Topic: Is this a very old, antique dessert glass or a very new recycled/fake one????

[peejyweejy]

I'm sure the pictures will speak for themselves. I think I know the answer but would like to be sure. There is, however, definite and substantial wear to the rim of the foot - but - would any glass have this many air bubbles, unless deliberate? The rim s is flat, not rounded and there are striations and tiny, well worn, nibbles on the rim and foot.

It is quite greyish in colour and has quite a nice, lingering, ring to it. The etching seems very primative, almost like it has been stencilled.

It has a smooth pontil and slighlty concaved foot. The foot does appear to have been made separately and joined to the bowl.

I only paid 50p for it - so please don't worry about offending me - just hit me with it!!!!

Any comments please???

[Max]

Looks like it's been acid etched through a stencil as you thought, you can actually buy little kits these days and do it yourself at home.   

[peejyweejy]

Do you thinks it's a DIY fake then?

[chopin-liszt]

It's not a fake.
A fake is when somebody deliberately says something is something that it isn't, or if false marks or signatures are put on it.

The fruit looks decidedly modern in style to me.

Old glass often does have bubbles in it - though I'm not sure about this many!

I'm not exactly sure what you mean about the pontil mark, I can't make it out from the picture.
(a pontil is the rod used in the making of the glass, it leaves a pontil scar when it it broken off. This is often then further treated in some way to make it look better - the pontil mark.
Sorry for lecturing.   )

[Andy]

Looks modern to me , bubbles are there deliberately i should think
A set would be nice
 

[Lustrousstone]

You have to remember that glass companies have been making antique-style ranges for well over 100 years now, for example, James Powell and Sowerby, so it's not a new phenomena. The challenge is working out the real age of course. 

[peejyweejy]

Don't mind the lecturing Sue - it's all education to me - thanks for taking time to look at it.

There is no pontil as such, it has been completely smoothed off, apart from a couple of longish marks, although not a T or Y shape, just two lines next to eachother.  Hope that makes sense.

When I say fake, I mean it looks a tad contrived, as if it has been made to look like a very old piece of glass - what should I call it, if not fake? I know there is some recycled glass out there that deliberately resembles or is, in the style of, antique glass - but any I have seen with etching or decoration of any kind, seems to be of better quality.

I'm still learning about antique glass so feel  free to enlighten me  

[Frank]

...or sandblasted, not as smooth as acid etch and buggarall to do with sand these days (by the way).

[chopin-liszt]

 

Getting back to my little lecture, as you say you don't mind,

There is no "pontil" at all on a finished piece of glass, peejyweejy! 

The pontil is the metal rod the hot glass is on.

It leaves a pontil scar when it is broken off, or is treated in some way to make the pontil mark.

Thus the correct terminology is always pontil mark or pontil scar.
 :thup:

[peejyweejy]

Thanks Sue, so I should have just said the foot has been finished?