Topic: possible medicine or shot glass.

[Paul S.]

Curious as to whether this shape has a known particular use  -  has the remains of a pontil scar and plenty of wear so probably of some reasonable age.            The base is thick, although the cavity runs out into the foot slightly, and a bottom heavy, so maybe that's some indication of use.
No idea as to origin, but thought it might have a connection to medicine or perhaps a shot glass  -  I've seen very short whiskey glasses from E. & L. about this height  - but whatever, don't think I've seen this one before.                                  2.75 inches tall (70 mm).
£0.50p. at the boot sale yesterday, and it piqued my curiosity so wondered if anyone here might have seen the shape before.
Quite good metal and gives a very sharp but not prolonged ring, and fair amount of horizontal striations around the middle.             
thanks for looking.

[Ivo]

Looks like a small firing glass. Drink up, slam down on a plank and the one who is last or out of line (sorry forgot which) gets to pay for the next round, or (in the case of masons) hold the next lecture. I sold half a dozen of these in a modern (Leerdam) version to an overjoyed mason the other day.

[Paul S.]

thanks  -  I also thought of 'firing glass' when I first looked at it, but assumed possibly it wasn't old enough, although no idea as to when such things went out of fashion.            I've handled a few masonic glasses, and from memory they seem always to be engraved with a Lodge No. and, of course, the square and compass  -  so this one probably not seen masonic use.
Re-thinking, this could be older than first thought, and you're probably right that it's a firing glass............    I always associate such glasses with late C18 and early C19.........  but not later.             May well be wrong on these dates, and possibly firing glasses continued for longer than I thought.