his is a fine set of vintage early 1950s Charlesware cocktail glasses and a matching tall mixing jug or pitcher. The company was based at 215 King Street in Fenton, Stoke on Trent and they marketed these designs to a worldwide audience.
They promoted this particular design in adverts as follows: "The Sea Horse (Hippocampus), from Australia and the Mediterranean. Its curious horse-like head and erect method of swimming are fascinating to watch".
They are certainly very stylish. The glasses are conical in shape with a round foot. They are all hand decorated with painted decorations - with black seahorses with little red dots for eyes - and with lots of gold gilt around the rim of each and the foot. The gilding continues onto the sides of the glasses - so that it looks like glittering seaweed. Lovely glasses - now 70 years old and with no condition issues - there are no losses to the gold - and no chips or cracks to the glasses - I am listing these at £10 for each glass. They are now hard to find in such a fine condition.
The tall pitcher or jug has the same decoration and you would use it to mix up fruit juices etc with ice to add to the short drinks served in the glasses. This jug is also in good vintage condition - however, there is a little flaw in the making near the handle - this looks on closer inspection like a crack - but it is actually a small and fine stress fissure that occurred in the making when the handle was applied.
It is only noticeable on close-up inspection. This area is secure and contained within the glass body - and is not on the surface of the glass but inside it. I have photographed this area against a darker colour so that you can see it better.
The glasses measure 4 inches (10cm) high. The diameter at the top is just under 3 1/2 inches (8.5 cm). The foot is 2 3./4 inches (7 cm). The tall pitcher is 7 1/4 inches in height (18.5 cm). The diameter at the top is 4 3./4 inches (12 cm) and the foot is 4 inches (10 cm).
As you can see they all look fabulous on display as a set.