These US Navy antique crystal wine decanters and liqueur decanters show the progressive stages and evolution of what is now the Department of Navy Seal which has essentially remained unchanged since about 1905. It is our belief that the U.S. Navy had authorized an official 'Navy Seal" in the very early to mid 1890s which consisted of an "Eagle Clutching Fouled Anchor" and had produced a complete line of dinnerware which included fine Limoges porcelain china produced in France and imported through a U.S. distributor along with a complete set of crystalware as seen here. This authorized "Navy Seal" and dinnerware pattern was utilized until about 1905 when replaced with two new patterns.

It is our further contention that at about 1905 the US Navy (possibly under the direction of Admiral Dewey) discontinued the use of the "Eagle Clutching Fouled Anchor" but used it as the basis of standardizing on two new patterns of china each having its own unique insignia to be used in an Officers mess based upon rank.

The first Officers Dinnerware Pattern took the original naval insignia of "Eagle Clutching Fouled Anchor" and encircled it with a chain and rope design along with the words "Department of the Navy" and the monogrammed initials "USN" below it as the new standard pattern then and now known as "The Department of Navy Seal" and has essentially remained unchanged since 1905. This new Navy Seal sometimes had 2, 3 and 4 stars cut to either side denoting rank of admiral.

The second Officers Dinnerware Pattern pattern took the Fouled Anchor from out of the clutches of the eagle, making it stand upright and fouled with chain along with the monogrammed initials "USN" below. It is presumed that this second dinnerware pattern was used for lower ranking officers mess, Jr. Officers and Wardroom Officers. Whereas the Department of Navy Seal pattern was used for more senior ranking naval officers and civilian leadership.

Further, all US Navy Cut Crystal Decanters were made in the then popular late 19th century design of "Victorian Shaft with large cut flutes, a Globe body, and Star-burst cut bottom" which was found on the more elegant crystal decanters used in formal occasions.

These US Navy crystal decanters were part of the Navy's inventory and in-use from the very early 1890's thru at least to WWI and were used aboard US Navy Vessels in the Officers Wardroom, Captains Cabin and Admirals Quarters and were designed to impress and provide for a sophisticated genteel dining experience entertaining foriegn political, military and naval dignitaries.

These US Navy acid-etched cut crystal decanters have the very earliest authorized "Navy Seal" ca early 1890's which was introduced just prior to the Spanish-American Span-Am War and which consisted of an "Eagle Clutching a Fouled Twisted Stock Anchor" on the front with the scripted sytlized initials "USN" on the back. The next evolution of the "Navy Seal" was incorporating the Eagle Clutching Anchor into a formalized seal and making it the heart of a newly designed "Department of the Navy Seal" which debuted on/about 1905 at the time of the Great White Fleet.

The "Department of the Navy" seal which debuted about 1905 is for all intents and purposes the same Department of Navy seal still in use today except for a few minor changes made in the early 1940's.

The third US Navy cut crystal decanter shown here was possibly made specifically for the Jr. Officers and Wardroom Officers consisted of a "Twisted Stock Fouled Anchor with Chain" with the initials "U.S.N." underneath in the pre-WWI font along with the periods separating each letter located mid-height of each letter in the classic 19th Century style.

Sometimes the "Department of Navy" crystal decanters also include 2, 3 and 4 stars typically on each side of the seal. This leads us to believe that the Department of Navy emblazoned decanters in general were used only by senior Naval Officers such as the rank of Captain while the decanters with the stars were obviously used by Admirals.

Above is the very earliest US Navy Crystal Decanter with "Eagle Clutching Anchor" on the front and scripted/stylized "USN" on the back. Handsome and elegant, early 1890's to about 1905. It also has a handblown hollow stopper. This particular insignia has also been found in gold relief on fine china demitasse cups, large fish or salmon servers, small bowls and dinner cups with backstamped dates ranging from 1893 thru 1898 from three different producers! So the specific insignia of an Eagle Clutching Anchor has been authenticated to the very early to late 1890's on both china dinnerware and crystal decanters assuring that this was a Navy-standard dinnerware pattern and competitively obtained.

Above is an example of dated 1893-1898 US Navy china produced in Limoges, France sporting the "Eagle Clutching Anchor" insignia as also found on the decanter. This fish server and other pieces of similar china are used to help establish use and provenance since the china pieces all have manufacturer bottom marks and dates of production. This particular piece is a large 24" fish or salmon server.

Here are shown the back view of the crystal decanter with the stylized scripted text "USN." and also shown is the bottom of the decanter cut in the sunray pattern which all of the decanters have.

Above are two photos of a ca 1905-1920 US Navy crystal decanter with the newly debuted "Department of Navy" seal with a star to the left and right of the seal denoting that this was made for and used in a Two Star Admirals Mess. Note the eagle clutching the anchor at the center and heart of the seal which was taken from the earlier 1893 version, and also note the initials "U.S.N." beneath with the older 19th Century Pre-WWI font style with the separating periods mid-height between the letters. It certainly appears that the US Navy, possibly under the direct supervision of Admiral Dewey, began to standardize and begin to make a hierarchy of dinnerware dependent upon ones rank and mess. The earliest known piece of china dinnerware with the above "Department of Navy" seal was backstamped and dated 1905 and was found on a small 8" oblong serving dish. Below you will see a US Navy candy dish which has a dated backstamp of 1906.

Above is a museum quality hand glazed square candy dish also used as a reception dish at the entrance to a naval officers home quarters illustrating the early "Department of Navy" seal exactly like what is cut into the crystal decanter, and is backstamped 1906. This candy dish and the crystal decanter were just a small part of an overall huge complete set of dinnerware with this topmark insignia which first saw use on/about 1905 and with only a slight modification at the beginning of WWII is still in use today.

Above illustrates a ca 1905-1920 US Navy Crystal Decanter with the "Twisted Arm or Twisted Stock Anchor Fouled with Chain" and the initials "U.S.N." beneath with the older 19th Century Pre-WWI font style with the separating periods mid-height between the letters. Note the beautiful attention to detail of the cut fouled anchor, great craftsmanship. The "Fouled Anchor" insignia typically denoted the Wardroom Officers Mess.

And like the crystal decanter and candy dish with the Department of Navy seal, this particular Fouled Anchor topmark also had a complementary full line of china dinnerware as well.

To the left is a china demitasse cup which is part of a huge and complete 'soup to nuts' US Navy dinnerware ensemble using the the same matching "Twisted Stock Fouled Anchor and Chain" in gold relief as acid-etched in the above crystal decanter.


The earliest backstamps found for this china dinnerware with gold fouled anchor so far is ca 1908, but this is not to say that the china was not produced earlier in conjunction with the Department of the Navy pattern.


With the documenting naval china pieces with backstamps that include dates of production, and which also have the same naval insignia as the crystal decanters it becomes clear that the US Navy had designed and had produced two distinct patterns of naval dinnerware on or about 1905 which replaced various earlier patterns.


Note the great attention of detail to the gold relief fouled anchor and corresponding chain links which perfectly match the fouled anchor on the crystal decanter.

Note that the above cut crystal decanter and small sherry cordial glass set are now found and are part of the collection of a certain retired Naval Captain, a friend and shipmate of The Pirate!

This antique cut crystal acid-etched crystal decanter and cordial glass set is comprised of a crystal decanter with the 1905 Department of Navy Seal and USN monogram along with 5 matching fluted crystal glasses with the 1905 Naval Fouled Anchor with USN monogram.

Obviously the sherry cordials are matched with the above previously shown decanter with the Naval Fouled Anchor and USN monogram but all US Navy crystalware was produced in such a way as to be used interchangeably without taking away either elegance or presentation.

Many glassmakers made glass for the US Navy over the years, but the quality of the cut crystal glass indicates found on these decanters indicates possible manufacture by Dorflinger of White Mills, PA. See Reference: page 211 of the Dorflinger book by John Feller, bottom photo.

The 5 acid etched crystal glasses are 4.5 inches in height and have the circa 1905 Fouled Anchor insignia with USN monogram below it and are in museum quality condition. The stems are panel cut and polished and the glass is brilliant clear.

The cut crystal decanter is 11 inches tall and is acid etched with the circa 1905 Department of Navy seal containing an encircled eagle clutching the Fouled Anchor with USN mongrammed below it. The decanter neck is also panel cut and polished to match the glass stems.

The cut panel extending to the top edge is a Dorflinger characteristic with the base cut with a star pattern. The stopper is heavy solid glass with cut facets.

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