Description
The tomatoes are the orange-red of August in Michigan — not fire-engine, not coral, but the warm red of a garden tomato held up to afternoon light. They run in two bands around the bulbous body of the carafe, separated by a vine of flat green leaves, silk-screened onto clear machine-blown glass sometime in the middle of the twentieth century.
No maker's mark on the bottom. The form is consistent with American pressed and mold-blown glassware of the 1950s and 1960s — the Midwestern glass corridor that kept American breakfast tables supplied for three decades. The decoration carries light surface scratches consistent with use and age.
Hunter's Notes
This one caught my eye for its color alone — that particular shade of red that only shows up on old things, the kind that's been somewhere and done something. It's a summer vase through and through: made for a windowsill, made for whatever you cut from the garden on your way inside.
One thing worth knowing before it comes home with you: the red paint on this piece has tested positive for lead — both in its original materials and in my own at-home test. I test so you don't have to wonder. It means she's display-only, which honestly suits her. Fill her with zinnias. Put her somewhere the light hits in the afternoon. She doesn't need to hold anything practical to earn her place.
⚠ California Prop 65 Warning: This item may contain lead. Known to the State of California to cause cancer and reproductive harm. Wash your hands after handling. Not for food or beverage use. Keep out of reach of children. www.P65Warnings.ca.gov
The Archive Record — JLM-260033
| Maker |
Unknown — attributed American pressed glass manufacturer |
| Established |
Unknown |
| Object |
Decorative vase, ONLY! |
| Material |
Machine-blown clear glass with silk-screened enamel decoration |
| Construction |
Machine-blown; silk-screened applied decoration |
| Era |
Circa 1950s–1960s | confidence: attributed |
| Country of Origin |
USA — attributed |
| Condition Tier |
Good |
| Condition |
Decoration carries light surface scratches consistent with use and age. No chips or cracks in the glass body. Silk-screen decoration intact and legible. No maker's mark present. |
| Hunt Provenance |
Mill Trotter, Hudsonville, Michigan — April 2026 |
| Authentication |
Style attribution — no maker's mark; form and decoration consistent with American mid-century glass production |
| Comparable Sold |
$12–$25 (eBay / Etsy — May 2026) |
| JLM Price |
$19.00 |
| Food Safe |
No — lead test pending; red enamel paint flagged |
| Lead Risk |
Yes — at-home lead test positive; red enamel paint flagged |
| Child Safe |
No |
| Gift Idea |
Kitchen Decor, Housewarming, Summer Entertaining |
Product Specs
| Dimensions |
5" L, 5" W, 7.5" H |
| Weight |
0.75 lb |
