Roaring Twenties, a time of prosperity, prohibition, flappers, speakeasies and Fostoria. Fostoria made these Trellis cut stems from 1924 to 1928, during prohibition when alcohol was illegal to make or sell. Fostoria would have marketed these as sherbets. I like the shape with the slightly cupped lip and deeper bowl.
Many of the sherbets from the 1930s, when alcohol was legal once more, are the classic saucer champagne style. I always wonder how many people actually used them for fruit or sherbet vs. for champagne. Most later sherbets are shaped more like these Trellis stems, with deeper bowls that are easy to use.
I got these at the very first auction I went to in order to purchase glass to resell. I liked these and decided to keep them for Dave and me, but Dave wasn’t too enthusiastic. I used them a few times for fruit salad – they look gorgeous with the colors inside the cut crystal – but we decided to get a set of Rose Point crystal for us and sell these. I still like them!
This is not the only pattern Fostoria called “Trellis”. This one is cutting number 169. The other Trellis pattern is cutting number 882 and has a deep crisscross cutting with a lighter stylized leaf spray. Fostoria made the later Trellis design from 1950 to 1954 and you can find stemware without too much trouble. My earlier Trellis is quite hard to find, not surprising for 90 year old stemware!