Vintage Glass Cloche - II

Found outside Lyon from a dealer we've worked with for years, this vintage French glass cloche came from his father's collection, built up over decades of looking. The dome is pressed in a soft swirling rib pattern, topped with a small ribbed finial for lifting it on and off. Cloches like this kept the cheese, the cake, and the last of the bread fresh on a French sideboard before refrigerators were standard in every kitchen. Sylvie sets it over a wedge of soft cheese on a wooden board, or a half-eaten cake that will be finished before the day is out.