Purple marble glass covered bowl 1870 - 1890

This covered bowl was crafted from purple marble glass by Challinor, Taylor and Company between 1866 and 1891. The fluted design radiating from the bowl’s center echoes ancient motifs, reminiscent of the lotus flower, a symbol of purity and rebirth found in ancient Egyptian and Asian art. Consider how this echoes in the architecture of a Gothic cathedral. The ribbed vaults and pointed arches, reaching towards the heavens, are mirrored in the vertical lines of this bowl. Such forms stir deep within us, evoking a sense of aspiration. The color purple, historically associated with royalty and spirituality, infuses the object with an aura of mystique, a symbol that transcends the ages. Whether adorning a pharaoh's tomb or gracing a Victorian table, these symbols resonate, evolving yet retaining their capacity to move us, connecting us to the past, and illuminating our present.