Topic: Old? deceptive glass with a surprise!

[Bernard C]

Click on the above image for the picture gallery.

This is a lovely heavy glass in grey metal, with seven beautifully accurate long flake cuts.   The dimensions (see gallery) are quite close to exact inch and fraction of an inch sizes, certainly much more so than a random or metric set of measurements, indicating that it was probably made in Britain or somewhere else using imperial measures.   I can't find anything like it in my books.

The choice of seven for the number of flake cuts is interesting.   An odd number yields quite different optical effects to an even number.   Also an even number requires considerably more precision, as opposing cuts have to be exactly parallel in plan, otherwise it looks wrong.   Also the choice of five, seven, or nine and more yields different optical characteristics.

The surprise is what you see when you look into the glass.   Isn't that beautiful!

I would be grateful for any information on the date, origin, purpose, and name of this glass.

Thanks for looking,

Bernard C. 

[PAUL H]

Hi Bernard.. I have about 6 or 7 deceptive (toastmaster) glasses a couple similar to yours they usually date from the late Georgian period through to the mid Victorian era they are very nice things to collect and are investments for the future. Regards Paul.

[Bernard C]

Paul — Grateful thanks.   I'm a novice re this early glass, so please would you or anyone else help with a couple of additional questions?

Is it conventional to use the terms early, mid, and late Georgian and Victorian when discussing such glass?   Is William IV ignored?   Are date ranges, presumably as decades, also used?

How did you know it isn't later reproduction?   I didn't mention wear, of which there is a considerable amount around the sides and underside of the edge of the foot.

TIA

Bernard C. 

[PAUL H]

Hi Bernard on viewing your images again I am more inclined to think its more likely to be late Georgian c1810-1830s based on the glass shape and colour and more importantly the size of the foot being quite wide in relation to the glass body its size is also right for this type of glass. Just a thought has the base got a rough pontil and/or a Y shaped gadget mark. As for date and period descriptions they are usually given as a guide.. It can be very difficult to be precise. Regards Paul.

[Bernard C]

Paul — Thanks.   I will keep to late Georgian then.

...   Just a thought has the base got a rough pontil and/or a Y shaped gadget mark.   ...

You mean you didn't admire my image of the foot?   This was the most difficult, and I ended up selecting the best of several shots, all taken at slightly different angles.   It's No. 5, the penultimate image in my gallery.

To get to it you can either nudge your way along, two images at a time, or go up a level by clicking on "Handmade, Victorian & early C20", and then working your way through the index thumbnails in this folder until you find it.

... and while there is no gadget mark, there are a couple of light blemishes to the foot, probably caused by a gadget.

Bernard C.