Incredibly niche obsession: wobbly, painterly stemware
glass pieces plucked straight from a still life painting
This week’s incredibly niche obsession is one that I’ve had for a very long time, but has finally come to a head to the point that I felt compelled to write a post about it. I’ve always been drawn to still life paintings (particularly Dutch, 16-18th century, and of the especially dark and moody variety), and there are two things in particular that stand out to me in these paintings: the bountiful food piled high on the table- which usually consists of beautiful and simple but luxurious things like juicy and ripe fruit, giant wheels of cheese, oysters, lobsters, and the like- but I’m also struck by the glasses and goblets filled with wine of all colors. Not only do these paintings look like the ideal girl dinner, but I’m always mesmerized by the artist’s ability to paint such light and dainty clear glass shapes on a dark background. These pieces reflect the light and bring shape and sheen to the painting, and although they’re often in the background, I can’t overcome my magpie tendencies enough to not consider them the star of the show.
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These pieces would have most likely been Venetian glass from Murano, which was (and still is) very expensive and a sign of wealth. The pieces were hand-blown, and would have been very delicate and intricate- and the more intricate, the more costly. The same techniques are used today and the pieces still fetch a pretty penny- I visited Murano two years ago to tour a glass blowing factory and was astounded at the price of some of the items in the shop. Sure, there was a tourist tax added on (nice work if you can get it), and these pieces are available all over the world now (thanks to Etsy, Chairish, 1st Dibs, and eBay), but they still can be quite an investment. I’m also glad to say that it doesn’t seem like glass blowing is a dying art, and there are so many modern artists keeping the trade alive today- and if you think about it, so many of these shapes and styles are what we would consider aesthetically “modern” today, so it’s really funny how this comes full circle.
“How can I add some of these pieces to my collection?” you (me) may ask. And I’m here to share my favorite glassware pieces that I could find and compile into one place. These pieces are not all Murano, but they are inspired by, at the very least. They’re interesting and delicate and wobbly in the best ways, with some pieces that look like they’re melting on the spot. Some have more intricate and lacy glass details. Some look modern; some look very, very old. All are a bit of an investment. Each looks as if it’s been plucked straight from one of these still life oil paintings. But with something like this, I like to think of it in two ways: it’s something that I can use to drink out of (utility), and something that looks like an interesting sculpture on my shelf (beauty). We are so used to focusing on the utility side of things when it comes to glassware- will it break? will I knock it over? will it hold a giant pour of wine?- and while this is the most important function of a piece of glassware, it doesn’t have to be the only element considered. And you don’t need to set an entire table with these- I love the idea of having 1-2 pieces for yourself or partner or friend to use on special occasions. But take this with a grain of salt, because this is the inner monologue I use for myself to justify my latest obsession. But just think about how happy you’d be when using these pieces! Here are some of my favorites.
I share these glasses with the full intention that they should be used and adored for years to come. I’m all about elevating the little things, and even if you are not using them daily, they are still very special when you do. These pieces fall firmly into that Beautiful Things category that I think should permeate all areas of your life. No, these should not be your only glasses. But if you have the luxury of extra space and desire to have that special little moment, I think these are perfect. I also keep my eyes out at antique shops and auctions for this sort of thing (currently watching these!)
Read about other incredibly niche things I’m loving here.
