Edwardian Opalescent Footed Coupe with Three Petite Bowls, Hand-Gilded, c. 1905

There is a particular kind of object that earns its place not through usefulness alone but through the way it changes a room. This footed bowl is one of them — a piece of American pressed glass from the early years of the twentieth century, when the Northwood and Dugan glassworks of Indiana, Pennsylvania were producing some of the most expressive opalescent glass ever made on this side of the Atlantic.
The pattern is Jeweled Heart, introduced around 1905. Each panel is framed by a cascade of pressed beadwork — heart-shaped at the rim, oval below — with a stippled medallion at the center of every cartouche. The glass itself is a soft cobalt blue that strikes milky white inside the recessed panels, an effect created during the original pressing and reheating: a hallmark of true Edwardian opalescent glass.
The decoration is what makes this set rare. Inside the heart-shaped medallions, hand-painted blue enamel florals were applied with a brush, then fired into the glass. Gold gilt outlines every bead, frame, and rim — applied by hand, also fired, also original. Both have softened gently in the places hands would naturally hold each piece, which is to say, exactly as they should.
The grouping includes one footed master bowl and three petite coupes in the same pattern. Originally part of an Edwardian berry service, they have been reimagined here as a tablescape grouping — the master for figs or stone fruit, the smaller pieces for salt, olives, almonds, or a single bloom. They photograph beautifully in afternoon light.
Dimensions:
• Master bowl: [measure diameter at rim, height including foot]
• Coupes: [measure diameter, height], set of three
Condition:
Excellent original condition for an object of its age. The master bowl and one of the smaller coupes retain the full original gold gilt at the foot; two of the smaller coupes show soft wear in this area, where hands have rested while serving. The rim beadwork, medallion outlines, and hand-painted blue enamel florals remain bright and intact across all four pieces. No chips, cracks, or repairs. Each piece rings clear when tapped.
Provenance & Maker:
Attributed to Northwood-Dugan Glass Company, Indiana, Pennsylvania, circa 1903–1907. Pattern: Jeweled Heart (also documented as Victor). Unsigned, as was typical of the maker’s pressed glass production from this period.
A note on use:
Hand wash only, in warm water with mild soap. Avoid sudden temperature changes. Antique gilt and fired enamel do not survive the dishwasher.