Vase
Datec. 1857
MediumEtched clear and ruby glass
Dimensions15 1/4 × 3 1/4 inches (38.7 × 8.3 cm)
Credit LineBequest of Margaret Gray Thomas.
Object numberOT1951.73
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 TextIn the19th century, vases were typically seen as architectural ornaments to beautify domestic spaces such as parlors and dining rooms. Often used to contain flowers and plants, this style of vase became popular with long-stemmed roses.
Etched in the center is an “O” for the Owens family of Savannah, GA. In 1857, John Wallace Owens (1821–1862) 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, one of which is this ruby glassware, to his siblings.