F. & C. Osler Furniture
British glassmakers F. & C. Osler redefined the art of cut-glass design in an era of Victorian luxury, refinement and grandeur.
The firm began in Birmingham in 1807 by Thomas Osler, who established his business making small glass ornaments and pieces for chandeliers. His sons, Follett and Clarkson Osler, joined the company and, in 1831, reorganized it as F. & C. Osler.
During the 1840s, F. & C. Osler expanded production to include the manufacture of chandeliers and glass furnishings, opening a second workshop in London in 1845. The company focused on producing large-scale designs, leading to the creation of one of their most famous pieces: the 27-foot-high, four-ton Crystal Fountain for London’s Great Exhibition in 1851. Another notable F. & C. Osler piece at the exhibition was a pair of eight-foot-high candelabras purchased by Prince Albert for Queen Victoria. Today, they are on display as part of the Royal Collection at Osborne House on the Isle of Wight.
The success of F. & C. Osler’s Crystal Fountain established the company’s reputation as one of the finest glassmakers of the 19th century. Wealthy clients coveted its cut-glass chandeliers, wall sconces, epergnes, candelabras and decorative centerpieces.
F. & C. Osler also received several important commissions. In 1856, F. & C. Osler designed a large chandelier for St. George’s Hall in Liverpool and a 36-light chandelier for London’s Mansion House. In 1858, they were asked to produce tableware for a banquet held by Queen Victoria at Aston Hall, in Birmingham. The Queen is said to have been so impressed with the glassware she asked permission to keep a champagne glass.
F. & C. Osler thrived throughout the late 19th century, experimenting with complex cut-glass motifs and expanding its successful export market to India. They became a favorite glassmaker for Indian royalty and aristocratic English ex-pats.
By the 1920s, demand for cut-glass products waned, and F. & C. Osler closed its Birmingham factory in 1922. The company remained in business, albeit on a much smaller scale, until 1976.
Today, F. & C. Osler remains a symbol of grand Victorian glassmaking and is sought by antique collectors and interior designers worldwide.
On 1stDibs, discover a range of antique F. & C. Osler lighting, decorative objects and serveware.
1850s English Neoclassical Antique F. & C. Osler Furniture
Art Glass
1850s Antique F. & C. Osler Furniture
Cut Glass
1850s English High Victorian Antique F. & C. Osler Furniture
Cut Glass
1850s British Victorian Antique F. & C. Osler Furniture
Cut Glass
Early 20th Century English F. & C. Osler Furniture
Crystal, Metal
1920s Regency Vintage F. & C. Osler Furniture
Crystal, Brass
19th Century French Louis XIV Antique F. & C. Osler Furniture
Crystal, Bronze
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage F. & C. Osler Furniture
Crystal, Chrome
Early 1900s British Victorian Antique F. & C. Osler Furniture
Cut Glass
Early 2000s Italian F. & C. Osler Furniture
Brass
Mid-19th Century English Victorian Antique F. & C. Osler Furniture
Crystal
1980s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage F. & C. Osler Furniture
Brass
1860s English Victorian Antique F. & C. Osler Furniture
Brass
Early 20th Century French Art Deco F. & C. Osler Furniture
Iron, Bronze
1850s English Antique F. & C. Osler Furniture
Brass
1890s Central American Neoclassical Antique F. & C. Osler Furniture
Glass
1850s Victorian Antique F. & C. Osler Furniture
