Antique Glass Perfume Bottle-ALVIN Sterling Silver Overlay on Glass RARE

  
This sweet yet elegant perfume bottle is in excellent condition. Indeed, it's very rare to find one such as this that has not been monogrammed (see from the pictures, the monogram plate is empty). This makes it a perfect gift!

Why give a gift with someone else's initials on it? Just one downside - it's missing its original stopper.

Still, it's a sophisticated, decorative piece to adorn a bedroom dresser, either as an art piece, or as a small vase with tiny, colorful flowers. The piece is clear, hand-blown glass, bonded with bright, etched Sterling Silver, embellished with intricate designs. The only marks that I see is the word "STERLING" and an etched number "4" on the glass underneath. Measurements are approximately 3.5" high x 2.5" wide. THE PROCESS OF ATTACHING SILVER ON GLASS (OVERLAY). In 1886 Alvin patented a process for depositing pure silver on metallic and non-metallic surfaces.

In this process the article was first coated with silver and afterwards a part of the coating was cut away, thus exposing the base, as in pierced work. THE JEWELERS & CIRCULAR: Jan. Undoubtedly the most novel and at the same time artistic work turned out by this company is that known as electro-deposit goods.

This class of work was invented and brought to a state of commercial success by this firm. It is applied to decanters, perfume and toilet bottles, carafes, claret pitchers, flasks, perfume atomizers, and in fact an almost endless variety of articles of crystal glass. The process is guarded as a trade secret; but briefly it may be said that the article to be silvered is rendered metallic by a coating of silver deposited on the glass surface by the electric current. When this operation is successfully completed, the article is shown completely encased in its covering of pure silver.

The article is then taken in hand by skillful artisans who trace the most intricate designs on the silver surface. The designs are of a continuous character and the intervening spaces are by another process cut away or removed, to expose the crystal surface in the interstices of the design.

The article is then passed to the engraver, who richly embellishes the remaining surface. The engraved surface is then highly polished.