Topic: handles and cracking - normal?

[scavo]

I have a lovely hand blown water/lemonade pitcher with a handle. Where the handle rejoins the body there is a little crack within the join - not quite in the handle or in the body either. I've seen it on a few pieces.

I'm not sure If I try to photograph it that the crack will show up - so, I hope I can get some answers without photos.

Is this common? Normal? Devaluing?

[flying free]

is it perhaps a crease in the glass or where the glass of the handle did not totally apply to the body of the vase?  a sort of 'gap'?
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[Frank]

It could be caused in the making but more likely a stress crack that occurred during use. Simply washing in to hot water could do it as the thicker area of glass might have stresses not removed in annealing.

[Ivo]

Always check carefully where handles are attached, it is often where cracks occur.

[Frank]

Also never pick up a piece of glass by the handles... unless you bought it to use of course!

[scavo]

ok, so when buying glass jugs should I consider this as damage and as serious as a chip to the rim or base?

[scavo]

Also never pick up a piece of glass by the handles... unless you bought it to use of course!

or unless you have paid for it already!

[Frank]

Worse. Cracks can grow.

[krsilber]

If it is within the glass, not extending to the surface, it's likely a heat check.  These occur when the handle is attached to the rest when they are at slightly different temperatures.  They may or may not grow (some say they don't), and often they don't seem to affect the structural stability of a piece.  In my experience they may devalue a piece slightly but not drastically as long as it's clearly a heat check and entirely internal, but it may depend on what you're selling.

[scavo]

my hunch re value/resale, like everything else, is how much someone wants it!