Now that we’re nearly done eating the Christmas candy and facing the annual New Year’s time to consider dieting, let’s look at candy dishes. After all, Valentine’s Day is right around the corner and candy dishes always make fine gifts. (If you store your candy in a pretty dish you’re less likely to eat it too. Side benefit.)
This neat looking piece is Heisey Lariat crystal low caramel dish. The glass books usually show a taller, more spherical dish with lid as a candy jar in Lariat, so this is a little less common.
Heisey made Lariat the last few years they were in business, from 1942 to 1957, and it was meant to compete with Imperial Glass’ successful Candlewick. You can see the small loops around the outer edge of the bowl; this is the design. The loop motif is repeated in the lid finial. The molded shape on top the lid is a flower, perhaps a calla lily. Take a look at the next picture to get a better idea.
I’ve had this candy dish for a long time since I got it at one of the first auctions we went to when I had the brilliant notion of buying glass to sell on eBay. I figured out it was Lariat pretty quickly but it took a long time to decide which piece it is. Heisey made a myriad of pieces – they even had a special bowl for marshmallow – and this one wasn’t listed or photographed in my books. Finally I came across mention of a low candy or caramel dish and the mystery was solved.
If you like crystal patterns where the central focus is the glass itself you may enjoy Lariat. You can find a few pieces with etchings but to me that is gilding the lily. The glass is superb, beautifully clear, and solid. The pattern is more handsome in person than in photographs. It doesn’t seem too prone to damage, either, despite the protruding loops.