Compote
Datec. 1857
MediumAmber-flashed and etched glass
Dimensions10 1/2 × 7 7/8 inches (26.7 × 20 cm)
Diameter at Lip: 9 inches (22.9 cm)
Compote: 7 × 9 inches (17.8 × 22.9 cm)
Lid: 4 × 5 inches (10.2 × 12.7 cm)
Credit LineGift of Jeanne Dixon Papy.
Object number2005.20.2.a-.b
CopyrightThe images and text contained on this page are owned by Telfair Museums or used by the Museum with permission from the owners. Unauthorized reproduction, transmission or display of these materials is prohibited with the exception of items deemed “fair use” as defined by U.S. and international copyright laws.Label TextSpecial fruits, candies, and other jellies were largely consumed at dinner parties in the 19th century. Compote, or fruits cooked in sugary syrup, was a favorite and typically served in footed dishes such as this piece.
While touring the European continent, John Wallace Owens (1821–1862), whose family owned the Owens-Thomas House & Slave Quarters, purchased four sets of glass in Vienna, present-day Austria, with money from the estate of his recently deceased father George Welshman Owens (1786–1856). He kept two of the sets for his family and presented the other two sets to his siblings. This piece descended through the family of George Savage Owens (1825–1897), John’s youngest brother, before being donated to the museum.
