Late 19th Century Antique Mercury Glass Vase

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Unusually large period mercury glass vase with painted bird and floral decoration. Has a mixture of the frosted and shiny … Read more Unusually large period mercury glass vase with painted bird and floral decoration. Has a mixture of the frosted and shiny mercury glass which lends it extra depth and if you like a simpler look then simply turn the vase around to the backside.
Known as the “poor man’s silver” in England and the US in the later half of the 19Th century, Mercury glass provided an inexpensive alternative to the silver that furnished the houses and churches of the wealthy. You can tell the difference between the older pieces and the reproduction as the newer pieces are a single layer of glass where the antiques have a double thickness of thin glass with silver in gin between. The antiques will also always have a hole in the base where the silver was applied through. See less