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A
Conjunto de diversas
pinhas de cristal,
piriformes e esféricas, na
cor rubi. Séc. XIX/XX.
Set of diverse ruby
crystal finials, pear-shaped
and spherical.
19th/20th Centuries.
Ensemble de boules
d’escalier en forme de poire
et sphériques, couleur rubi.
XIXe/XXe siècles.
inTroduCTion
Emerging first in France in the middle of the 19 th cen-
11
tury, finials, or boules d’escalier as they are known
throughout the world, were first recorded in 1845.
They consist of a variation of stone objects that ornamented the
walls of castles, or made out of wood or tin were used to deco-
rate bedposts. Their production out of glass and, subsequently
crystal, as well as their format, which went from pear-shaped
to spherical, appeared a bit later.
Subsequent to the creation of paperweights and doorknobs,
the techniques for manufacturing finials went beyond that of
the other objects, because it required more diligence and de-
tailed efforts and there was a constant striving on the part of
the master craftsmen to achieve a perfect sphere shape. These
artists composed the most beautiful examples, manufactured
by Clichy, Saint Louis and Baccarat, which enchanted people
around the world and led to an expansion of production into
other cities of Europe.
In Brazil, we have some of the most splendid collections
that are portrayed in this book, bringing together rarities such