“La Céleste” bedside carafe

My family has loved Saint-Louis crystal for a very, very long time. When my aunt studied abroad in France, she brought back several pieces of Saint-Louis crystal in the “Thistle” pattern to forever remember her time abroad. (We tend to buy “keepers” not temporary things)

The “Thistle Gold” glassware dates back to 1913 and is one of the most exclusive lines produced by the Cristallerie Saint-Louis. Every glass is mouthblown and hand-engraved. The elegant, fine gold pattern is painted with a small brush, then fired and polished with agate stone. Each glass is a masterpiece of expert craftsmanship and takes 25 days to make; ten glassblowers are needed to create the shape and 15 other glass specialists focus on the cutting, engraving and decoration. [source]

My grandparents have multiple pieces of the colorful “Tommy” barware, which I love due to its fun, cheery colors which can coordinate with any kind of patterned wallpaper or dining room area.

Three of the company’s famous techniques have to be used to produce the “Tommy” series: facet cutting, ball cutting and diamond cutting. The attention given to detail in the cutting process is what makes this classic line from the year 1928 into one of the most coveted creations in crystal glass craftsmanship. The reputation of this best-seller is based on a legendary dinner in the year 1938 held in the Hall of Mirrors in the Chateau de Versailles on the occasion of a visit by King George VI; each of the places at the table for guests was set with eleven glasses from the “Tommy” series. The production of these glasses still goes on today and each glass takes ten days to make; ten glassblowers are needed to create the shape and five cutters are required to complete the decoration. [source]

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Have you ever come across Saint-Louis crystal in your travels or while entertaining?

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Do you have a special “brand” of something (anything!) that your family feels strong ties to, due to memories?