Object of the Day: An Antique Mercury Glass Vase

Double-walled, silvered glass—known as “Mercury Glass”—was developed in the 1840’s in Bohemia (now the Czech Republic). Glassmakers around Europe and in the United States quickly adapted the form and created gorgeous, delicate pieces which mimicked the look of expensive silver pieces, but allowed for colorful painted decoration.


This piece comes from England and dates to the 1850’s-1870’s. This can be deduced by the enclosure of the “pontil scar” (the mark left behind from the glass-blowers rod) with a metal disk covered by a globule of glass. English makers would seal the vessel in this manner after filling it with the mixture of silver-nitrate which gives it it’s characteristic mirrored shine.

As was typical in designs of the era, the vase is painted with a floral scene of bright jonquil-colored flowers with white and green foliage. Mercury glass is very fragile and should be babied, but it’s worth the care.