Antique Crystal Decanter With Pronounced Punt

Crystal carafe featuring a clearly visible characteristic: a particularly pronounced concavity at the base (punt, the technical term used to refer to this part of the bottle).

Although all blown-glass bottles typically display a concave base serving various purposes (such as providing stability when the base is not perfectly flat, or aiding in the decantation of sediment), in this case, the notably domed punt appears to have been deliberately designed to reduce the actual capacity without giving that impression: once the carafe is filled, the depth of the cavity becomes virtually invisible, thus enhancing the illusion of volume.

This remarkable concavity reflects a design that is as much aesthetic as it is technical.

The carafe shows two small chips at the base, visible in the last photo.

A second carafe with the same feature, though of a different model, is also offered for sale:  https://www.proantic.com/key.php?q=Bouteille+Trompe-l%27oeil+Ancienne+En+Cristal+Taill%C3%A9+