Topic: Small Enamelled Liqueur Glasses

[RoyJ99]

So these were another of my purchases this week, this time from an antique centre. Very small with each glass only measuring approximately 7cm in height, I'd imagine they were used for liqueur. Again quite thick glass and judging by the form and rough pontil mark I'd say 19th century, late Georgian period, although I wait to be corrected. Anyway I have two questions, firstly the foot is very thick, much thicker than the rest of the glass so could they have been used as toasting glasses? Secondly do you think the enamelling has been added much later, personally I've not seen any other glasses decorated like this but I'm just a baby collector in comparison to many here.

Thank you

Roy

[Paul S.]

hello Roy  -  interesting glasses.

you may well end up being corrected by someone........             the late Georgian period occupies less than a third of the C19, and unfortunately for us rough pontil scars can occur throughout the C19 and into the twentieth.

It appears your glasses have been either sand blasted or acid washed, with than opaque banding round the bowls, over which there appears to be enamelled decoration.           My own opinion is that the enamelling is contemporary with the date of manufacture, but let's see what others think.
When you say the feet are thick with the suggestion that these are toasting glasses, are you thinking of proper 'firing glasses'?  -  if so then again my thoughts are that these aren't 'firing glasses'.                  What is the extent of wear, if any?

My suggestion, for what its worth, is that your glasses are not British - just a feeling.

But..............   big request Roy......    when you're adding pix of clear glass it will help massively if you use a uniform dark background  -  it's sometimes difficult to see detail when looking at clear glass against a white background.

[RoyJ99]

Thanks for the reply Paul.

With regards to the thickness of the foot the answer is sort of yes, I was thinking of the thickness of the foot on firing glasses while realising that these are not actual firing glasses, I was just trying to think as to why the feet were so thick. As to the decoration I do not believe that the glasses have been etched or sandblasted although I can see why they may appear that way. The opaque colour has been painted on raised and quite uneven, you can actually see the brush strokes which brings me to your final point about using a dark background lol, I'll try and get some images done against a black background today.

[Paul S.]

quote ............"as to why the feet were so thick."           my thoughts are that, combined with the pontil scar, this is simply an indication of a lack of refinement on what is possibly a lesser quality glass.................   and appreciate the correction regarding the opaque banding.
Of course, I'd always agree with you that pieces with snapped pontil scars are worth a second look  -  if nothing else it indicates that the piece was hand made.
Would agree that more than likely liqueur glasses.

My thoughts on origin might be to suggest eastern Europe - this form of decoration using dots of enamel was very common in that area, and as for date, not so easy.............   anywhere from 1890 to 1930 or even a bit later perhaps, but not one hundred years earlier than that I'm sure.

and the wear.....?

[RoyJ99]

Hi again Paul and once again thank you for the reply.

Here are a few better images showing the variation in the glasses. There is some wear to the very extremities of the feet, not huge amounts but the glasses are very light weighing only about 30g each so I wouldn't expect as much wear as on a heavier glass. Also the base is concave and the thus the glasses sit on a very narrow band of the foot.

Eastern European is not an area I had considered but will certainly be looking into now.

With regards to the thickness of the foot the bowls measure circa 1mm in thickness while the feet are in excess of 3mm and appear to have been made deliberately like this. While I'm aware that they are not toasting glasses like the traditional English firing glass I'm still wondering if they were used for toasts in some way. I spent a few years living in Norway and with celebratory meals and the like everyone would drink a toast of Aquavit(horrible stuff) before the meal from stemmed glasses with small bowls and a thick foot and knocking the table with it once drunk.

They didn't cost much, only £15 for the 4 of them which for hand crafted glasses I'm more than happy to pay no matter the age. In addition from a learning point of view alone they have been worth it, I was forced to actually read the manual for my new camera today lol.

Thanks

Roy

[Paul S.]

one thousand per cent improvement Roy  -  very good pix indeed, and perhaps it will help with an id from someone.

Unfortunately, shapes and features of drinking glasses in a general sense are copied century after century which makes identification a problem.                I'm still going with the idea of not British - perhaps Bohemian or German, but expect someone will say that most countries produced similar to this.          Good to have a small set.

Are you suggesting your Norwegian glasses were similar to these?

[RoyJ99]

Hi Paul,

no the glasses were not like these, the ones we used had very round bowls, almost like a ball cut in half with a straight stem and thick foot, I was just thinking along the lines of the tradition and what other regions perform such rituals. Sometimes I forget that when people read my posts they can't see inside my head and follow my thought process  .

I do completely agree with the glasses not being British and I appreciate the time and effort you've taken to respond over and over.

[flying free]

could they be French ? Absinthe glasses maybe?  Not sure if Absinthe glasses are that size and shape but just thought I'd suggest it
m

[Ivo]

No, M. they are not.
https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Absinthe_%28spiritueux%29

I think these are probably German, I have some beer glasses in the same technique, with a ground to fix the enamel on. I also think they would be the first quarter of the 20th century, not older.

But then, unless they turn up in a catalogue it all remains speculation.

[flying free]

ah thanks Ivo.
You know, I've seen that little blobby type stencil green motif somewhere before and I think it's on those white  glass vases with the heavily decorated enamel decoration of little flowers all over them - you remember the ones I mean (been discussed at length with lots of links of pics etc on here fairly recently)? 

I wonder if these and they are from the same country source?

m