Vintage Cut Crystal English Biscuit Barrel Jar & Inset Lid Cookies Candy

For consideration is this vintage cut crystal English biscuit barrel or biscuit jar with an inset lid. This beauty features an onion shaped knob, thumbprints around the rim of the top of the lid, thumbprints around the outside rim of the jar, a pinwheel and fan or pineapple design on the outside of the jar and a lovely cut starburst on the base. The jar measures 4¾ inches tall and with the lid in place measures 6 inches tall. The mouth measures 4¼ inches in diameter and the base measures the same. There is no maker’s mark, although this is most likely European made, and there are no nicks, chips, cracks, repairs scratches or discoloration noted. This would also make a wonderful candy dish! Buyer will pay Priority shipping on a 3 pound box. Thank you for looking!

NOTE:  Biscuit barrels are a reminder of a more genteel time and even sweeter memories of tea and cookies. They are a wonderful way to serve cookies and will make your tea table presentation a stand-out by adding another layer of beauty. The word “biscuit” referred to a small tea cake or scone and here we call them cookies.

The first biscuit barrels appeared in England around 1860 and quickly became en vogue as an essential serving piece for any society hostess.  Perhaps inspired by the barrels in which biscuits were stored on ships, the “barrels” remained popular until the early 1900’s.

Made by many manufacturers, biscuit barrels come in many forms, and are sometimes called a biscuit jar or biscuit box, depending on their shape. Not actually intended for biscuit storage, biscuit barrels were never airtight. 

Biscuits were transferred to a luxurious biscuit barrel in the kitchen, and an “upstairs maid” would proudly present this to guests on the tea trolley in the formal parlor. When tea time was done, the leftover cakes and cookies were brought back to the below stairs kitchen and transferred to a cookie tin for safe storage.