Glass Message Board

yes, think you're probably correct - it sounds to be a a common sense expression equivalent to 'overlay'.        Don't know about your side of the pond, but Europeans would be likely refer to a piece with this appearance as 'cut to clear'.           The traditional means of making drinking glasses with shapes similar to this is by means of a three part construction - bowl, stem and foot  -  it's possible here that the clear bowl was cased/overlaid with the opaque colour, before being attached to a clear stem, and finally the overlaid foot attached.                       But I'm speculating of course, though to overlay a bowl once it's attached to stem and foot would be more difficult. 
With the glass in its completed form the bowl is then 'cut to clear'  -  a decorative technique I'm sure seen more commonly on the Continent of Europe (particularly Bohemia), rather than within the U.K., though it was a process used everywhere.

Nice pieces if they're all yours.                   This doesn't solve the other contradiction of translucence versus opacity - and we may never resolve that one (from the book).
 

 

Shall have to find time for more research, my other interests have been taking up my time recently 

I don't understand it either - will have to mull over for a day or two though likely the meaning will remain elusive.         Can you clarify a little what is meant by the expression 'the platings'.   thanks.

re the pix for the vases m, I'll have another go tomorrow, and failing that will try to contact Anne (Mod.)

snippet found in an Antiques publication:  No idea if this is correctly 'snippeted' or if the info is true, but if true it would be by 1837. 
Leighton wrote to him in 1839 about the Canary metal he'd seen there.

Obviously also no idea also if the 'canary metal' Leighton had seen there was actually made by John Ford of course.  It might have been a piece John Ford had from elsewhere.
But anyway, he wasn't appointed manufacturer to the Queen until after 1837 her coronation and the link doesn't imply the canary metal was around in 1837 at all.

In 1835 this firm was dissolved and John Ford carried on in the South Back Canongate under the name Holyrood Flint Glass Works . Two years later that glasshouse was appointed ' Flint Glass Manufacturer in Ordinary to the Queen.

 Most welcome Paul. Don't spend much time on U.S.A. side,. Early stuff my passion.