Antique engraved glass liqueur set with angels: carafe and 6 glasses — liquor decanter glasses set — late 19th c. (6148)

Antique engraved glass liqueur set with angel motifs — late 19th c.

PERIOD OF MANUFACTURE, ARTISTIC STYLE, ERA

This exquisite, small-sized set for serving spirits and liqueurs is a remarkable piece of applied art from the Historicism (Second Rococo / Louis XV style) period, crafted in the late 19th century. During this era, the culture of salons and studies was highly esteemed in European homes, where every sip of an elite beverage was transformed into a refined ritual of art. This set (liquor decanter glasses set), with its playful, flowing lines and cherubic imagery, perfectly embodies the lightness, joie de vivre, and natural elegance of the Rococo style.

The set forms a complete ensemble of seven pieces: a slender, cylindrical carafe with a faceted crystal stopper and six small, delicate glasses. Each glass vessel is an exquisite masterpiece – adorned with flawless, hand-executed acid and cut engraving featuring Baroque scrolling vines, acanthus leaf motifs, and a fine checkerboard-style mesh in the background. The bases of the vessels are framed by particularly striking, relief-cast and patinated silver-plated metal mounts, depicting three-dimensional cherubs (putti / cupids) entwined around the glass body, holding hands amidst rocaille and scrollwork ornamentation.

Snapshot from the Étretat Cliff Golf Club: July 1909, a mild and sunny July coolness on the Normandy coast. After a long and exciting day, during which the gentlemen have enjoyed every trajectory of the holes above the ocean at the newly opened, exclusive golf course in Étretat (Étretat), it is time to remove the leather gloves and sit down on the club terrace. Around the garden, huge, magnificent hydrangea bushes are in bloom, and the cliff offers a breathtaking view of the ocean’s immense chalk arches, the adjacent gardens of actress Georgette Leblanc Jardins d’Étretat, and the small stone church at the very summit. A waiter places this small, dazzling set on the table. As the waves crash against the cliffs below, the carafe and glasses catch the rays of the setting sun, which refract through the engraved vines of the glass and make the silvered figures of the cherubs literally shimmer. The small, cut crystal stopper clicks open, and a measure of aged spirit is poured into the glasses – it is a moment when sporting excitement and the grandeur of nature transform into a leisurely and absolute enjoyment of luxury.

MANUFACTURER AND MAKER’S MARK

Although no direct hallmarks are visible on the metal mounts, the character of the execution and sculpting, as well as the specificity of the glass engraving and the overall composition, clearly indicate a top-tier piece from artisans or a leading Belgian workshop (e.g., Val Saint Lambert), created for the affluent European market.

RARITY AND SIGNIFICANCE

Liqueur sets like these, with silver-plated metal mounts and cherubic figures, are a collector’s priority. Their primary value lies in their absolute completeness – over time, the glasses are almost always broken or the mounts lost. Finding a complete, authentic 7-piece set, where all 6 original glasses and the carafe are perfectly preserved along with their historical crystal stopper, is an extreme rarity and a serious interior investment.

APPLICATION IN INTERIORS, DESIGN, AND PHOTOGRAPHY

This set is versatile and an exceptionally powerful visual tool. It will look impeccable on a bar cart, a grand sideboard, or a silver tray in a living room. Its delicate proportions and detailed metal mounts fit perfectly into classic, , or manor-style interiors, while also serving as an unusual, exquisite, and luxurious accent in a modern, eclectic setting. In photography and decoration, this item is an outstanding prop – the light flowing through the engraved glass and illuminating the silhouettes of the small cherubs creates an inimitable play of light and shadow and an elite atmosphere in the frame.

CONDITION

The set is in excellent historical condition. The carafe and all 6 glasses are completely intact, the glass is clear and free of limescale or cracks. The hand engraving is sharp and expressive. The metal mounts with cherub motifs are fully firm, stable, and undamaged, retaining a noble and natural historical patina. The faceted crystal stopper is original and seals the carafe’s neck tightly. The condition of the item is fully reflected in the photographs.