Here on offer is a rare antique Georgian glass flat leaf ended sugar crusher or pestle dating between 1800 and 1850.

Sugar crushers like this were used to grind lumps of loaf sugar that had already been broken down using special tongs making a kind of rubble. This highly compressed sugar would still be difficult to dissolve in tea, so these little sugar crusher would be used to create finer sugar crystals. The delicate silver spoons would have been spoiled if employed for the task. The gentry would have had tools made using silver or gold, the lower classes had crushers made using slag glass. They are often mistaken as cocktail stirrers.

These simple glass pieces were often made by apprentices known as ‘slag boys’. The crushers were made from precast rods of glass, the bulb end would be pushed into a mould or sometimes the palm of the hand protected by wet newspaper. They often have inclusions and have evidence of the work involved. The flattened leaf tips created by pinching with a tong. Although made in large quantities, due to their purpose they were easily broken, consequently, not many survive and are now rare things.

This crusher has a chip to the leaf end from the pontil.

The sugar crusher is offered in good antique condition, it measures about 10.3cm in length.

A wonderful rare collectable piece.

Please see my pictures for the details of the condition which complement this description.

Thanks for looking and Happy Bidding!

Please ask if you would like me to look at cheaper delivery services.

I am always happy to combine postage, all I ask if you let me know if you are bidding on more than one item within a few days of each other. I will pack and weigh the items together and get the best possible price that I can, sometimes weight or value might dictate that I send multiple parcels to get a better value for you