Crystal Center Handled Server Sandwich Tray

Yesterday we showed a neat cupped center handled server from New Martinsville. Today let's look at one that is more traditional shape.

This is a pretty piece of elegant depression glass from Westmoreland. It is a center handled server with the round serving portion slightly sloped up but not cupped. It is a tray with a handle in the center instead of a shallow bowl with a handle as the amber piece earlier.

Center handled servers, also called CHS, were popular serving pieces for sandwiches or small cakes or cookies. People entertained in their homes and would have used a special piece like this to make an occasion a little fancier. This one is quite nice with a tailored cutting of close lines separated by the simple flower sprays. It would be fun to use this today for anything from appetizers to cookies to sandwiches.

We have this listed in our store on TIAS, Cat Lady Kate's Elegant and Depression Glass, along with several other CHS.
Catladykate's Glass at TIAS http://www.tias.com/stores/catladykate/

Center Handled Server - Westmoreland Flower & Ray Cut

I'm particularly attracted to center handled servers, CHS for short. Sometimes you'll find them called center handled serving trays, sandwich trays and so on. The main point is they have a neat handle in the center and usually are round and meant to hold cookies or small cakes or sandwiches.

These are basically fancy little tidbit trays. They come in every color depression glass was made - clear, amber, yellow, blue, green, pink, red - and with satinized decorations, painted designs, cuttings, etchings, gold trim, and so on. Very pretty and lots of variety to choose.

This particular piece is by Westmoreland. We have a monograph published by the West Virginia Museum of Glass, bought on eBay, that identifies many CHS based on the handle shape and other clues. This slightly rounded handle top, plus the shape of the vertical section, are what led me to attribute this to Westmoreland. It most likely dates to the 1930s. The cutting style is older and so are the design elements.

We list this on our eBay store and TIAS store. Take a look!

Happy Easter - Westmoreland Pansy Baskets

This is a really cute design from Westmoreland Glass that is super nice for Easter. Unfortunately it is white milk glass, which is not a personal favorite. Westmoreland made only this size and shape, which is a shame because it is pretty and appealing. According to my books they made it almost every color of glass and some two-tone treatments. All we have seen are the white milk glass.

I bought the first basket in my first year of business and sold it on eBay immediately. So the next time we found one, we bought it, and the one after that, too. This was about the time that eBay became a household word and the floodgates opened on collectible glass. Everyone had something in their cupboards and almost everyone decided to sell it! Pansy baskets littered the auctions and you could hardly give them away. Prices plummeted below what we paid.

Now, several years later, I'm listing all sorts of glass that we need to move out. OK, it won't return what we paid and we'll lose on each item. But that has to be better than hanging onto it and keeping our investment tied up in bad inventory!

This means that if you are looking for a nice Easter basket, hop on over to our store and our eBay auctions and take a look at these.