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Now is the time of year my thoughts turn to hyacinth vases. I have started my hyacinth bulb forcing (see www.gardenwithindoors.org.uk) including using this recently purchased Menu vase. I did have a larger Menu vase in the past and regretted giving it away so pleased I saw this smaller version on ebay. I like the design with the metal insert sitting on the ledge. The ebay listing explained that the company is no longer in business but will still look out for old stock / used vases on ebay.

Menu vase on the left, a bit shorter than the Victorian cobalt blue vases on the right

four sides of the Menu box

Tye Hyacinth Vases

While I'm organising my bulb forcing, it gives me a chance to look at them and photograph them. These are all my Tye vases (made by GP Tye in the 1850's - 1860's (I forget the exact dates)).

The vases are stamped on the base except the amethyst one which is exactly the same size as the others and appears to be the same aside from the stamp and I think it is a Tye vase, just unstamped. I think I've blogged about this before but I noticed it recently and it reminded me of it.

putting the vases together like this, one can see they are the same size

Here is an update on the Wedgwood hedgehog after planting it up with crocus bulbs in September. They are growing well and developing fat buds so I look forward to flowers soon. (an overlap with my bulb forcing blog, gardenwithindoors)

Kinto Aqua Culture Hyacinth Vase

I always like to see new hyacinth vases and try them out. I found this one on ebay (where else?) and am intrigued to try it later this year. The opening looks a little small but sure a smaller hyacinth bulb would be fine. This vase comes in two pieces. Aside from novelty value not sure the advantage.

I was lucky enough to find one of the Wedgwood Hedgehog Crocus Pots on ebay, although it is rather recent, dating to mid-20th century (rather than 18th century) and the tray is broken although all the pieces are there. I bought it towards the end of the forcing season so was not able to try growing crocus in it. I plan to do that later this year (ie the 2019 / 2020 forcing season).

In comparison with the other vases for size.

Wedgwood mark on the base of the hedgehog

Wedgwood mark on the base of the tray

The purple vase I bought from Amazon recently. I'd been given a gift certificate and decided to browse their vases and found this vase that works perfectly as a hyacinth vase. I'm not sure if it was listed as a "hyacinth vase" or not. I just searched at Amazon and it doesn't come up but a search for "Leonardo Nido vase" does. Only a pink one is availabe. The cobalt blue vintage vase I bought at an antiques fair recently. Do I need another??? I thought it was interesting that the blue vase is blue glass the purple vase is clear glass that's been painted. That's one reason why period glass vases are so much better than modern ones.

My cat Polly Pocket with some Shorter and Son flower troughs with small bulbs (crocus, muscari and iris reticulata) and hyacinth vases on the window sill in the background with hyacinths in bloom. In the front, a Leonardo light purple (lilac) vase whose hyacinth is now finished.

Leonardo vase growing a (probably) Delft Blue hyacinth and a terracotta hyacinth vase to the right.

base of the Leonardo brand vase, difficult to see but the vase is clear and the lilac colour has been painted on

Cobalt blue 19th century hyacinth vase. Actually this design was produced for a long time, from the 1850s until the 1920s-ish. It was very popular and one of the most common (and wonderful IMHO) hyacinth vases easily available on ebay and antique shops and fairs. The cobalt blue colour they used is exquisite, some vases better than others, varying from purple-blue to a rather lighter blue. I cannot capture the colour with my camera .

I love these Victorian terracotta hyacinth vases. They're obviously not to everyone's taste but I also love Victorian terracotta pots in the garden so these are definitely for me. There are 3 different figures around the vase which are just transfers - one can see where they don't match up exactly - but I think that's part of the charm of transferware and it makes for consistency of these items. See ceramic hyacinth vases for more .

base of the vase

great find on ebay this week, mint in box 1960s plastic hyacinth vases

they have separate bulb holders that go on top of the lower part of the vase

Of course, I'll be using these to force hyacinth bulbs, see gardenwithindoors for details. I also have some Stewart plastic hyacinth vases which I bought retail in the late 1980s / early 1990s from a garden centre. I did use them regularly until last year when I thought they were looking a bit fragile, each have a crack although they still held water. Will find photos.

Stewart Hyacinth Vases

I'm not sure what brand these are.

I've gotten all my crocus vases out, ready to use them for forcing but like to document what they are first. I didn't do any crocus last year and maybe not for a few years before so I haven't had the crocus vases all together for a while - and of course there are new additions. Looking carefully, excluding the obviously taller one on the left, there are about 3 different crocus vases in the front, slightly different heights and base thickness.

this glass posy intrigues me - how was it meant to be used? of course, I'll stick a bulb in or on anything feasible but was that its original intention? although it seems high quality and heavy glss the polishing of the holes in uneven, some are polished more than others

and the base is polished, I assume where it will sit flat

see gardenwithindoors for my experiemnts using it

I think I missed documenting some new hyacinth vases. The one on the left is small and inexpensive and I wanted to try it. The one on the right is a vintage shape I call "teardrop". It would be quite difficult to tell if it's vintage or modern. The label on the bottom gives it away.

The label on the bottom of the teardrop vase reveals it is modern - but a good reproduction in my opinion.

An unexpected trip to the antiques fair at Alexandra Palace yielded some treasure. The tall vase on the left I'm sure is 19th century. I've not seen that exact shape before with the rim at the top. The middle vase I'm not even sure if it's a hyacinth vase but the colour is exquisite, deep purple/blue cobalt blue although my camera has not captured it. It's a better blue than the vase on the left. And I'm sure it will work fine as a hyacinth vase. On the right is a Tye vase I happened to have on the window sill which I've included for comparison.

the new vase bases, snapped off pontil mark on the tall vase, smooth base on the middle vase

kick-up detail inside the antique vase

I'm always on the look-out for more hyacinth vases, both to use myself and to have to give as gifts. As the date the hyacinths are ready is uncertain, it's useful to have a few on hand to be able to give to people at a moment's notice. My windowsill is always sure to have new hyacinth vases recently purchased from ebay and my table is sure to have a cat.

a better look at just the hyacinth vases

a closer look at those plastic hyacinth vases in the back above