Set of Eight Victorian Hand-Blown Diamond Cut and Etched Lead Crystal Custard Cups, c. 1890

Eight high quality lead crystal custard cups with handles and short stems, dating to around 1890. The bucket shaped bowls are hand-blown and cut with a lattice of cross-cut diamonds with an acid etched geometric band around the top. The feet are plain and polished flat.

The glasses are in excellent condition, with no chips or cracks.

Throughout the Georgian period, it was common practice to serve custard as part of a sweet course in separate little glass cups with handles. They could be flavoured in exotic fashion, for example orange and almond custard, perfumed with ambergris. The French produced a small cup with lid which they used for serving reduced broth. These ‘pots à jus‘ became also used as ‘pots à créme‘. Imported into England, they were used for serving custard, syllabubs and similar desserts. Glass custard or jelly glasses were produced in England from the 18th century. Early glasses had tall bowls rising direct from domed or flat feet, usually with one or two handles. Towards the end of the 19th century, large glass dinner services became fashionable, and these often included glass custard cups.