Topic: Early 18th century lead glass

[markhig62]

I recently purchased this early 18th century baluster wine glass. It has all of the expected striations, tool marks and wear but I cannot find a similar glass in any of my books. The metal has a faint greenish tinge and contains many tiny bubbles. I believe these may be characteristics of earlier glass (pre- the improved double bellows of 1705 when the furnace was not hot enough to completely remove these bubbles) but this is speculation. Is there anyone who might have an opinion on this or know of any similar glasses?
Thanks for taking an interest
Mark

[Ekimp]

Hi, how tall is it please? When you say it’s lead glass, is that because it rings nicely when you flick it?

[bat20]

Maybe worth looking at 18th century French glass,the foot and bowl shape reminds me a bit of their types ?

[markhig62]

Hi - it is lead glass - I was sold it as single flint lead by a very reputable dealer and it shows as lead under UV light. There is a French look to it but I believe early English glasses could also have a very high conical foot and the bowl shape could easily be English. It's just the lack of similar glasses that is confusing me. Thanks for your suggestions - any opinions are of interest. It's 13.5cm high btw.
Mark

[LEGSY]

According to reputable seller its a Balustroid stem wine glass with a folded conical
foot that's not so common and looks great with that conical bowl lovely little glass
and well worth owning

[Ekimp]

I think the more important part of the description is “single flint”. I’ve never heard of the term so had a search, if anyone is interested, oldglassman explains the term here: https://www.glassmessages.com/index.php/topic,39291.msg217707.html#msg217707

That suggests that a “single flint” glass is likely to be pre 1695, so quite (very?) rare. I thought the stem and foot looked quite like a later 18th century gin glass but know nothing about the really early glasses so can’t help. One sold by Bonhams is sort of similar looking: https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/10540/lot/7/

[Ekimp]

I’m now a bit confused as it seems there are references to single and double flint glasses as though it was a common term well into the 18th century, rather than the differentiation being dropped at the end of the 17th century.

There are contemporary references in the book Irish Glass, an account of glass making in Ireland from the XVI th century to the present day by M.S. Dudley Westropp, available to down load from the Corning Museum: there are references from the Dublin Journal May 24th, 1729 (page 68); advertisements from 1745 (page 143); and Faulkner's Dublin Journal January, 1746 (page 42). The book is quite a large file: https://www.cmog.org/sites/default/files/collections/F9/F9905CBE-44BA-457A-9ED1-8EE4120B05B2.pdf

Another single flint glass here, from Christies, c1715: https://www.christies.com/en/lot/lot-1954873?ldp_breadcrumb=back

The Bohnems (c1685) and Christies (c1715) examples look very light with hollow stems.

[LEGSY]

I agree with Ekimp in that it looked like a gin glass to me also however i looked at some sites and spotted a very similar glass
on Scottish antiques as a Balustroid wine glass? The term single flint i have not come across an unusual term possibly used
to describe a particular small field of collecting glasses 

[Ekimp]

It’s difficult isn’t it. I suppose “single flint” could be used to describe any light weight glass from any time and “double flint” for heavier ones.

There is a glass that looks identical to yours Mark, in the Woolley and Wallis sale, British and Continental Ceramics & Glass - 30 Apr 2024, lot 67. Two glasses, the right hand glass looks identical, their description: “two unusual Continental lead wine glasses, 18th century, with rounded funnel bowls, one of greenish hue and raised on a double-knopped balustroid stem, the other greyish and raised on a square pedestal stem, both over folded conical feet, 13.5cm max.”

https://www.woolleyandwallis.co.uk/departments/british-and-continental-ceramics-and-glass/pg300424/view-lot/67/

[markhig62]

Thanks again for those contributions - I would say that the bowl is too large for a gin glass. Balustroid or baluster is a rather loose distinction in my opinion (different people seem to call the same type of glass different things) but it is certainly one of these. The bowl is quite an early shape and size (relative to the whole glass) so 1720-30 would be reasonable, however, the colour of the metal and the presence of the many small bubbles might indicate an earlier date. The problem is that, although I have seen examples with similar metal from an early date (around 1700ish), I cannot find any examples of glasses with this particular combination of bowl, double ball knop stem and high, folded conical foot. The examples I have seen tend to have a true or inverted baluster stem, often with a tear. The high foot is, however, referred to as being found in early English glasses.
Thank you for everyone's contributions and, as stated, all ideas welcome.
Mark