Preliminary identification
Photo reference
5 uploaded photos
Overview
This is an elegant pair of American Brilliant Period style glass vanity or powder jars featuring wheel-engraved geometric and floral patterns. Each lid is crowned with a sterling silver finial knob, one of which is clearly stamped with the prestigious 'Hawkes Sterling' mark and a pictorial maker's mark, while the other features an ornate engraved monogram 'B'.
Story
In the early 1900s, the vanity tables of high-society women were stages for luxury. These jars were crafted in Corning, New York, by Hawkes, a firm that famously supplied custom cut glass to the White House.
Maker / Origin
Founded in 1880 by Irish immigrant Thomas Gibbons Hawkes, T.G. Hawkes & Co. became one of the most celebrated names of the American Brilliant Cut Glass era. Known for their uncompromising quality, Hawkes pieces won Grand Prize at the 1889 Paris Exposition, cementing their status as world-class luxury goods.
Condition & Value
The glass bodies appear to be free of major cracks, though typical minor flea bites or inner rim roughness may be present. The sterling silver knobs show significant tarnish, surface wear, and minor dimpling/denting consistent with age and frequent handling.
Full Research
Sold comps, value drivers, and venue guidance pulled from recent auction results.
Build on this identification
Layer in sold comps, value drivers, and venue guidance.
Comparable demand stays strongest where maker, originality, and venue confidence line up. Broader examples still trade, but the range tightens quickly when provenance, condition, or selling lane fit is missing.
Best Venue
Specialty auction or a focused dealer with buyers already in this lane.
Signed example with light edge wear and original frame.
Comparable format with stronger provenance and cleaner surface.
Smaller related piece with visible craquelure and trimmed margins.
Period match with softer condition and weaker subject matter.
Close market lane comp with similar material and presentation.