Topic: Milk glass sugar shaker c.1785

[Ekimp]

This is very similar to the one shown on page 62 of From Neuwelt to the Whole World / 300 Years of Harrach Glass.

I thought the most interesting aspect was the thread on the neck and lid which has been ground/cut, not moulded. I am sure to create the thread they must have used a type of lathe. This would enable the blank to be rotated whilst being traversed across the cutting tool (copper wheel) at the correct ratio of turns to longitudinal feed. The thread is quite uniform.

The one in the book is from the Glasmuseum Passau and is dated 1780-1790. It is also milk glass and the same height as mine at 18cm tall but looks to have a proportionally slightly taller neck and a less tapered body. The cutting on the cap looks the same, with a similar knob. The gilding in the book example includes the stars, but has garland/swags on the lower half and a letter ‘z’ in a wreath on the neck (it is also less worn

It looks to me that my sugar shaker comes from the same time and place as the one in the book.

Couple of similar items but different shapes from Dr. Fischer auctions:
Blue, France or Riesengebirge, 2nd half of the 18th century: https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/123280718_zuckerstreuer-aus-kobaltblauem-glas
Clear, Bohemia or Saxony, 3rd quarter of the 18th century: https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/65183194_zuckerstreuer

[glassobsessed]

The holes in the top look to be cold worked too, fascinating never seen this form before. I wonder what their failure rate was adding the threads like that?

John

[Ekimp]

I should think there was plenty of opportunity for scrap during manufacture ....and then how many survived 200 years!

Yes, the holes are cold worked, they cut the large scallops with a cylindrical wheel then a smaller diameter spherical wheel to break through the holes. I imagine they then finished the holes to the correct size.

The internal thread in the cap must have been particularly challenging. Apart from not being able to see what they were doing, it is also a blind hole - so they had to stop the thread before the end.

The thread works well too. It is a bit sloppy as it’s screwed down but most of the thread is used. The cap doesn’t just slip on with half a turn at the end (like a pressed item I saw recently).

[Ekimp]

Farbenglas 1, Neuwirth when talking about ‘Rough Grinding and Agatizing’ on page 274 mentions ‘boring in stoppers and screws’.

[flying free]

That's gorgeous and a very interesting piece to research.

m

[Ekimp]

Thanks, I feel like I should wear white cotton gloves when handling it incase all the gold disappears…and paranoid about splitting the lid!

[flying free]

I don't wear gloves but always think I should when handling my enamelled pieces.  I try not to touch the enamel or gilding at all.  Difficult.

This piece looks to be a similar kind of white glass - also gilded directly onto the piece:

https://www.cmog.org/artwork/goblet-44

[Ekimp]

You can see where the gilding was even when the gold has gone, I suppose it could be reapplied if someone wanted. You must have to watch out for gilding that looks too fresh I should think…unless it’s from a museum I would like to know how they cut the thread on my bottle!

The Corning piece looks a similar type of work although the gilding is very fine, maybe it’s some sort of print or transfer.

[flying free]

I don't know how it's done but the gilding looks to have been applied (however it was done) on that goblet, then the design has been scratched through the gilding to show the white glass underneath.  Your stars will be hand-done.  Lots of enamellers and gilders working with the factories and for the factories.  That was a huge industry and cottage industry, so lots of manpower.

m