Overshot Glass Hard To Find

Overshot glass was a special type of art glass popular in the late Victorian period. It was made by taking glass, while it was still hot, and rolling it in finely ground glass pieces until it was coated all over with tiny glass pieces.

Usually, the glass was rolled in the glass while it was still a gob on the end of a rod, reheated, and blown to its final shape. This method smoothed out the rough edges of the ground glass and made the finished piece less sharp.

Less frequently, the piece was blown to its final shape first, and then rolled in the glass shards. These pieces will be much sharper to the touch.

Much of the overshot glass was first crackled, a process in which the hot glass is dipped in cold water. This produces fissures throughout the glass, which is then reheated to seal the cracks produced. The piece was then rolled in the glass shards.

Overshot glass is not inexpensive and it's not easy to find. Expect to spend several hundred dollars or more for pieces dating from the 1860s to the first decades of the 20th century, both American and European.

Examples of overshot glass, along with values, are pictured in Crackle Glass from around the World, by Stan & Arlene Weitman (Collector Books, 2005.)

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About Rhinestone Mountings

Rhinestones are usually set in mountings that are made of an inexpensive metal that has been lightly coated with gold or silver - as might be expected for pieces that often sold for less than a dollar originally. How ever, the finishes were made to last, and if you’re buying a piece of rhinestone jewelry, check the metal work to be sure it is not worn. The finish should be intact on well-made pieces.

Occasionally, rhinestones were set in sterling silver mounts; these pieces should have the sterling stamp on them somewhere. To confuse the issue, sometimes the sterling was covered with a gold wash, so that it doesn’t look like silver. However, it should still have the sterling stamp.

If you’re just starting to buy old costume jewelry, the ABCs of Costume Jewelry, by David & Lee Salsbury (Schiffer Publishing) is a helpful reference.

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Cedar Chest Scent May Only Be Hiding

Old cedar chests may have lost their aroma if, over the years, they have been varnished or sealed with some refinishing product. Sometimes, however, the cedar smell has simply disappeared due to the drying out of the outer surface.

If drying is the cause of the problem, the cedar aroma can often be released simply by lightly sanding the wood. This will remove the thin outer layer, and expose more pores of the wood, which, in turn, will often release additional cedar scent.

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