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Text by Ellen Gardner
Enid Hubbard is somewhat mercurial when it comes to her collections. Among
the diverse treasures displayed in her family’s California home are shimmering
pieces of antique, painted mercury glass. “They truly light up my life,” she
says of the fragile objects that gleam on the mantel.
In the mid-1800s,
mercury glass was an option for consumers who couldn’t afford sterling silver.
“Peasant’s silver,” as it was known, was constructed with double walls made of
glass. To create the illusion of fine metal, a metallic wash was poured between
the inner and outer walls through a hole in the bottom of the object. The holes
were then plugged to contain the wash (which, by the way, usually was silver
nitrate, not mercury).
PAINTED PIECES charm the collector
(a) A 15-inch long centerpiece combines shiny and cloudy finishes.
Mercury glass was a popular material for holiday ornaments and strings of beads. (b) Mercury glass candlesticks gain added charm from matching
candles.
The two vases (c) combine silvered glass and satin finishes with
hand-painted designs. Birds and flowers were common motifs in Victorian times.
(d) This
dogwood-adorned bowl was fashioned with
a striking metal base. It might have
been used to hold sugar or small
floral arrangements. (e) Three vases, ranging in height from 8-9 inches, lure the
eye with lovely details, such as (left to right) a bird in flight, an unusual
fluted form, and a stoppered piece with hand-painted flowers.
Marvelous Mercury Glass page
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