Set of 8 Mid Century Dorothy hotsell C. Thorpe Silver Band Fluted Wine Glasses, 6-1/4" High x 2-7/8" Diameter at Rim, "Mad Men" Barware at Its Best

There is perhaps no swankier way to serve your guests than with iconic Dorothy C. Thorpe Silver Band drinkware pieces, made famous on the TV show "Mad Men."

Here, you get 8 fluted wine glasses in the Silver Band design. Each measures 6-1/4" high x 2-7/8" diameter at the rim.

These hotsell have no chips in the glass, and the silver bands are in very good condition, especially since even one run through the dishwasher can strip the hand painted sterling silver bands on these pieces. As an avid collector of this design myself, I suggest cleaning these bands with Tarn-X (quick and very effective) and hand-washing only to keep their fine finish intact.

Note that many Silver Band or silver-fade pieces attributed to Thorpe are, in fact, made by Queen's Lusterware. The best way to tell the difference is the tarnish; only Thorpe's hand painted sterling silver bands -- with their matte (not metallic) finish -- will do so. Also, per extensive research, Thorpe never produced silver-fade items.

ABOUT THE DESIGNER

You might recognize Dorothy C. Thorpe's work if you watched the TV show, "Mad Men." Rounded with a silver band at the top, the glasses she designed appear countless times throughout the series. The advertising men of the silver screen drama are well-known for their drinking habits, and this design is perfect for them. Referred to as “roly poly glasses,” they're meant to stand upright again when tipped onto their sides. Thorpe designed these glasses for her company Dorothy C. Thorpe Inc., as well as many other lines of tableware, accessories, and linens that incorporated the same silver band or decorations of oversize floral patterns.

Dorothy Thorpe started her design in drinkware in a very DIY manner -- by cutting the necks off beer bottles and fashioning them into tumblers using decorations and handles. When her brother took one of the first tumblers Thorpe created to work at MGM Studios, Clark Gable saw them and ordered six dozen of the design. This was her foot in the door, allowing her to sell her work out of a small gift shop in Hollywood.

Eventually, her client list included Princess Grace of Monaco and other Hollywood stars. This paved the way for her to become a successful contributor to the world of glassware.

https://blog.cmog.org/2017/12/01/designer-dorothy-thorpe/

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