Cut Glass Tray Sells for $126,000

Cut glass is making a comeback after several years of not being popular among collectors. A 16-inch round American Brilliant cut glass tray signed Hawkes in the Panel pattern sold at a November Woody auction for $126,000. The American “Brilliant Period” of cut glass was from 1876 until about 1910. The glass was called “brilliant” because it was deeply cut and highly polished. Hawkes cut glass was made by T.G. Hawkes & Company of Corning, New York, founded in 1880. Many pieces are marked with a trefoil ring enclosing a fleur-de-lis and two hawks. Other elaborately patterned pieces have sold for significantly lower prices, so researching a piece’s history before buying or selling is still important for collectors.

Photo: Woody Auction