Welcome to this week’s Fancy Fun Friday. Please join the blog party by posting your link below. It’s a fun way to see what other people like in their fancy moments.
This week we’re enjoying our Fostoria Meadow Rose etched compote. You can call this a comport or compote; either name works for these fun and pretty pieces.
Originally compotes were bowls that served stewed fruit desserts and over time these became fancier. Glass makers, never ones to ignore an opportunity to market upscale, got in the act. You’ll see compotes with shallow wide tops on tall slender stems, shorter fatter ones like this Fostoria piece, colored comports, cut, etched and decorated with gold.
If you’ve read these Fancy Friday posts before this may be familiar. Glass companies did the same thing with console bowls, center handled servers, mayo sets. Remember glass all by itself that is not differentiated is utilitarian and thus cheap. If you are a glass company and want to sell product with a decent margin that meant you needed to stand out. Adding decorations or exaggerating the shapes was how they competed.
We would use comports for candy or to hold a small floating blossom or just because they are pretty. Back in the day our grandmothers used compotes for fruit, or jelly or candy.
Comports are a great way to add fancy to your home!