Rare pair of British hand-blown art glass attributed to the prestigious glasshouses of James Powell & Sons at the Whitefriars Glassworks. Their defining achievement was this "Straw Opal," a delicate straw-yellow glass containing trace amounts of uranium dioxide which formed sweeping, milky-white bands of opalescence that contrasted against the translucent yellow base. Their paper-thin hand-blown body, swirled optical ribs, a fiery opalescent ruffle edge, and a polished pontil represent the pinnacle of British Arts and Crafts glassmaking, as a contrast to the heavy and heavily cut lead crystal popular in mid-Victorian times. Infused with trace amounts of uranium dioxide, they fluoresce with a brilliant green glow under ultraviolet light. This pair is perfectly preserved with no chips or cracks inspite of being exceptionally fragile and about 140 years old. Made in England in the 1880s -1890s.

Approximate dimensions : 5.6 inches in diameter, 1 inch in height. One piece is 159 grams and one is 140 grams in weight.