Pair of French Green Opaline Perfume Bottles With Gilt Star Decoration

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A vivid pair of late 19th- to early 20th-century European perfume bottles, each blown in uranium-charged green opaline glass of … Read more A vivid pair of late 19th- to early 20th-century European perfume bottles, each blown in uranium-charged green opaline glass of exceptional luminosity, displaying a bright citron tone under natural light and likely fluorescing strongly under UV. Both examples exhibit scattered gilt star and asterisk motifs across the body and neck, applied freehand in a celestial pattern typical of decorative glass from Bohemia and France circa 1880–1910. The stoppers are of matching opaline glass, fitted with rounded metal-gilt caps which contribute to the luxurious contrast between gold and neon green. The form, with its gently domed shoulder, short cylindrical throat, and compressed bulbous body, is consistent with small scent and toilet water bottles from Harrach, Legras, or contemporaneous French or Bohemian ateliers specializing in novelty opaline wares.

This pair belongs to the family of uranium-charged decorative glass admired for its intensity of color, transparency, and dramatic presence when lit. The surviving gilt decoration, though now softened through time, contributes to the overall character of the pieces, evoking fin-de-siècle vanity accessories and salon furnishings. Each bottle is hand-blown, with the opaline density slightly differing between the two—further supporting period manufacture rather than later production.

Measurements: 4.25" h x 2.75" w See less