Heavy Lead Crystal Cut Glass Water Pitcher, Hobstar & Fan Motif

A substantial cut-glass water pitcher worked in a dense combination of hobstars, cane-cut cross-hatching, and radiating fan and single-star motifs across the lower body. The upper body carries a band of broad flute-cut ovals below a scalloped notch course at the rim, drawing the eye upward toward the pronounced pouring lip. The applied handle is notch-cut along its outer edge, and the star-cut foot ring anchors the piece. The heft and clarity of the blank are consistent with heavy lead crystal, which bends and scatters light with far greater intensity than soda-lime glass.

The deep miter work and geometric vocabulary — pinwheel fans, crosshatch fields, and multi-point hobstars — place this pitcher in the turn-of-the-century tradition of formal cut-glass service, when the table pitcher was both a working vessel and a centerpiece. The piece is unmarked, as the majority of cut crystal from this period was left unsigned regardless of origin or quality. The prismatic light play through the geometric field remains the defining pleasure of these pieces.

CONDITION

Very Good overall. No chips or structural damage to the cut surfaces; the motifs remain crisp throughout. Shelf wear to the base ring and a scuff near the top consistent with age and handling. A hairline crack is present in the interior of the upper body near the rim — noted for full disclosure.

DIMENSIONS / SPECIFICATIONS

• Overall: 11" H × 5.5" W × 4.5" D
• Weight: 4 lbs 1.7 oz
• Material: Heavy lead crystal
• Unmarked
• Campbell's Soup Can (4" H) Shown for Scale — Not Included