What a Gift! A Rising Sun boxed water set.

by G&S Thistlewood and with sincere thanks to our Argentinean friends Jorge Perri and the late Jorge Duhalde.

This splendid Rising Sun gift-boxed set comprises a Rising Sun water pitcher and six tumblers. It was found in the city of Mar del Plata - a summer resort by the ocean 250 miles from Buenos Aires. Jorge Perri and the late Jorge Duhalde discovered the set, and were told by the seller that it belonged to a woman who had received it as a wedding gift in 1940.

The label on the inside of the box lid features the name of the shop that originally sold the set:

The shop only sold Argentinean products. The question is therefore, what company made the glass?

Rising Sun is a known United States Glass Co. pattern - their name for the pattern was "Sunshine". It is very possible that (some or all) Carnival items in this pattern were made by Cristalerias Piccardo in Argentina.

No absolute proof exists yet - only circumstantial evidence. But, it was a regular feature for Piccardo to make gift-boxed sets: the catalogue illustration below right, shows another typical example, the Band of Roses decanter and stemmed glasses which were presented in a lovely box. 

Note the tray (which appears to be metal) on the inside of the lid.

Rising Sun pitcher and tumbler, marigold

Cristalerias Piccardo Band of Roses boxed set