“Royal Means Money” - Daryle Lambert's Antique and Collectible Blog – Royal Flemish Glass

Royal Flemish - Thanks to moison-inc.com

You may see this glass vase or ewer that really catches your eye at the next sale you attend but when you turn it over, to your surprise, there isn't a mark. Most people at that moment would just set it down, especially if it carried a $250 price tag. However, they could be making a huge mistake.

Royal Flemish Glass was produces starting in the late 1880's by Mt. Washington Glass Company. Their company was located in New Bedford, Massachusetts and this was just one of their lines. At that time stained glass windows were very fashionable and the glass was made to resemble those windows. Most of these pieces are colored satin glass decorated with medallions filled with Griffins, Birds or Dragons in earthen tones. You may find these pieces as vases, ewers, cracker jars and many other items. Often the very intricate designs are outlined in gold and there can be stippling.

Here is the real secret that I want to share with you, Royal Flemish often had paper labels that have long since disappeared or there may be just a few numbers that don't give away the name of the manufacturer. But if you can identify the piece as being made by Mt. Washington Glass Company then you may have just discovered a real treasure.

But how will I know that it is by that company you ask? The best method is to attend a few antique shows and see, touch and feel as many pieces as there are displayed there. Next get on your computer and look at old catalogs from glass auctions that were held by Cincinnati Art Gallery, Julia's Glass Auction or Early's Glass Auction. These will familiarize you with the different patterns that you should be searching for.

I would like to demonstrate how this knowledge can serve you well. At Early's last auction on October the 24^th, there were three pieces that I would like to tell you about. First came Lot # 62, which was a stick vase 11 ½ inches tall decorated with three circular medallion on a blue stippled background. The estimate was $3000-$5000. The next piece was even more spectacular. It was an ewer with raised gold Rampant Lions with a Serbian two headed eagle black shield, without its paper label. It was 13 1/2 inches and carried an estimate of $4000- $6000. Last but not least was a cracker jar in earthen tones, decorated with medallions of a bust and shields. There was a lot of gold decoration on this piece. Its estimate war $4000 - $6000. These prices make the $250 price tag at the garage or house sale seem cheap, don't they?

Again, knowledge is “King” and it is free so what could be better than that?

My 220 page book about how to make money buying and selling antiques & collectibles is FREE with your membership in the Daryle Lamberts Antique and Collectible Club . Join Us Today!Check out the new Paintings and new items in our Gallery and Marketplace here.