H.C.FRY - Drinking service (9) - Crystal

Set of 8 dessert wine glasses (passito) height 10 cm x diameter 6.4 cm and a carafe height 21 cm x diameter 14 cm in light blown crystal, acid-engraved. The glass features a slightly outward-flared bowl decorated at the top by an acid-engraved band depicting floral motifs (roses with stems and thorns) and festooned geometric elements. Just below the floral band extend thin vertical parallel etched lines that descend toward the base of the bowl. The stem is slender and smooth, connected to a flat circular base. Typical Art Déco / 20th century style (mid-20th century, roughly the 1930s). It bore a paper label later re-stamped by various production washes: H.C. Fry Glass Company. This crystalware was produced by one of the most famous and innovative American glass and crystal manufacturers. Founded in 1901 by Henry Clay Fry in Rochester, Pennsylvania, the company marked a golden age in American glassmaking before closing its doors in 1933 due to the Great Depression. Today, Fry-signed pieces are considered true collector’s treasures. Fry employed European glassmasters (including many Swedes, Germans, and Italians) and produced iconic pieces, such as a monumental crystal replica of the Liberty Bell in 1905. The Decline and Closure (1925-1933): Despite major innovations and a peak of over a thousand employees, the company faced financial difficulties, worsened by patent disputes (notably with Pyrex manufacturers). After the founder’s death in 1929 and the worsening economic crisis, the crystal works permanently ceased production in 1933.