Unique Charleston Brilliant Period Green Hued Cut Glass Vase/Palmetto (1880s)

We discovered this unique Charleston, South Carolina Brilliant Period Green-Hued Cut Glass Vase with Palmetto Tree Engraving (1880's) in a shop near Summerville, SC in 1993. The piece appears to have been made for some ceremonial occasion, and a beautiful number of engravings centered on a Palmetto Tree, the symbol of South Carolina, is found on the Vase.

In and of itself, the piece is beautifully designed. Because most Brilliant Period cut glass was sold only with labels or tags — and not engraved signatures — we can only speculate as to its creator. The lead content and masterful artistry of the cutting suggest Libbey, Hoare, or even Steuben. If commissioned by a South Carolina entity, it may well have been commissioned with one of the great cut glass makers of West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Ohio, or Illinois. But we can never know for sure...

It is about 10 inches tall and 7 inches at its widest. It is quite heavy due to its lead content, we estimate it weighs about 4 lbs. South Carolinians, take note!