Victorian Pressed Glass “CELERY” Vase — Sowerby, England c. 1885–1895

This charming and unmistakably Victorian pressed-glass vase is boldly inscribed CELERY around its scalloped rim — a delightful reminder of a time when celery was a luxury delicacy, proudly displayed at the dining table rather than hidden away in the fridge.

Hand-pressed in flint glass with a soft straw tint caused by the manganese decolouriser of the day, the piece sparkles warmly in the light, its deeply moulded diamond and fan pattern catching every flicker of candle or gas-lamp glow. The base carries the classic starburst motif seen on late-19th-century moulds from Sowerby Glassworks, Gateshead, one of Britain’s most inventive Victorian producers.

Standing 16 cm tall and weighing a solid 716 g, it feels satisfyingly substantial — a reminder of the craftsmanship and pride that went into even the most everyday tableware of the era.

Once a mark of genteel hospitality, the “celery vase” held chilled stalks upright in water during the meal. By the 1920s the custom had vanished, leaving behind these beautiful relics of a vanished social ritual.

In excellent antique condition with the gentle straw hue and minute air bubbles typical of authentic 19th-century glass, this example is a genuine survivor from a world of starched linen, silver cutlery and Victorian manners.

Approx. date: c. 1885–1895

Origin: Sowerby Glassworks, Gateshead, England (probable)

Material: Pressed flint glass, manganese-tinted

Dimensions: 16 cm H

Weight: 716 g

Condition: Excellent – no chips or cracks; expected light age wear only

A delightful piece of social history in glass — elegant, quirky, and irresistibly Victorian.