BIEDERMEIER BEAKER

THE BEAKER IS MADE IN BOHEMIA, MID-19th CENTURY (1840 – 1850). CLEAR CASED GLASS, WHEEL CUT AND ENGRAVED. THE CARTOUCHE WITH DANCING FIGURES IS ENGRAVED AND ACID ETCHED.
WELL KNOWN, SWEET SENTIMENTAL BIEDERMEIER ITEMS (JULIA SPITZ ENGRAVED). THE BEAKER IS ADDED AS THE EXAMPLE TO HELP WITH ``HOW IT’S MADE``.
1. WHEN BUYING AN ITEM LIKE THIS ONE, LOOK AT THE CASED GLASS – THERE SHOULD BE AN OUTER LAYER WITH CONSIDERABLE THICKNESS TO BE WHEEL CUT – NOT JUST ``FLASHED`` OVER CLEAR GLASS.
2. USE MAGNIFYING GLASS (10 X OR LESS) TO EXAMINE ENGRAVINGS AND WHEEL CUT DETAILS TO AVOID PRESSED GLASS. SHARP EDGES CLEARLY INDICATE WHEEL CUTTING.
3. LOOK AT THE BOTTOM; SCRATCHES CREATED FOR 150 YEARS OF MOVING IT AROUND ARE IN ALL POSSIBLE DIRECTIONS AND UNEVEN IN DEPTH AND PATTERN. IT HAS BEEN TRIED TO FAKE THEM WITH SAND PAPER OR RUBBING THE BOTTOM OVER SAND BUT ONE CANNOT IMITATE 150 YEARS.
4. RUBY COLOR OVERLAY CANNOT BE IMITATED TODAY FOR UNKNOWN REASON; NEW REPLICAS IN RUBY GLASS ARE ALWAYS, BUT ALWAYS IN DULL, DEEP RED. IF YOU BUY ONLINE THE COLOR MAY LOOK BRIGHT, RUBY RED; THE ITEM HAS TO BE IN YOUR HANDS!
5. NOBODY WOULD BOTHER TODAY TO ENGRAVE EVEN A FEW LETTERS WITH THIS SKILL; FAKE NOT PROFITABLE!

THE ABOVE COMMENTS ARE HOPEFULLY VALUABLE BECAUSE NEW REPLICAS ARE EXTENSIVELY MADE E.G. IN BOHEMIA AND ROMANIA.