Hi m - yes, you're possibly right about the date - from our point of view a shame that the article lacks details as to actual processes, but can't expect too much in a review that was more concerned with the 'Royal aspect'. The date of the Royal visit is close to the commercial beginnings of pressed glass, and at a time when the factories were still trying to get things right. When I contributed here regularly, I don't recall much chit chat about George Bacchus and pressed glass (who incidentally, were known as Bacchus & Green prior to 1840) - why the change of name I've no idea. I could be very wrong but thought they were better known for high end glass and p/weights - anyone who has a copy of McConnell's 'Decanter' book can see his comments about Bacchus being regarded as arguably England's finest answer to Egermann's flashed and cut to clear.
Quoting from Ray Slack, he says ..............""The first makers of pressed glass in England were Rice Harris, Bacchus & Green, and John Gold, all of Birmingham"". Although Ray doesn't attach dates to his comments, obviously it must be prior to 1840 due the the name of Bacchus & Green. After a while, as we know, it snowballed, and toward the late 1840s pressed glass was being made in prodigious quantities. I've still no idea what your article's author was implying re the comments about George Bacchus and die stamping - I don't recall modern authors using such an expression or phrase, and as I say I don't recall George Bacchus being a big player in the pressed glass trade, as the C19 wore on. Mark West says of George Bacchus .................... ""George Bacchus & Son - Birmingham, England. Established c. 1840. Influenced by Bohemian glass. Decorated opal ware, transfer printed with black, sepia and polychrome . ......."" ...... so no mention of pressed glass there.
The glass tax wasn't abolished until 1845 (and had been doubled in 1800), and was a millstone around the necks of those makers of pressed glass mainly for the reason that pressed wares were thicker and heavier than blown glass and attracted more duty - so in those early years of making pressed wares it wasn't for the faint hearted. Phoebe Phillips comments .. "Bacchus & Green were amongst some of the best-known makers" - though the author doesn't provide attribution/provenance for that statement - it's possible the lady was confusing pressed wares with other methods of glass making.
Regret I seem not to have my copy of Hajdamach's book on C19 glass - it's possibly he may have provided some better info. on George Bacchus.
I've had a look at the Diamond (lozenge) Design Nos. for the ten years from 1840 - 1850, but can't see a single Registration for George Bacchus, so can only think that whatever it was that so impressed everyone on the Royal visit in 1843 turned out to be less impressive in a commercial sense.
By the way m, I wasn't trying to be critical of your comments - just don't think this article re pressed glass has any mileage as to real usefulness, but always good to have any information:-)
Topic: pressed tumblers & goblets (Read 9549 times)
