F. & C. Osler Serving Pieces
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.
Late 19th Century British Late Victorian Antique F. & C. Osler Serving Pieces
Crystal, Bronze
1870s English Art Nouveau Antique F. & C. Osler Serving Pieces
Bronze
Mid-20th Century American Industrial F. & C. Osler Serving Pieces
Brass, Bronze
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern F. & C. Osler Serving Pieces
Brass, Silver Plate
Late 20th Century American American Classical F. & C. Osler Serving Pieces
Crystal
Early 1900s English Art Nouveau Antique F. & C. Osler Serving Pieces
Aluminum, Silver Plate
21st Century and Contemporary Italian F. & C. Osler Serving Pieces
Bronze
Late 20th Century Philippine Hollywood Regency F. & C. Osler Serving Pieces
Bronze
19th Century English Victorian Antique F. & C. Osler Serving Pieces
Crystal, Silver Plate
Early 19th Century English Regency Antique F. & C. Osler Serving Pieces
Porcelain
21st Century and Contemporary Romanian Modern F. & C. Osler Serving Pieces
Wood
Late 20th Century Spanish F. & C. Osler Serving Pieces
Bronze
Early 20th Century European Jugendstil F. & C. Osler Serving Pieces
Chrome
20th Century French Mid-Century Modern F. & C. Osler Serving Pieces
Crystal
