Topic: Mini rummer..or not..

[bat20]

Hi all,i have this glass down as about 1800,tooling marks a few stones and what i take to be seeds,i remember seeing one described as a small pub rummer but the metal seems a bit to good with a quality ring,it's 6cm wd and 8.5 cm ht.The other thing about it is the foot has a sort of egg shape,is that fairly normal?Any thoughts many thanks.

[Paul S.]

interesting glass.          not sure whether you're suggesting that it's the foot or the rim that's 6 cms. wide.

Interesting insofar as it's virtually beyond the lower limit of 'small' in terms of rummer - however, a rummer it is, and with an ovoid bowl, which was apparently a shape that had a fairly long run from the late C18 to almost the middle of the C19.         
The temptation is to say c. 1800 because of the general shape/design, but.......    if you read Tim Mills book you will see that he comments that such pieces like this "are blown thicker, the stem is less slender and the foot thicker and flatter" (than the more refined examples) - and as a consequence are judged to be later in this period.          So yours might well be 20 - 30 years later than you'r suggesting.
You can see the differences/comparison on page 11 of this author's book - 'Rummers A Social History Told in Glass'  -  which is a must if you collect this type of glass.
Less than perfect round feet aren't uncommon on rummers, although I agree this one appears very mis-shapen, but don't think it signifies anything in particular.            Some rummers do have fantastic rings - others tend to clunk.

But it's the size that is interesting  -  I don't recall seeing such a short example in the book  -  10/11 cms. is considered small, so I'm wondering is there is an outside possibility this was not a normal run of the mill piece, and made more as a one off.         Afraid I can only get down to about 11 cms. from my own collection.

Don't think Peter will comment as this is outside of his period, perhaps we can persuade Tim Mills to have a look.          But nice piece to have. 

[bat20]

Thanks Paul,i just thought earlier because of the broken pontil,my other thought about it could it be a salesman's example piece.
 oh,the foot and the rim are 6cm

[Ivo]

I've seen this size described as trade samples - because to peddle a whole range of large ones would be problematic for a traveling salesman.

[bat20]

Thanks Ivo,that conjures up some nice images,i wonder if horse back or stage coach was used,not a bad job i would have thought travelling from tavern to tavern

[bat20]

Very happy to have received my Timothy Mills rummer book today,why i didn't ask for ,"from Tim to bat",i can only put down to ageing fast,but anyway it's great!.At the risk of putting my head on the block i think mine is an example piece from about 1800,the stem does flare down to the foot and has a broken pontil although he does say that is not always conclusive,he also goes on to say the earlier ones had a better metal than the later versions and again it does seem to me very good metal,i think i can hear the axes being sharpened now