In Praise of the Crystal Vase

Crystal vases remain a decor of choice for many of today’s luxurious and sophisticated homes. Crystal vases displayed in gathering areas provide a sense of sophistication and subtle beauty to any space. Showing off these vases in one’s living space communicates to others the owner’s refined taste in material things and subsequently wealth/prosperity.

Why are Crystal Vases so Highly Regarded?

Crystal vases are cherished for the inherently superior properties of the material they use: lead glass. In essence, lead glass is created from combining molten glass with lead oxide. Adding lead makes for glass that is softer, hence easier to cut during production. This is a critical property if the material is to be hand or machine-cut to give it its highly refractory facets. More importantly, adding the lead oxide creates a material that has a higher index of refraction (RI) or in layman’s terms, ‘sparkle’, than say ordinary glass. Subsequently, because of the higher RI, lead glass also has a higher index of dispersion which in essence refers to a material’s ability to produce a prism-like reflection whenever light hits upon it. Lead glass produces the most sparkle when it contains 35% lead. Unfortunately, adding more lead to the molten glass during manufacturing makes it more difficult to form the crystal material.

The Beginnings of Lead Crystal and Crystal Vases

While lead as an additive to glass has been used since ancient times, credit is given to a man named Antonio Neri for authoring the first comprehensive treatise on lead glass which was published in the early 1600s. In this book, he discussed the use of lead glass for the imitation of precious stones and their use in ornamental glassware. Not long after with the translation of his book into English in 1662, an Englishman by the name of George Ravenscroft launched the first industrial scale production of lead crystal glassware.

Possibly the very early forebears of today’s crystal vases are what collectors call today as excise glasses. In 1746, to take advantage of the massively growing popularity of lead glass, the British Government decided to impose tax on lead glass based on weight. In response however, instead of reducing the lead component of their glass to reduce costs, manufacturers decided to produce smaller, decorative, more delicate glassware. They have come to be known as excise glasses due to their being spawned by the government’s tax initiative.

Subsequently, this has led to more usage of lead crystal for ornamental applications. Their popularity grew rapidly into continental Europe and fast led to the development of an industry of master engraving craftsmen dedicated to working with the lead crystal material.

Crystal Vases Today

Today, many names and institutions have become known as avid supporters of the crystal glass industry. Some of the more well-known supporters are Harvey Littleton, the founder of the American Studio Glass Movement and Louis Comfort Tiffany, a man who has become known for his handmade Favrile iridescent glass. Some of the more popular glass artists include René Jules Lalique, Dale Patrick Chihuly and the Murano-born Lino Tagliapietra.

Cut-glass crystal remains to be the material of choice for high-end luxury art deco and glassware. Crystal Vases in particular have become particular due to their adaptability to many types of interior design themes. They can also be found in different types of establishments including various parts of residences, restaurants and even executive offices.

And as is true with many luxury items, certain global brands have become synonymous to high quality crystal vases. Some of these well known brands include Baccarat, J.G.Durand, Royal Leerdam Crystal, Steuben Glass, Waterford Crystal, Mikasa and Swarovski.