Decanter thumbnail 1
On display
Image of Gallery in South Kensington

Decanter

ca. 1850 (made)
Artist/Maker
W. H. B. & J. Richardson (manufacturers)
Place of origin
Stourbridge (made)

Decanter, cut glass, made by W. H. B. & J. Richardson, Stourbridge, about 1850

Object details

Categories
Glass
Drinking
Object type
Decanter
Parts
This object consists of 2 parts.

  • Decanter
  • Decanter
Materials and techniques
Cut glass
Brief description
Decanter, cut glass, made by W. H. B. & J. Richardson, Stourbridge, about 1850
Dimensions
  • Height: 35.3cm
Style
Victorian
Gallery label
(18/06/2009)
Decanter , cut England (Stourbridge), about 1850 made by W. H. B. & J. Richardson (C.54 &A-1970) This decanter is similar in design to pieces shown by Richardson's in the Great Exhibition of 1851. The cut glass decanter was a staple product of the Victorian glass manufacturers. It was an essential feature of every middle-class home in spite of the critic Ruskin's condemnation of cutting as 'barbarous'. A later writer termed it 'death by a thousand cuts', and another declared such an object to being better suited to 'braining a burglar' than decorating a table. Richardson also made wares with 'appropriate' ornament, such as the enamelled jug and sherry decanter shown alongside, which illustrate the recommendations of design reformers like Henry Cole (see label number 9252 and 9254). .
Object history
This decanter is similar in design to pieces shown by Richardson's in the Great Exhibition of 1851. The cut glass decanter was a staple product of the Victorian glass manufacturers. It was an essential feature of every middle-class home in spite of the critic Ruskin's condemnation of cutting as 'barbarous'. A later writer termed it 'death by a thousand cuts', and another declared such an object to being better suited to 'braining a burglar' than decorating a table. Richardson also made wares with 'appropriate' ornament, such as the enamelled jug and sherry decanter shown alongside, which illustrate the recommendations of design reformers like Henry Cole (see label number 9252 and 9254).
Other number
9253 - Glass gallery number
Collection
Ceramics Collection
Accession number
C.54&A-1970

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Record createdJune 18, 2009
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O249911/decanter-w-h-b/
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