1880s EAPG "WASTE NOT, WANT NOT" glass BREAD DISH TRAY, King Glass, Pgh., 13x9"

Description: Well, "waste not, want not" was already an antique saying by the time King Glass Co. in my hometown of Pittsburgh, PA made THIS antique in the 1880s. There seems to be general agreement -- which is always a surprise among historians -- that the phrase was originated by one Richard Edwards, a distinguished lyricist and playwright, in 1576 in his THE PARADISE OF DAINTY DEVICES. He wrote:“For want is nexte to waste, and shame doeth synne ensue.” An easier-to-understand version appeared in 1721, namely“Willful waste makes woeful want.” Then, a mere 50 years later, in 1772, John Wesley come closer to today's version in a letter to a friend: “He will waste nothing; but he must want nothing.” Today, we have the succinct “Waste not, want not.” Though I've seen earlier, British pottery versions with the saying, I'm glad to see that late 19th century Pittsburgh, with its 50 or so glass manufacturers, boasted this EAPG (early American pressed glass version). I couldn't find much information about King Glass, except that it became part of a national glass conglomerate and that King Sr. (he brought his son into the business) lived in a mansion a couple neighborhoods away from where I was a child.It's a pretty stunning piece, if you can't tell from the photos. The sides incline and arc; every one of the eight panels has a design (or two) as does the entire bottom. The handles are three-dimensional, so your fingers can hold the platter easily. This was the work of craftspeople who were proud that folks would be putting their 2-pound loaves of weekly bread in their glassworks!This is from my late sister Betsy's collection. She stayed in Pittsburgh even after I left when the steel mills started closing down in the 1960s. She was the ultimate collector of regional quality, and this is a prime example.Thanks for looking!Rick

Price: 32 USD

Location: Mansfield, Massachusetts

End Time: 2024-09-02T18:45:10.000Z

Shipping Cost: 0 USD