Vintage Glass Cloche - I

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 deep vertical ribs that catch the light like cut crystal, topped with a faceted 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.