with by children.

Surprisingly, this little gem was not always a sugar bowl but actually started life as a baluster form vase. After it took a tumble, a silversmith kept the surviving middle section, added a minuscule silver lid, handles and base, and voila…a sugar bowl was born. A tiny Dutch hallmark in the shape of a sword can be seen on the bottom of the base, dating it to 1814-1905. The small sword mark was used on silver pieces too small to accommodate full hallmarks.

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Shown below is an intact miniature vase, standing just 2-1/2″ tall. It appears that the middle section on a similar vase was used to make the sugar bowl.

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“Girl of Lily” sugar bowl, c.1860

Saturday, August 23rd, 2014

What looks like a glass goblet is actually a sugar bowl. Made in the mid 19th century by the McKee Glass Company of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, this EAPG (Early American Pattern Glass) stemmed sugar bowl is made of flint glass and has a raised “Girl of Lily” pattern, also called “Eve” and “Little Eva”, on three sides. It stands 6″  tall and has an opening of 4-3/8″  and is quite heavy, characteristic of flint glass, which has a large lead content. Another characteristic is its durability, though at some point in the 1800s, the sugar bowl slipped out of the hands of its carrier and the base snapped off. Luckily it wasn’t a salt container, as some believe that spilling salt is an evil omen. Spilled sugar, not so much. But it seems someone in the house was handy, as a nicely turned wood base was made to replace the broken original base and the sugar bowl was passed around the dinner table once again.

This photo shows the sugar bowl intact with the original lid and base.

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From the book Much More Early American Pattern Glass by Alice Hulett Metz, 1965

Pearlware sugar bowl, c.1825

Friday, May 28th, 2010

One of the most unusual repairs I have seen can be found on this early 19th century English pearlware sugar bowl with strap handles. Both sides are decorated with the same cobalt blue transfer decoration of a sheep shearer in a pastoral setting.

Sugar bowl measures 3″ high by 5″ wide.

After a hole bore through the thin-walled ceramic bottom, a clever restorer used a small piece of glass as a patch. An early paper label reads “ENGLISH SOFT PASTE 1770”, incorrectly dating the piece to be about 55 years older than it actually is.

The underside of the sugar bowl reveals a glass patch held in place with putty. Although not an attractive repair, it was probably a quick fix and has lasted longer than the owner most likely anticipated.

Wedgwood sugar bowl, c.1840

Thursday, April 15th, 2010

I am still researching this 3″ high by 5-1/2″ wide black basalt open sugar bowl with an incised WEDGWOOD mark on the bottom.

I purchased this piece of jasperware in London at the Covent Garden Market and was told by the dealer that the piece dates from 1753, though I feel it to be from a later date, and that the hallmarks on the (added?) sterling silver rim date to 1853.

Cracks in both handles are now supported by the addition of four silver bands riveted through to the inside of the bowl.

If anyone knows more about this piece, I would greatly appreciate any further information you may have.

Chinoiserie sugar bowl, c.1800

Monday, March 22nd, 2010

Brown glazed earthenware sugar bowl with yellow transfer-printed “willow-style” decoration, measures 4-1/2″ tall. For many years this type of pottery was called “Portobello ware”, referring to the area in Scotland where these pieces were made.

Most likely an itinerant tinsmith replaced the original broken pottery lid with one nicely made of tin, with a push pin shaped knob.

This example shows what the original lid may have looked like.

Photo courtesy of Dora Landey Antiques

English sugar bowl, c.1820

Thursday, March 11th, 2010

An English pottery sugar bowl with lush floral blue & white underglaze transfer decoration made by Davenport in the first quarter of the 1800s.

Sugar bowl measures 3-1/2″ high and 5-1/2″ wide.

Marked on the bottom with an impressed DAVENPORT and anchor. At some point the matching lid was broken or lost and was replaced with an unassuming carved wood lid. The knob, made from a nail, is even less assuming.

This small piece of paper, the size of a fortune cookie fortune, was found inside with this faded inscription: “Great Great Grandmother Pate – 1770”.

This complete sugar bowl from the same period, still maintains its original matching lid.

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Photo courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art