Gene Florence lists over 100 items in Viking’s lovely Prelude etched crystal and most are accessory items. You can find candle holders – Florence lists six of these – plus choose among three candy boxes, two mayonnaise sets, six relish dishes, many, many bowls, nappies, vases, carafes, cake dishes, butter dishes, an epergne or two, comports, a cocktail shaker, more.
Part of the variety is because Viking used multiple glass blanks for the etch and part is due to the long production time. Companies constantly varied their offerings to present fresh, appealing lines each year.
Let’s start with candle holders to give a sense of the range of designs Viking used.
This first candle holder is from the Janice line, also called Line 45 or 4500. It is the 5 inch single candle holder and there is a variation that is slightly taller, 5 1/2 inches; the size difference is worth noting if you are seeking a pair.
This next holder takes two tapers and is etched on the Teardrop, Line 44, blank.
Viking put Prelude on Radiance, which is a lovely pattern begun under New Martinsville. Teardrop has short, raised angled ridges radiating from the center while Radiance has broken dotted ridges that extend a long way out from the center. Look for Radiance bowls too.
The other shape to watch for is Princess, a later pattern from Viking. To me it looks more mid-Century style than the others. Princess has a band around the base, as shown on this in the center on the bottom of the piece, and the curved handles are also typical.
There are over a dozen bowls to choose from.
By the way, if you like how pretty crimped bowls look, but don’t think they would be very usable, you would be surprised. We have a crimped bowl that is wonderful for salad because it’s deep enough and the cured sides make it easy to hold and pass around the table.
Next post we’ll finish our survey of Prelude from Viking and look at availability and cost.