Vial

A small vial with a cap, made of hyalith, with gilded decoration that is partly abraded. The vessel was manufactured by blowing into a form which gave the glass bubble the initial shape. Such items with form-based shapes, often additionally embellished through grinding and engraving, made of thick tinted glass were extremely popular in the 19th century. The glass mass was available in many new colours and hues, including the non-transparent black which was soon recognised as exceptionally elegant and desirable. Vessels made of this material – including this vial from Wilanów – often displayed gilded decorations which looked impressive against the black surface and made the items resemble Far Eastern artefacts made of lacquer. The surface of the vial also displays gilded elements depicting floral motifs and insects. The upper section (near the spout) and its cap are fully gilded.

The black non-transparent glass of which the vase is made was invented in the 19th century by Georg Franz August Longueval, count of Buquoy (1781–1851). He was a mathematician, a physicist, a chemist, a philosopher as well as an owner of several glass factories. It received the name of hyalith, inspired by the Greek word for “glass” (“hyalos”), from the very inventor of this technical novelty. Its production started in 1817. Owing to the unique hue, products made of hyalith, such as cups, vials, vases, tea containers or candle-holders, quickly became fashionable and widely in-demand. The popularity of hyalith, however, lasted for a relatively short period, i.e. until the 1840s, giving place to other types of glassware (mainly mass tinted glass of various colours), though hyalith vessels could still be found in the market.