Topic: Experts needed - British Pubware

[Barmy]

I've been interested in British Pubware and have been collecting for a while.  Some of the pieces I've bought have indicated an approximate date (i.e. 1800 - 1820).  Where would one find the knowledge to issue a date to a piece of glass this old?  I've been looking for reference material but have only found a small book published by Brian Brooks.  How does one become an expert at dating glass or finding a true expert or finding the proper reference material?  What makes the expert who produces the reference an 'expert'?  

[glassobsessed]

Research, research and more research. Sources of information will probably include trade catalogues, price lists and museums, not discounting books and years of interest.

Some experts are probably considered so by others, some only by themselves. With some (TV personalities) it seems to depend on how loud they shout, much of that is just having the right manner, people defer to 'experts' in a similar way they do to doctors.....

John

[neilh]

Hi Barry,

I have a number of design sketches and the like, mainly of pressed tumblers and goblets, which might help you to date items from the 1850-1870 time period.
Email me at my website if you want to see the images.

http://sites.google.com/site/molwebbhistory/Home/contact---updates

Neil

[Barmy]

The problem as I see it, who says the books are correct.  They maybe propitiating the issue.  For example, say a   document that that states that a particular item is from say 1840 because they have documented proof of it in possesion of a person. What happens if that person happen to find the object say on a river bank and the river happen to expose it possibly making older than documented.  This item should have been labelled before 1840 and because of the proof (which is now in error) is used by all the experts (because of incorrect documents) as fact.