Topic: Engraved wine glass.

[bat20]

I think you were the first to get the religious theme Sue,sadly if it was an engraving of a brick I probably still relate that somehow to "frolicking maidens"

[flying free]

probably a complete red herring here, but picking up on the Calvinism, I wondered whether this might be linked to the Huguenots in some way?

Another red herring perhaps in that the time frame mentioned is the turn of 17th century,  but an interesting (glass) point possibly (depending on authority of source etc - article from Wikipedia), in that this article on the Huguenots mentions that:
 'Prince Louis de Condé, along with his sons Daniel and Osias,[citation needed] arranged with Count Ludwig von Nassau-Saarbrücken to establish a Huguenot community in present-day Saarland in 1604. The Count supported mercantilism and welcomed technically skilled immigrants into his lands, regardless of their religion. The Condés established a thriving glass-making works, which provided wealth to the principality for many years.'  (my underlining)

Source link here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Huguenot
and copied paragraph out of that article here:

'In Berlin, the Huguenots created two new neighbourhoods: Dorotheenstadt and Friedrichstadt. By 1700, one-fifth of the city's population was French speaking. The Berlin Huguenots preserved the French language in their church services for nearly a century. They ultimately decided to switch to German in protest against the occupation of Prussia by Napoleon in 1806-07. Many of their descendents rose to positions of prominence. Several congregations were founded, such as those of Fredericia (Denmark), Berlin, Stockholm, Hamburg, Frankfurt, Helsinki, and Emden.
Prince Louis de Condé, along with his sons Daniel and Osias,[citation needed] arranged with Count Ludwig von Nassau-Saarbrücken to establish a Huguenot community in present-day Saarland in 1604. The Count supported mercantilism and welcomed technically skilled immigrants into his lands, regardless of their religion. The Condés established a thriving glass-making works, which provided wealth to the principality for many years. Other founding families created enterprises based on textiles and such traditional Huguenot occupations in France. The community and its congregation remain active to this day, with descendants of many of the founding families still living in the region. Some members of this community emigrated to the United States in the 1890s.
In Bad Karlshafen, Hessen, Germany is the Huguenot Museum and Huguenot archive. The collection includes family histories, a library, and a picture archive.'

[bat20]

Thanks m interesting stuff,Hugenoets seemed to produce a lot of master craftsmen for some reason,they settled in spitalfieds and took over the silk trade here I believe.

[Antwerp1954]

I think your search for more and deeper meaning perhaps a blind alley. Yoyr glass is, I believe, a Freundschaftsglas or friendship glass. They were made in Central Europe until at least the mid 19th century and frequently feature the flaming heart.

[bat20]

Nothing deeper than love and friendship Antwerp ;)look up the John Calvin coin though,it's even got the sun rays,there are some interesting simeralities I think.(must brush up my computer skills and learn how to put links up).

[flying free]

http://www.calvin.edu/about/history/calvin-seal.html

m

[Antwerp1954]

See http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sacred_Heart

Especially the section near the end on Imagery.

[flying free]

So is it possible the glass is not a friendship glass but has a religious context?  or would you still say that imagery could also mean it is a friendship glass?

I think the wording and the imagery might indicate that it's a religious devotion glass of some sort?

m

[Antwerp1954]

I think the glass would be given by one friend or lover to another. The imagery meaning Let God Keep You Safe and Look After You. The two ideas of friendship and religion don't need to be either/ or but used together.

[Antwerp1954]

http://www.christies.com/lotfinder/lot/two-german-engraved-goblets-circa-1750-the-3905979-details.aspx?intObjectID=3905979