As early glass goes, if any pieces of Early American pattern glass dishes were to be thought of as fussy, it would be compotes. An elegant dish on a stand, they were designed with intricate patterns and often came with lids that were used for serving liquids such as stewed fruit. The open style compote often had a ruffled or fluted dish or bowl. They were set on high or low stems that could be as simple as colored, cut glass or as complicated as molded dragons and dolphins. Besides glass they were also made from china or silver. A century later, we call them compotes, but their first owners might have called them bowls, comports, sweetmeats or footed bowls.

A definition I like is plates on a pedestal used for serving fruits, nuts or pastries. More than 150 years later, they are as popular as ever, especially these recycled compotes made from collections of mismatched china and stemware. They are perfect for serving treats at high tea, desserts after dinner or as candle stands with flowers for holiday decorations.

Compote Dishes

Compote Dishes

Find a new use for orphaned stemware and china leftovers. Marry china and crystal to create these adorable compote dishes for serving your favorite candies and cookies.

MATERIALS NEEDED

  • E 6000 glue
  • Leftover saucers or/and plates
  • Stemware

HERE’S HOW

  • Invert stemware and glue to bottom of plates or saucers
  • Tip: Make sure the scale of the stemware is in keeping with the scale of the plate or saucer