Whitefriars Roman Cut

Between 1874 and 1913, Harry Powell kept detailed notes and sketches of historic objects that interested him whilst visiting museums in Britain and on the Continent.

One item in particular that inspired him was a Roman bowl, excavated at Leuna in Saxony (Germany) and bequeathed by Felix Slade to the British Museum in 1868. Harry Powell’s sketchbook details Roman and Anglo-Saxon objects he saw during his visit to the British Museum on 20th January, 1894, and a copy was made that same month.

This bowl design was adapted to create a wine suite, with pattern number 2425. By 1895, it included glasses for champagne, wine, port, sherry, and liqueur, as well as a variety of other tableware pieces. The reproduction Leuna bowl became the basis for a finger bowl within this wine service.

This shallow Roman cutting was a departure from the heavy British cut designs of the mid-to-late 19th century, and was seen to accentuate the form of the object it was applied to, rather than obscure it. Its simplicity was revered, and this popular suite continued to be produced until the 1930s.

Source: ‘Whitefriars Glass – The Art of James Powell & Sons’ by Lesley Jackson.