Many of the little salts used on our grandmothers’ tables reflected the political feeling of the times as did the cup plates, and in noting the following from the Sandwich works I am including a number of specimens which the New England Glass factory made in imitation of the Sandwich at the time. These will be marked N. E. G. in the text. These are heavier, less transparent, and are from molds crudely carved. The period is 1840.

One salt has come to light marked Robinson & Son, Pittsburgh, Pa. It is a boat salt similar to the Lafayette boat made at Sandwich but shorter and broader. It is of clear glass of a later type. Blown glass salts will be taken up in a subsequent book by the author. The beautiful conventional designs produced by artists of the Sandwich Glass Company are so numerous and delicate in workmanship that we illustrate as many varieties as possible hoping that collectors of these charming little pieces will understand our purpose and forgive omissions of specimens that they hold dear. All salts shown are from the author’s collection and most of them are in pairs, but we show one only for reference. New varieties are being found daily adding to the fascination of collecting. The following types are worthy of note:

All salts illustrated are in numerical sequence except those marked in the text “Not shown.”

1. American eagle, nine stars, colonial column at corners, vine at top, ends with tree in full bloom. N. E. G.

2. Side-basket of fruit, ends—wild rose, bottom—marked New England Glass Company, Boston.

3. Diamond waffle design, colonial column at ends, scallop above, star bottom. N. E. G.

4. Diamond waffle design, irregular wavy sides, vine above, hob nail in diamond on bottom. N. E. G.

5. Large diamond waffle star on coarse stipple background, flaring sides. N. E. G.

6. Grill work with large heart on side in diamond design, column at ends. N. E. G.

7. Portrait of Lafayette on side of salt, Washington on other—very rare. N. E. G.

8. Boat shaped salt, side wheel marked Lafayette with star, stern marked B & S Glass Company.

9. Same in blue glass with opalescent tinge marked Sandwich on bottom. A fine specimen piece to own.

10. The Chariot race, clear white glass, very rare, ends reptile in medallion, bottom—scroll with six five pointed stars, very rare.

A—Same in opaque light blue glass, exceedingly rare.

11. Eight sided flaring salt, earliest period, fine stippled background with rose, fleur de lis and beautifully designed American eagle on bottom. The eagle is in flight with olive branch in one claw three arrows in the other and a shield on its breast. The author considers this one of the rarest Sandwich salts ever found. It is like a bit of old lace.

12. Round with three alternate Cadmus ships and eagles—rare.

13. Four large eagles with feet on balls forming sides and base of salt, two curled surface from beaks of eagles forming top of salt, large shield on each side below—very rare.

14. Presentation salt, unusually large, early type, on ornamental base with scroll bracket feet, shielded ends with two eagles’ heads, marked Providence on bottom. A—Same in blue glass with oak leaf on bottom, all types of this salt are very rare. They were a special order at the Sandwich works and very few have been found. We know of only one specimen in the deep blue.

15. Four letter S scrolls forming sides and base, basket of fruit on stippled ground.

A—Opalescent slightly opaque stippled ground.

16. Two letter S scrolls forming ends and feet, horns of plenty with two stars above, lyre on stippled ground of side, two inverted horns of plenty below.

17. Oval salt deeply scalloped edges, four horns of plenty on stippled ground, star bottom, early period, very delicate.

A—Same opalescent—rare.

B—Same purple—very rare.

18. Circular on collar base, four medallions in stippled ground, four mold piece, antimony tint.

19. Six sided gothic with deep points, stars in points—later mold but very lacy.

20. Simulated carriage on four wheels, stippled, scrolled ends, star and diamond on side.

21. Deeply cut out top and scroll foot beautiful rope and panels at end, unusual bottom.

22. Typical early period—oblong—molded foot and medallion and diamond top.

A—Same in transparent jade—green very rare.

23. Oblong, eight sided, hearts at corners—round applied foot.

A—Same, sides unstippled and without feet.

24. Very early heavily scrolled, wavy top and ornamental base, four prominent oak leaf scrolls.

A—Same in deep amber very rare. The dark amber in American glass was at this early period a “mistake” in manufacture. It was caused by a piece of paper getting into the mould which in contact with hot glass charred at once giving a beautiful amber color.

25. Basket of fruit on sides with scrolled ends terminating in leaves, two rosettes on side, leaves and drilled scrolls on feet—bottom with 11 crossed bars—a very popular design at the works—first period—

A—Opalescent.

B—Green.

C—Blue.

To meet the demand this design was a frequent repeat so that fine specimens in color and pairs are not uncommon.

26. Diamond all-over design with deeply scalloped edge with row of dots. Unusual base with claw feet and scalloped apron. This ground work has a pattern of N. E. G. and is rare in this form of Sandwich.

27. Sleigh shape, very shallow, grilled convex base, rope ends, green tinge.

28. Same except sleigh on runners.

29. Scrolled ends and feet, crown with feathers and star on side, band of stippling below crown.

30. Petalled and looped clear glass on standard six petals-period 1850. This must not be confused with the heavy late salts in this pattern.

31. Chicken salts period 1860. A tiny glass chicken with ball in beak, the back hollowed out to form the salt, receptacle white glass.

A—Vaselene yellow.

B—Blue.

C—Clear white.