Pair MCM Handblown Crystal Candy Dishes, 5.25"h & 4.5"h x 6"dia

Pair of MCM Hand-Blown Crystal Compotes (Steuben Seconds), Circa 1950s–1970s

Dimensions: 5.25" H × 6" dia and 4.5" H × 6" dia

Two elegant hand-blown crystal compotes — tazza form, shallow bowls on baluster stems — attributed to Steuben as factory seconds. The "seconds" designation is an important part of this story. Steuben was founded on the principle of craftsmanship and luxury, with standards of excellence that remained unrivaled in American crystal for over a century. Pieces that fell short of those exacting standards — a slight variation in the stem, a minor ripple in the bowl, an imperfection invisible to most eyes — were sold separately from the main Steuben line, unsigned and without the etched Steuben mark. That is precisely what these are: glassblowers' work of the highest caliber, in crystal of genuine Steuben quality, offered without the pedigree paperwork.

The form is pure and timeless. Each compote features a wide, gently flared shallow bowl supported by a classically turned baluster stem — knop above, wafer below — resting on a flat circular foot. Steuben's proprietary crystal formula, developed in 1933, has an exceptionally high refractive index that throws off an extraordinary rainbow of color and remains stronger than ordinary glass yet delicate to the touch. The clarity of these pieces, the way light moves through the stems and pools in the bowls, is the unmistakable calling card of that formula. The two compotes vary slightly in height — 5.25" and 4.5" — which is consistent with the natural variability of mouth-blown glasswork and adds to rather than detracts from their appeal as a pair.

Use them as candy dishes, fruit compotes, ring holders, or simply as sculptures of light on a shelf or dining table. They are practical objects and beautiful ones.

Style: Mid-Century Modern; American Studio Crystal

Maker: Attributed to Steuben Glass Works, Corning, New York — factory seconds (unsigned)

Materials: Hand-blown lead crystal, Steuben 10M formula

Price Note: Signed Steuben compotes of comparable form routinely sell in the $150–$400 range. This pair, offered as seconds at $79.80, gives buyers the substance of Steuben — the crystal, the craftsmanship, the form — at a fraction of the signed price.

Keywords: Steuben seconds crystal, hand-blown crystal compote, Steuben compote tazza, MCM crystal candy dish, Steuben glass seconds, American crystal compote, baluster stem crystal compote, mid-century crystal, Steuben unsigned crystal, Corning crystal compote, lead crystal tazza, hand-blown glass compote pair, vintage American crystal, Steuben factory second, MCM glass compote, crystal pedestal dish, Steuben style crystal, clear crystal compote, footed crystal bowl, vintage crystal pair

Item Number: 5839-40

Item ID: 293095

Category: CANDY/NUT DISHES

• From: 4/3/26 - 5/2/26 Price: $71.82
• From: 5/3/26 - 6/2/26 Price: $63.84
• From: 6/3/26 - & After Price: $55.86