Early 19th Century Pineapple Stand c1825

Description

Heading : Early 19th Century Pineapple Stand
Period : 1810-40
Origin : England or Ireland
Colour : Clear
Bowl : Starcut hobnails with terraced prismatic cutting.
Stem : Hollow with slice cutting and terraced lower section.
Foot : Star cut hobnails with scallop cut rim
Glass Type : Lead
Size :  16.5cm height. 14.2cm diameter bowl. 22.5cm diameter foot
Condition : Minor fritting to the scallop cut foot.a 4mm flake chip on the leading edge of the highest prismatic cut

Restoration :  None
Weight: 1443 grams

Produced for one purpose and one purpose alone – to demonstrate one’s personal wealth. Pineapples. before globalisation rendered them wholly familiar to all and sundry. were a rare and much sought-after commodity. They were expensive to acquire. whether imported from their native Suriname on the South American coast or grown closer to home in costly. purpose-made buildings known as pineries or pine stoves. What’s more. everyone knew that they were expensive. and if you were able to get hold of one or even rent one. everyone knew that you had considerable financial means at your disposal and would have been suitably impressed.

The curious thing was that it was not the taste which was so alluring – the things were almost never eaten – but simply the fact that you had the wherewithal to possess one at all. We’ve often made the case that Georgian. Regency and Victorian hosts would look to impress by flaunting the latest. most ostentatious tableware it was possible to obtain – and if your latest substantial. cut-glass vessel could be surmounted with a pineapple. well – it’s hard to imagine just how highly you might be regarded – and envied – by your peers.

Being so highly regarded meant that pineapples were deemed to be a valuable vendible amongst the criminal fraternity – disposal of misappropriated examples could prove extremely lucrative. and pineapple crime was considered a most grievous transgression. There were significant punishments incurred by anyone found to be involved. and substantial rewards offered for information leading to the arrest of such ne’er-do-wells.

Once it had become more practical to grow your own pineapples in the UK as the requisite knowledge became more widely known. and in common with other pursuits which captured the imagination of the affluent upper classes. pineapple production became an increasingly competitive pastime. It was. however. considered wise to insure yourself against the potential failure of your notoriously difficult to nurture crop by at least giving the appearance of having spent a load of money in the process. so extravagant pineries were always preferred over modest facilities.