Topic: 17th century German/French/Spanish glass flask - information needed please

[flying free]

Does anyone have any information on these type of barrel glass flasks please?  or know which books contain information on them? or any links on the net in perhaps German maybe, that I can find information on them?  Can't find a lot in English.
the Met Museum have a fairly large collection, I think the link shows them as French, but if you look at individual pieces they are sometimes French or German or Venetian or Spanish.  I'm trying to find out a little more information on them.  Thank if you have any references.

http://www.metmuseum.org/Collections/search-the-collections/120000326?rpp=20&pg=1&rndkey=20130407&ft=*&when=A.D.+1600-1800&what=Bottles%7cFlasks&pos=11#fullscreen
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[keith]

have a small reference in one of my books,
      "A table flask,usually for brandy,small feet with trailed hoops.Made of Roman glass in the 2nd-4th centuries,clear or coloured in the 17th-18th in Germany,France Venice and Spain,Fassflasche (German) and barralet (Spain)"  all I've got.

[flying free]

thanks Keith -
I have two new words to search now
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[flying free]

I've discovered the French word is 'tonnelet' and there is one pictured here
http://www.alafacondevenise.fr/affichage_dyn_objets.php?action=viewobj&gll=1
still in black and white though unfortunately
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[neil53]

Hi, I believe that the Germans call them Scherzgefäss and one can be seen at http://18cglass.co.uk/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=7&products_id=230.  The Germans made all sorts of different shaped decanters in the 18th and 19th centuries - including my favourite zoomorphic form, the pig.  The German barrel appears in Andy McConnells's book on decanters.  Hope this is of interest.

Neil

[neil53]

Sorry, to clarify, Scherzgefäss is the generic name for the joke decanters of which the barrel is just one form.

[flying free]

thank you for looking and for the information, Neil
I've found one more that is very similar to the clear one you linked to, also transparent glass with feet and no handles but all blue, sold at Christie's with their date of 17th century.  Perhaps the blue glass puts it in the 17th.

I like the zoomorphic ones as well - they made some amazing shapes

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[flying free]

I had come across the trick glasses or decanters but does the barrel falls into this category?  Christie's did call their blue barrel a Scherzgefass I know and the clear one is as well.
The Getty Museum have the world's only example of a man shaped trick glass (1600's) and the explanation on it, mentions
'These glasses more commonly took the form of a stag, another animal, a horn, a penis, or a boot. ' 
http://www.getty.edu/art/gettyguide/artObjectDetails?artobj=1197
there is no mention of the barrel flasks. But I suppose they might have been one of the 'novelty' items of the time.
 I think they were made in other countries than just Germany.
edited -
AHA!! I've found a multi-coloured one in the Corning in colour
http://www.flickr.com/photos/itinerant_wanderer/3959713073/
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[oldglassman]

Hi ,   These small spirit decanters are normally referred to  in German as" Schnapsfass "

  http://www.auctions-fischer.de/catalogues/online-catalogues/215-european-glass-studio-glass.html?L=1&kategorie=4&artikel=32735&L=1&cHash=3e123a376b

cheers ,
                Peter.

[flying free]

Thanks Peter - amazing what a small change of spelling can do (I've been trying a variety of versions lol) and that has thrown up a few that I hadn't found.  It seems the German ones are quite a bit larger than the ones with handles like the one I linked to at the Corning.
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