Generally called thistle vases due to the common shape resembling a thistle, these small glass vases were called in period advertisements violet vases due to their small size being used to hold the small flowers. Commonly bought in pairs for the dressing table, singly for the desk at work or for brightening up the breakfast or afternoon tea tray.
Both of the matching pairs above I found that way, I have a handful of single clear thistle shaped vases.
But not all violet vases were thistle shaped, here are two examples from my modest collection.
Pineapple shape
If the more common style is a thistle, this would be a pineapple.
more commonly found in the medium size.
The 1934 Crown Crystal catalogue refers to doesn’t call the 2 1/2in. model a violet vase, but a contemporary ad does.
Art Deco
The more abstract and art deco pair date to a little later, I have found it illustrated in an ad from 1942. I don’t have a Crown Crystal catalogue from that date to refer to, but imports of glassware were non-existent during the war, so it would have to have been made domestically.
The thorn in the thistle
Despite, or perhaps due to, the ubiquity of the thistle shaped violet vase, dating and identifying their manufacture is difficult.
I have yet to find a newspaper illustration of the thistle style shown at the top of the page.
Crown Crystal glass did make a thistle shaped vase, but when they started making them I do not know. A 1970 catalogue shows them being made up until at least then.
The coloured ones that are so popular with collectors are slightly shorter with a squatter base and much rougher surface finish and seams. These are probably earlier than the more well finished clear ones, but are most likely Crown Crystal as well.
Their small, trinkety, commonplace nature has meant that during the time they were made they were probably not valuable or notable enough to warrant an illustration in a newspaper.
I believe that the pair of thistle vases at the top of the page are made by Crown Crystal, but I have other clear thistle vases that have subtly different details which I believe are made by other manufacturers.
This post mostly deals with violet vases made domestically, as there were also thistle vases of Czech pressed glass, German lead crystal, English cut glass and so on that may get their own post later.