Pillar thumbnail 1
Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
Glass, Room 131

Pillar

ca. 1740 (made), ca. 1740 (made)
Artist/Maker
Unknown
Place of origin
England (made)

Such pillar supports were used to create a multi-tiered glass pyramid for the presentation of Jellies at the dessert table. Often each salver used for such a pyramid has its own foot, but loose pillars and salvers were also used. These pillars are shaped like the stems of drinking glasses, with a central knob, decorated with internal, tear-shaped air bubbles. Around 1980, the Butler's pantry at Doddington Hall (near Lincoln) contained a number of such glass pillars. Very few others are known today.


Object details

Categories
Glass
Eating
Tableware & Cutlery
Object type
Pillar
Materials and techniques
Blown and hotworked glass.
Glass
Blown
Hot-Worked
Brief description
Pillar or support, blown glass, England, ca. 1740
Physical description
Pillar or support, clear colourless glass with flattened base and top with central knob with tear-shaped airbubbles. Support for a glass tray for the dessert table.
Dimensions
  • Height: 8.2cm
Taken from the published catalogue.
Object history
From the Tim Udall collection of English glass for the dessert table.
Historical context
Such pillar supports were used to create a multi-tiered glass pyramid for the presentation of Jellies at the dessert table. Often each salver used for such a pyramid has its own foot, but loose pillars and salvers were also used. These pillars are shaped like the stems of drinking glasses, with a central knob, decorated with internal, tear-shaped air bubbles.
Summary
Such pillar supports were used to create a multi-tiered glass pyramid for the presentation of Jellies at the dessert table. Often each salver used for such a pyramid has its own foot, but loose pillars and salvers were also used. These pillars are shaped like the stems of drinking glasses, with a central knob, decorated with internal, tear-shaped air bubbles. Around 1980, the Butler's pantry at Doddington Hall (near Lincoln) contained a number of such glass pillars. Very few others are known today.
Bibliographic references
  • Delomosne & Son Ltd, North Wraxall, Chippenham, Wiltshire, 'A selling exhibition of 18th century glass for the dessert - The Tim Udall collection', 8th - 15th October 2011, pp. 106-107, fig 41
  • R.J. Charleston, 'Glasses for the dessert ! - introductory: A Paper read to the Circle on 17 April, 1980', in: The Glass Circle, V (1986), p.29 Charleston refers to the usage of glass pillars like these and mentions one that had recently entered the V&A collection (C.99-1980).
Other number
6580 - Glass gallery number
Collection
Ceramics Collection
Accession number
C.88-2011

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Record createdNovember 8, 2011
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1241489/pillar-unknown/
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