Fostoria Glass Buttercup Etched Crystal Torte Cake Plate

Buttercups, crystal and cake, what an entrancing combination.  Every time I see this large etched plate with the sweet rolled up rim I visualize it holding a special cake for a birthday party or wedding shower.  This pattern with the all over wide open flowers, leaves and scrolls is called Buttercup and it comes to us from Fostoria Glass.

Buttercup is one of those patterns that brides got for wedding gifts in the early 1950s and now are passing on to their families.  It’s a sleeper pattern with ever more people collecting it and looking for pieces to augment what they got from their mom or grandmother.  I buy Buttercup when I can and this particular piece came from an estate sale where the mother was in ill health and moving to assisted living.

This plate is called a torte plate in the Fostoria catalogs so consider it a large cake plate.  It’s 14 inches wide so you can put almost any size or shape cake on it, or use it for your special breakfast muffins or beautifully decorated cupcakes or even sandwiches.  Using special serving pieces is a good way to make your table even more special.

If you want a special cake plate for that special day, consider a vintage etched piece like this.  It will make your day even more memorable.

Fostoria Glass Buttercup Etched Crystal Torte Plate

The next time you have a party and are searching for a plate you can use for all the cookies or little crackers with cheese, you’ll be glad you have this large etched crystal torte plate.

Yes, this is a bit fancier than the plastic nosh trays from the Walmart deli.  It’s something your friends will notice and remember.

This particular plate is from Fostoria Glass and the etched design is called Buttercup.  The pattern has lavish flowers and scrolls all over, even in the center.  This is a super nice piece!

We have quite a few large platters, chop plates, torte plates, cake plates and serving trays in our stores.  Go ahead and check us out.  Be prepared for the next time you have a crowd over!

Oyster and Pearl Pink Depression Glass Relish Tray

If  you’re over 40 you probably remember when everyone had relish trays.   Or you may remember when people used sherbets – small dishes with short stems – for ice creams or fruit cups.

Today you can hardly find relish trays any more, and the home magazines show either really large trays with dip (fattening) or these little individual holders for each sort of relish.  Yet relish trays have a long and illustrious history and you can start your own family tradition.

People used trays like this pink Oyster and Pearl depression glass relish because they were sensible ways to serve small things like carrots that roll around or olives that leak juice everywhere.  They combine pure practicality with style and a touch of class.

If you want to get a relish tray – or a stemmed sherbet, or a cake plate or any of several glass items that are nearly extinct – you can’t do better than to look at depression glass!

Frances Amber Elegant Depression Glass Cake Plate by Central

Isn’t this a neat piece of amber depression glass?   Our readers may know we try to carry Central Glass patterns and this is their Frances pattern. Frances is one of the patterns that you can find in depression glass books, such as those by Gene Florence but Central is usually considered a maker of elegant glass.

Regardless how you want to classify it, Frances is a very interesting, attractive pattern. I got this particular piece on eBay. It was listed as Block Optic but there were still several bidders. Unfortunately there’s quite a bit of wear on the surface that you don’t really see because of the pattern.

The design is elongated raised diamond shapes with insets between. The color is the best part, a deep rich amber shade with a tint of reddish orange, almost a light rust. I was glad I bought this although I’m not happy about the condition.

Take a look at the other Central Glass items listed today on eBay; these are from many sellers besides me.

Indiana Glass Rose Wreath Frosted Cake Plate

Today let’s do something different and look at this interesting older cake plate and see why it is such a neat piece to use today.

This cake plate is frosted clear glass and quite heavy, about 4 pounds.  It has three small tab feet on the base and is about 3/4 inches tall and 11 1/2  inches wide.  So why is that so neat?  

First the plate is flat.  If you have ever used a big serving plate or dinner plate for your cakes you know that they dip a little in the center.  That makes your cakes a bit saggy.

The small tab feet raise this off the table just enough that you can hold it with one hand while you cut the cake with the other.  It won’t go scooching off the table with you lunging after holding your cake server!

It’s heavy enough that it has some substance.  The design is pretty with its wreath of pressed roses.

The nicest thing is that this is not a common pattern and that means that you will have something different than everybody else!  This is often the case with vintage glass:  It usually is shaped to fit the function and it is going to be different enough that you have something a bit unique.  In today’s mass-produced, one-size-fits-all world that is a good thing!