Glass Message Board
Glass Identification - Post here for all ID requests => Glass => Topic started by: RoyJ99 on April 24, 2016, 06:46:00 PM
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Had a bit of a buying spree the last few days and this wine glass was in a lot I bought at auction. Nice wide folded foot, rough pontil mark, very thick glass with greyish tinge and lots of little seeds and bubbles in, surprisingly heavy too. Measures 13.8cm in height, 5.8cm across the bowl and 7.9cm across the foot. Any input would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you
Roy
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Better pictures of the glass
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we really need Peter (oldglassman) for these things :) - but some random thoughts whilst we're waiting.
The shape of the bowl and thickness of the glass is unusual for an C18 lead glass - presumably it doesn't ring when flicked - of course it could be made from soda glass - try the u.v. torch and if it's lead you should get a faint blue reaction but if it's soda then you'll probably get a yellowish glow.
Might have been made for export to the Continent.
the smallish capacity bowl might indicate a toastmasters glass, but the bowl shape is unusual for a British piece, and this might suggest made on the Continent.
The stem looks like it's trying to be a baluster, but it's a little unsure, and believe we've discussed before the fact that folded feet re-appeared briefly somewhere around 1820 ish, so worth bearing in mind this not a feature that guarantees C18 origin - likewise the pontil scar - it can be misleading when dating.
Main problem with these things is copies - looking at screen pix can only tell so much - whether this is period requires an expert. Any signs of wear on the foot?
How did the auction house describe the glass Roy?
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Hello once again Paul :)
there is wear to the foot as I'd expect, rather unevenly distributed suggesting that the glass doesn't sit quite flush. As regards to the auction houses description it said 18th/19th century wine glass lol. It came with 2 other glasses, a lovely Victorian lemon squeezer base tumbler and a soda glass dram glass. There were a number of lots in the sale all from the same vendor, an old local dealer who appears to be well known to other collectors and dealers who were at the sale. All the lots were absolutely filthy as he had encased the glasses in compost to prevent breakages :o.
I do have my misgivings about it though, mainly the stem as you mentioned, somehow to me it doesn't look right.
Thanks for the tip about the UV light, now I just need to remember where I put mine :)
Roy
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Hi ,
someone called !!!!
For all the reasons pointed out by both Paul and Roy and from what I can see it looks more like a 20th c interpretation of an 18th c Baluster, it could be 19th I suppose but all the ones like this I have seen over the years were 20 th c , many places have and still make reproductions/in the style of etc , Corning , Stueben and the "georgianglassmakers" over here (who make the best reproductions I have seen to date) all with the expected hallmarks of old glass , folded feet , pontil marks etc and are available off the shelf today,if it was in a public auction attended by experienced dealers and collectors it would have fetched under normal circumstances a Baluster price, I assume it didn't.
cheers ,
Peter.
ps , had another look and this glass looks like it has been made in 2 pieces ,bowl and stem 1 piece the foot the other , is it ? if so this would be very very unusual for a period Baluster glass with this bowl shape.
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Thank you Peter, what you say is spot on, the glass is made in 2 pieces which was why I had so many misgivings about it and didn't call it period or antique, it just didn't feel correct.