-Ambassador- service decanter with cordial-stopper c. 1930 - 1940

Oswald Haerdtl crafted this “Ambassador” service decanter with cordial-stopper out of glass sometime in the twentieth century. This elegant decanter, with its elongated neck and spherical body, evokes the visual language of alchemical vessels, containers used in the quest to transform base metals into gold. Think back to the ancient origins of alchemy in Hellenistic Egypt, where the principles of Hermeticism merged with early chemical practices. Alchemists, like artists, sought to unlock the secrets of transformation, using symbolic processes to purify and elevate matter. In medieval and Renaissance Europe, alchemical imagery flourished, appearing in illuminated manuscripts and engravings. The vessel, a central motif in these works, symbolizes both containment and transformation, holding the potential for change within its delicate walls. Consider how this motif has been continually reinterpreted. Each iteration reflects a culture's deepest desires, anxieties, and aspirations. The decanter before us is a receptacle of dreams.