The Collector: Vessels of beauty: Dick Redinger’s cruet collection started with gift to his mother

Dick Redinger wanted to buy a birthday present for his mother. The 10-year-old asked his dad to take him shopping.

“He took me to some second-hand stores on Monroe,” Redinger said.

As he browsed through the wares, a flash of sparkling glass caught his eye. It was an elegant cruet.

“I looked at my dad, and he said, ‘Yeah, that would work.’ ”

“I had a good eye even then,” Redinger said.

After plunking down $10, he gave the gift to his delighted mom.

“She loved it,” Redinger said. “But I could have brought her a dead mouse, and she would have accepted it.”

That was 78 years and 107 cruets ago.

When his mother downsized, he took possession of that birthday gift, which joined the 1915 cut glass cruet his wife Barb inherited from her mother and a collection was born.

A cruet is a small flat-bottomed vessel with a narrow neck, a lip or spout, a handle and a stopper. Used for serving liquid condiments like oil, vinegar or lemon juice, they originated in Europe at the end of the 17th century.

Cruets and cruet sets reached the United States in the 19th century and were once considered a staple of every dining room table.

Sometime in the late ’70s, Redinger started scouting for more of them at antique stores. Only once does he recall buying a nonvintage item.

“A new one at the Crescent caught my eye,” he said.

Thirty years ago, he crafted a glass-front cabinet specifically to display the collection in their Chattaroy home.

Reaching in, he carefully drew out a few of his favorites, like a pre-1920s cut glass cruet with a lavender hue and faceted stopper.

“They used manganese in glass,” he said.

Over time, the chemical gives the glass a purple tint.

The stoppers are as unique as the items they top. Round, square, pointed or flame-shaped, they are equally important to the collector.

“I really dwelled on having good stoppers on the cruets,” Redinger said.

He found many pieces for his collection at a now-defunct Coeur d’ Alene antique store, including an etched ruby item with a tall, slender neck and clear spout, handle and stopper.

“That’s the most impressive one,” he said. “I like the ones with clear handles.”

Another trip to Coeur d’Alene resulted in a lighter red version with a transparent ridged handle and stopper and a pair of matching crystal cruets on a silver plate tray.

“The one that got away was in the same store,” Redinger said. “It was a very dainty light lavender.”

Alas, the $175 price tag proved daunting.

“It was so pretty,” he said.

He carefully cradled a brilliant blue cruet with a clear, wavy handle.

“Colored glass is more expensive,” he said.

Each piece in his collection was purchased in person.

“There’s no fun buying anything online!”

While hunting for additions at antique stores, Barb Redinger started a subcollection of toothpick holders that now numbers 55.

She pointed to a tiny blue-flowered container with delicate gold trim.

“It matches my mother’s side dishes,” she said.

The couple traveled extensively, bringing home additions to their collection as souvenirs. For example, when they were in Germany visiting a son who served in the Air Force, Dick Redinger discovered an unusual piece. Its turquoise interior can be seen through the fluted edges of its spout.

Their collection of cruets remains pristine because they never filled any of them with oil or vinegar.

“We just enjoy displaying them,” he said.