Late 19th Century ‘Greek Key’ Design Acid Etched Lead Crystal Wine or Water Carafe c.1870

This is a striking and highly unusual lead crystal wine carafe, possibly attributable to Richardson and dating to around 1870.

The carafe has a circular rim, which steps out to meet the eight petal-shaped facets below. These are staggered with a ring of diamond-shaped facets, which surmount a staggered band of neck facets that terminate at the shoulder with rounded lower margins. The globular body is acid etched with an interesting random squiggle design. Around the centre is a band of ‘Greek Key’ etching.

The carafe sits on a discoid foot which is star cut and unmarked.

It has a height of approximately 21.1cm, with a diameter across the rim of about 5.0cm and across the foot of about 6.8cm.

It is in good condition, although there are a few tiny nicks out of the facet cutting around the rim.