Topic: Viscount glass

[Antwerp1954]

Your thoughts please?

This glass is made of lead glass, has a polished pontil and a hollow stem. On one side of the bowl is engraved a viscount's coronet. On the other is what looks like the Prince of Wales' feathers and the initials RP all within some engraved foliage.

I believe the glass is from about 1840-50 (comment please) and may have been made for Richard Philipps, 1st Baron Milford who lived at Picton Castle in West Wales. He lived from 1801 to 1857.

Any ideas for, or against, my reasoning and research would be much appreciated.

[neil53]

Hi Stuart, what do you see on the bottom of the foot?  A gadget mark or a polished out pontil mark?  Could the letters actually mean RIP, in which case it might be a funeral glass for the Prince of Wales.  The wreath might suggest this also. 

Best wishes
Neil

[bat20]

The prince consort died in 61 ?

[Antwerp1954]

The foot has a partly ground pontil mark.

[Paul S.]

the P. of W. feathers are quite unmistakable, and I can't seem them here - is it worth looking through Burke's Peerage, or similar, or perhaps you already have.             Might it be that only those glasses made for, or owned by the P. of W., would show the three feathers  -  there used to be an image of them on a Sterling 2p piece.                      For those who have Tim Mills book on rummers  -  there's a very good pic of those feathers on page 19 - figure 16.

Not sure what to think re the date - you could be right, or maybe earlier  -  these hollow stemmed glasses seem to cause more trouble in dating that any other, but can say that the ground/polished pontil depression doesn't help to tie down the date.

Script/font doesn't help either - just looks typical of middle third C19, or earlier.

Is there any chance that symbol might have a masonic connection??   can't really make out what it's supposed to represent  -  but it may well hold the key.

sorry this is no help  -  but nice glass though.

[neil53]

I was referring to the Prince of Wales on the basis that it appears to be a Royal Crown and if the engraved letters and wreath represent a royal funeral glass then it is likely to be he.  The glass appears to be mid to late 19th century in style and we know that Victoria ruled from 1837-1901 so not she.  It is possibly early enough to be for the funeral of William IV but more likely later.  What other royals of note died in that period?  Of course this assumes that it is a memorial glass which I believe it to be.

[bat20]

ALBERT,the prince consort..