If you look at page one, Volume Three of the Thistlewood's CD catalogue - A CELEBRATION OF SOWERBY - Pattern Book XI for 1885 - there are a variety of ales (all pressed) similar to those shown here - some are 'thumb-print' pattern (with lenses), others are plain - one of these matches the design of Tony Hayter's (1st Glass) ale in David's link - so an accurate attribution, as you'd expect.
As far as pressed examples go, that particular Sowerby pattern of ale glass is far less common than the ones I usually see, most of which show lenses only (thumb prints) - and as Ivo says there are many with this general look, shape and in varying sizes, and most remain un-attributable - there must be dozens of variations - the thumb-print type of decoration can also be seen not uncommonly on pressed goblets of the sort shown in Raymond Slack's book. Wilkinson's book gives very limited space to the taller thumb-print ales. When I first found these things I thought they were flower vases, and another commonly misnamed use is celery vase - I'm surprised at the price of £45 in David's second link - I think the last I found was £0.50. As Ivo comments, pressed examples are found with both ground pontils and fully pressed feet.
I've seen the odd 'sun-purpled' example -- from memory something to do with uv reaction on the manganese, but the effect can take a long time coming which is not a problem if you're from the C19......... on the other hand there are those who create the effect deliberately, apparently, in a much shorter time.
I'm not aware of having seen a documented Thomas Gammon example - are they here on the Board somewhere?
Thumb print ales with cut decoration turn up less commonly - and are usually more expensive - and on those examples with cut decoration it's considered correct to refer to the ovals/circles as 'punties/printies', and am sure those with cut decoration go back further than the pressed examples............. the circle or oval as a form of cut decoration is vastly older than the introduction of pressed glass.
Apparently, cut circles were historically named as such because of their similarity to the pontil depression on the underside of the foot.
I hadn't looked in 'Dansk Glass' either, but that's because I don't have the book - certainly hadn't considered that hot toddy and ale would be drunk from the same sized glass. I know little about drinking glasses and their use outside the U.K., but traditionally in Britain hot toddy was drunk from shorter glasses, and in the C19 rummers were often favourite - occasionally their use for such can be seen by the effect on the bottom of the inside of the bowl where the continual crushing of sugar has dulled and scratched the surface. Have to say that I've never seen a sugar crusher long enough such that it would have reached the bottom of a standard thumb print ale - but dare say someone will now come along and prove me wrong - there seems always to be an exception to the rule.
Mostly due to lack of collector interest in these things, there is little in the way of literature on what you'd assume were glasses intended mainly for tavern/pub use, but it might be of interest to quote from Stephen Parry's useful booklet where he speaks specifically of these tall, pressed - mostly 'thumb- print' ales, from the post 1850 period.................
""............ there seems to be hardly any break of continuity between late ales, and 'knickerbocker glory' glasses of the 1920's inspired by them............................
"It is worth noting, therefore, that pressed-glass ales (and rummers) can be approximately dated by their feet. In the earlier examples(1850-1880) the foot and stem are hand-made and there is a pontil (sometimes ground) or a gadget-mark
(on the upper side of the foot).
Later specimens are entirely pressed, a fact made apparent by mould 'seams' radiating across the foot. It is only in this last case that one need suspect a 'knickerbocker glory' glass.""
The italics are mine - (added in view of previous erroneous ideas regarding the location of the mark created by the gadget
)
In that last comment I suspect Stephen Parry was referring to completely plain examples that lack any moulded decoration, and where there might be some doubt as to age and/or use - in fact tall, plain undecorated, flute shaped beer/lager glasses were common in pubs even around the middle of the C20, although they often carried the name of a brewery in the form of a transfer, which of course would give the game away. They also appear, undecorated, as stand ins for Sundae desserts.
Some additional information can be found on the Board's search by using "thumb-print ales".
Other than the above comments from Parry, I don't think that size of glass or number of mould seams will be reliable guides to dating or origin - of my ten examples of pressed ales shown in the attached picture, most look to originate from three part moulds - two show four seams - and a couple I'd suggest have had their seams removed by fire polishing.
Hope people don't object to my attaching some pix showing, separately, some similar glasses..............
1 - pressed thumb-print decoration
2 - with cut punty/printy decoration
3 - plain tall 'ales' - tallest of which is c. 22 cms. and some of which may be of more recent vintage than the C19 - although these six all have ground pontils.
As to origin, regret I'm unsure as to what part of Europe, and my comments and opinions refer to British material only - and I've never tried drinking from a 'thumb-print ale, maybe clasping your lips over such a thick unrefined piece of glass might spoil the taste. I've no idea to what extent, if any, thumb print ales were used domestically as opposed to spending their lives in commercial pubs or whatever. Rarely a glass will be found carrying a previous owner's name, and these are found, usually, near the top rim and look to have been applied with a diamond or stylus of some sort.
Ref. SOWERBY'S ELLISON GLASS WORKS - CD ROM - Volumes 1 to 3 (three discs) 'A Celebration of Sowerby - Glen & Stephen Thistlewood 2008.
'DWARF ALE GLASSES and their Victorian Successors' - Stephen Parry - POLYPTOTON 1978
'ENGLISH Pressed Glass 1830 - 1900 - Raymond Slack - 1987.
'The Hallmarks of Antique Glass - R. Wilkinson - 1968 (lacks index)
P.S. feel free to comment - surely I must have said something wrong in view of the amount of words.
Topic: Victorian Ale Glasses - possibly Thomas Gammon? Any help is welcome (Read 3785 times)
