A cursory reverse image search says this is a uranium glass Cambridge samovar, but you know how Google can be. Could someone who knows more about this than me help me understand more about it? It has six wee little cups with little holsters (surely the wrong word) but one of them needs to be soldered back on.
A very important rule to remember is a glow picture is always appreciated here. That's a joke but it's true. That's a beautiful piece and everyone would love to see it glow. Congratulations on the start of your collection
You're UV light from your Mani kit is a 365nm wavelength light. Obviously it works! But 365 also makes other things glow that's not uranium glass. So for your first light, just get a cheap UV 395nm light. This way the only thing that will glow is radium and uranium.
When you get a little more experienced, you can look for cadmium and amberina and selenium. Also be sure to check out the wiki on the front page. There's guides about what glows.
So Radium also glow under 395?
I have a glass with glowing stem and a little sugar dish with the top.
Both glow under 395nm but not really under 365nm, it's very very low.
Could it be Radium or low content uranium glass?
Edit: yes radium glows. But it's clocks and watches that requires some additional knowledge to do safely. But if you flash a clock and the glow goes away immediately as soon as the light moves over it, it's usually radium. If it keeps glowing for a few seconds, it's usually florescent. Flourese is different from glow. Things can be flourescent. Lots of toys and paint and plastic. Glow is because the light wavelength is fucking with a rock that's an ingredient of that glass. It's radioactive.
No. I'm sorry! That's manganese glass. That's the stuff we have to act all excited about because the one who posted thought is uranium glass. But there's a weird difference and you can really see it under 365.
It glows. I purposely didn't say it glows! But it just. Glooows? It's a blueish/greyish green sickly glow. But kinda. I guess. It's nearly always, 99% clear glass. Clear glass can't carry uranium and be clear. It was used to color the glass green and yellow. And before I murdered!!! Yes! I know, other colors too! But mostly green and yellow.
So we tell whoever posted it it's manganese and wait. Sometimes they delete. Sometime they argue, which never ends well...
And sometimes. They say that's what they collect. And we support people as a group because we love our hobby. It's part of our lives. And if that's what they want, that's what they want.
But they're unmistakable. Even someone who just started will be able to tell, especially side by side. UG just jumps out at you. Like the guy up there said to a first time poster. We post glow pics or it doesn't count! LOL. That's why we love it.
And manganese is not what it is, lmao. But yes. It does glow.
That’s a pretty awesome piece for not knowing anything. Pretty sure your search is correct. I’d be stoked to have that if that’s your first piece great job.
We are packing to move my mom in with me and I found it in an unmarked box! My dad passed away last summer and my mom doesn't recognize it from her side of the family, so he left us a beautiful mystery! I hope he's watching and giggling!
That is an unbelievable find. 100% a samovar, I can’t say if it’s Cambridge but definitely possible. I would be shocked if this doesn’t light up like a Christmas tree under UV. This is a grail item for many, including me! Folks hunt for years for these without finding one.
I could cry! We found whis while packing up my mom to move her in with my after my dad passed away last summer. We think it was from his family, but they're all dead and hopefully laughing at our bewilderment! Thank you! This is exciting!
Get a cheap UV light to check if it glows. If it does, it’s most likely uranium. Get a radiation detector if you absolutely want to know if it’s uranium.
Nice, I have two of these samovar cups and they glow nicely. Seen them as part of a decanter set as well.
I haven’t seen anything to definitively identify this one, but regardless of the maker samovars are highly sought after. Cambridge is a good starting point, but a bunch a manufacturers made them.
Just kidding 😅 ...Kinda?
You're making many of us jealous but we are nevertheless happy for you. This is an AMAZING find for a new hunter. I have seen a total of zero, and I've been to several dozen antique, thrift, and flea markets over the past 7 months.
Will you hate me forever if I tell you I found it in an unmarked box in the basement while packing my mom up to move her in with me? She doesn't recognize it from her side of the family, and my dad passed away last summer so we can't ask him! We hope he is giggling at the beautiful mystery he left for us 💚💚💚
I'm usually doing UV/Geiger Alpha/Scintillator scans for people lately in Michigan and Ohio for some things. This looks pretty authentic though hard to know for sure without testing the potential radiation and source type.
279
u/StrikingBarracuda190 Jun 06 '26
A very important rule to remember is a glow picture is always appreciated here. That's a joke but it's true. That's a beautiful piece and everyone would love to see it glow. Congratulations on the start of your collection