The television show “Mad Men” re-introduced viewers to classic crystal bar ware, plain, clear glass with a platinum band around the top. This style was in vogue for several years in the 1950s and early 1960s, complementing the less-ornate clothing styles and Scandinavian-influenced furniture. (Here is a photo of Jackie Kennedy in an evening dress from 1962. Notice how the cut and fabric are the style with no ornamentation. Jackie Kennedy in pink evening gown, 1962.)
Wedding Ring is one of Fostoria’s Mid-Century Modern patterns. It has a bell-shaped bowl trimmed with a 1/4 inch band of platinum.
Fostoria Wedding Ring Goblet
Better glass companies used platinum instead of silver because platinum does not tarnish. It may be more durable too. Notice the stem shape. It is quite distinctive with three modest grooves that reach up to clasp the bowl with petal-shapes.
The stem is the only part of the piece that is even semi-frilly. If you browse the styles from this era you’ll notice that even plain-looking items had a small piece with a bit of unusual-looking style. For instance, women’s suits often had large fabric-covered buttons. Furniture had flares; cars had tail light fins.
I don’t think it is any coincidence that several American elegant glass companies went out of business in the era of plainer styles. After all, if one wants glasses with silver rims, who is to say whether one glass is worth more than another? When styles allowed for intricate etches or applied ornamentation companies could easily compete on the basis of their designs. But the plainer items may not have appeared all that much different when made out of better materials compared to lesser-quality and cheaper glass.
From our time, 50 years after the fact, the 1960s styles have a definite look to them. Fostoria’s Wedding Ring stemware fits right in.
We have Fostoria Wedding Ring water goblets listed on Etsy here.