Crown Crystal Glass History & Gallery (Aug 2023)

Crown Crystal Glass History & Gallery

 

 

 

 

 

I had been buying bits of old ‘pressed glass’ and ‘depression glass’ for years, but not realising that the majority of it was made in Australia, and by essentially the same company, and for nearly 50 years.

The Crown Crystal Glass Company operated from 1915 under several different names and after 1963 became part of Crown Corning Ltd. They had factories in Sydney and in New Zealand.

From 1914 is was known as Australian Crystal Glass Company Ltd, after 1922 it also traded as Crystal Glass Co, then amalgamated with Australian Glass Manufacturing Co Ltd, then in 1963 became a division of Australian Consolidated Industries and later joined with American firm Crown Corning Ltd.

By 1932 the trademark of the company resembled a map of Australia.

Crown Crystal Bowl

Trademark ‘Australia’

Crown Crystal Bowl

Crown Crystal Co. Bowl

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For a short history on the company go to http://www.powerhousemuseum.com/collection/database/?irn=168513 (MAAS) . If you search ‘Crown Crystal’ on the MAAS site you will see many pages of pictures https://collection.maas.museum/

For a longer history on the company go to http://www.juicercollector.com/Juicers/Crown_Crystal_History.htm .

The company produced an enormous range of glassware. They produced bottles, commercial glass, light fttings, hand cut crystal, pressed/moulded glass and carnival glass. Most of what I have found is pressed or moulded glass and during the 1900s most Australian homes had several pieces.

The “Australian Glass 1900-1950 Valuation Guide”, Ken Arnold, 1991, Crown Castleton Publishers Australia, provides 64 pages of black and white pictures with serial numbers and price guides for pressed and moulded glass from the crown Crystal Glass Company.  This book has been one source for the serial numbers on the photos below.

Their 1934 catalogue at http://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/2694082 shows a large range of ‘Hand Made and Hand Cut Crystal’, including:

  • ‘Grimwade’ including over 130 different vases, dozens of bowls, compotes, jugs, tumblers, stemware, decanters, trays, powder bowls, perfume bottles, pin trays, candlesticks, cream jugs, sugar bowls, jewel boxes, brushes, combs, mirrors, clocks, table lamps and baskets.
  • ‘Wyndam’ including vases, bowls, compotes, jugs, tumblers, stemware, decanters, trays, powder bowls, perfume bottles, pin trays, candlesticks, cream jugs, sugar bowls, jewel boxes, brushes, combs, mirrors, table lamps and baskets.

Crown Crystal Glass Co easily produced more than 1,000 homeware items, but Australia still imported glass from USA (Hazel Atlas) and Europe during the same time. Some lovely amber art deco styled items that I had thought were Crown Crystal turned out to be Czech glass by Stolzle.

Below are photos of some of the pieces of Crown Crystal glass that I have have owned (some briefly). I will add descriptions as I can further identify the pieces.

If you can’t find your item here, maybe you can find it in their 1932 Catalogue at https://archive.org/details/Crown10946/mode/2upv

OR if you are looking for Carnival Glass try https://www.carnivalglassworldwide.com/crown-crystal.html

Crown Crystal

Australian Glass 1900-1950

Art Deco

Salad Bowl No.1522 21cm

Art Deco

Salad Bowl No.1522 21cm  – top view ?

Art Deco

Art Deco small 6 footed bowl – top view ?

Butter Dish

Butter Dish No.6740 Lid

Depression Green

Graduated Measure – 2pt No.899

Large Measuring Jug

Graduated Measure – 2pt No.899

Crown Crystal

Vase No.8280 20cm

Crown Crystal Company

Refrigerator Box – Rectangular

Crown Crystal

Cake Salver (Stand) No. 6175 23cm

Crown Crystal

Vase No.187 Pot Metal

Crown Crystal Vase

Vase No.187 Pot Metal – top view

Crown Crstal

Cream Jug No.6560 Brick Pattern

Crown Crystal

Open Sugar No.6532 Brick Pattern

Compote

Compote No.6570 18cm Brick Pattern

Compote

Compote No.6570 18cm – top view

Crown Crystal

Cheese Dish Base No.6545 Brick Pattern

Butter Pate

Butter Plate No.4B

Crown Crystal Candlesticks

Candlesticks No.6389

Creamer

‘Waverly’ pattern Creamer 8cm

Creamer

‘Crosscut’ pattern Creamer 7cm

Crown Crystal

Sauce Jug No.5891 Assorted Patterns

 

 

 

Crown Crystal

Rose Bowl No.1886

Crown Crystal Vase

Rose Bowl No.1886 – top view

Jug No.661 2pt. 15cm

Crown Crystal

Cake Salver ?

Crown Crystal Bowl

Medium Diamond & Fan Bowl ?

Crown Crystal Bowl

Medium Diamond & Fan Bowl ? – top view

Crown Crystal Bowl

Large Diamond Bowl ?

Crown Crystal Creamer

Diamond Cream Pot Metal No.160

Crown Crystal Sugar

Small Diamond Sugar ?

Art Deco

Art Deco Bowl ?

Crown Crystal Vase

Vase No.8684 15cm

Crown Crystal Small Vase

Small Vase ?

Crown Crystal Small Bud Vase

Small Bud Vase ?

Crown Crystal Small Vase

Small Diamond Vase ?

Crown Crystal

Vase No.6584 15cm Brick Pattern

Crown Crystal

Small Vase ?

Crown Crystal

Amber Cake Salver (Low) ?

Crown Crystal

Medium Bowl Amber ?

Crown Crystal

No.180 Lemon Squeezer – top view

Crown Crystal

Medium Milk Jug ?

Crown Crystal Glass

Water Jug- top view ?

Crown Crystal Glass

Water Jug & Glass ?

Happy bargain hunting and collecting

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Happy bargain hunting and collecting

 

 

 

 

Happy bargain hunting and collecting

Comments

  1. Anne

    Hi Cheryl, I have two vintage kerosene glass lamps, one of which is a gorgeous blue made by Crown Crystal glass company Sydney in 1932 and listed in their catalogue as,”star pattern mammoth lamp” and was wondering if you are able to provide a rough estimate please?

    • Cheryl

      Hello Anne. I am sorry, but I do not know enough about Crown Crystal to do valuations.
      Your lamp is listed on p48 of Ken Arnold’s “Australian Glass 1900-950 Valuation Guide” published in 1991 by Crown Castleton Publishers, with a valuation of $60-$100.
      regard Cheryl

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