Reuben Haley
Ruba Rombic jug and iced tea glass set
Consolidated Lamp and Glass Company
USA, ca. 1928
Opalescent white glass with Jade Green surface finish
8 1/8" h (jug), 5 1/2" h (tumbler)
Few designs from the Art Deco period are as iconic as Ruba Rombic. This series of glassware was designed by Reuben Haley in 1928 for the Consolidated Lamp and Glass Company, and was only in production for a short period of time. Examples of Ruba Rombic can be found in fine institutions across the country, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Art Institute of Chicago, The Cooper Hewitt Design Museum, the Kirkland Museum of Fine and Decorative Art, and many others.
This Ruba Rombic series was plagued with production issues from the start, and it has been said that seven out of ten pieces came out of the glass mold with damage of some sort. Pieces with small chips and flaws were still sold to the public out of financial necessity, which is why it is very uncommon to find a truly flawless piece of Ruba Rombic. For these, and many other reasons, this line of glassware is very rare today. What makes this set so special is the desirable Jade Green color. The core glass is opalescent white over which a green wash was applied to the surface. The Jade Green color is arguably the most sought after color of Ruba Rombic. This set contains a pitcher, or jug as some call it, and six iced tea glasses. The glasses here are larger than the standard tumbler size, see above for measurements.
I have only seen two other Jade Green pitchers, and one was nearly destroyed with large pieces missing. This set, however, is in wonderful condition. Aside from very light traces of use, there are only a few small chips and flea bites to the set. For Ruba Rombic, this condition is supremely fine. The jug has two to three very small and shallow flakes off the top and inside of the rim. The tumblers are also in wonderful condition. I noted a couple very small flea bite chips to the rims of two. Heights do vary slightly, but that is completely normal.
This set is only available to buyers in the USA. The jug will ship separately from the tumblers for safety reasons.
