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Glass Identification - Post here for all ID requests => Glass => Topic started by: eglass on February 27, 2018, 03:08:51 AM

Title: Engraved stemware - German or Czech?
Post by: eglass on February 27, 2018, 03:08:51 AM
Hi everyone!

We found a few of these, and have hit a wall in finding out where they originated. The straight-sided shape, knop and engraving make me think German - my husband thinks Scandinavian.

The engraving suggests that they are ceremonial, maybe wedding glasses?

I would love to know more, if anyone recognizes the shape/engraving.

Thank you kindly!

Kelli
Title: Re: Engraved stemware - German or Czech?
Post by: Paul S. on February 27, 2018, 09:15:09 AM
Hi Kelli  -  my humble opinion would be that those features you mention are not as geographically specific as suggested.          I dare say the bucket bowl, annular or bladed knop and some of the engraved features are not in themselves going to really pin down their origin, unfortunately.

Are you using the word Czechoslovakia (origin c. 1920) because you know these glasses to date to somewhere in the first half of the C20, or is that simply a reference to an historical area?             The Czech. Republic abuts Germany in any event, so maybe a very academic point as to whether there is a noticable design difference between the two areas.            Did your oh suggest why in particular he thought Scandi?
The doves and hearts may indicate a wedding or ceremonial meaning.

You don't mention where you acquired these, and it might be of interest although may not help with id, if you can inform height of glasses - and are they all identical.?              How is the underside of the foot finished, and is the bowl rim fire polished or cut and bevelled?

Sorry none of this helps  -  let's hope someone with more brains can assist ;D
Title: Re: Engraved stemware - German or Czech?
Post by: eglass on February 27, 2018, 06:31:23 PM
Paul, thank you very much for your response.

We have 4 of these, all are 5" tall, fire polished rim, fire polished foot, and we purchased them from an estate in Albuquerque NM, USA.  That part doesn't seem to matter much, since many people retired out here because of the dry climate - and brought all their treasures with them. 

I only suggested Czech or German because of pieces I've had in the past with similar plain goblets and engraving style that turned out to be German.  It was a shot in the dark to think someone might recognize the style of engraving as to being from a particular decorating house or glass manufacturer.
Title: Re: Engraved stemware - German or Czech?
Post by: Paul S. on February 27, 2018, 10:20:21 PM
you're quite right that glass travels, amazingly long distances at times too  :) - criss-crossing continents and the pond.           I always hope that others, more knowledgeable, will look in on these things, but it happens rarely.

The fire polished rim on older pieces is often taken as an indication that something is likely not Continental Europe, where rims look to have been more frequently cut, polished and slightly bevelled, as opposed to U.K. fire polishing ...............  but it's not a hard and fast rule.
Unsure of your comment Kelli about the foot being fire polished  -  assume you're referring to the cosmetic repair of a pontil scar?

Think you're correct in suggesting 'goblet' in view of the bucket shaped bowl  -  certainly a shape that's been around since the middle of the C18, and possibly more common in mainland Europe rather than the U.K.

However, this has exhausted my knowledge of these things, other than to say that if you don't have some reasonable wear and the glass looks perhaps a tad too bright, then your glasses may well not be period.
Assume you were unable to ask the seller for an indication of the origin of their glasses  ...............  I'm of the opinion that the engraving is unlikely to help in a positive way, unfortunately.