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Glass Identification - Post here for all ID requests => Glass => Topic started by: Paul S. on July 07, 2019, 12:41:36 PM
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not a cue for my return to collecting glass - rather something for show that I would rather have found several years ago, and which IMHO has more than sufficient curiosity that it might appeal to others. Older tumblers tend to be thin on the ground with most being clear, and I don't recall seeing this design previously, and certainly not in U. This came from a charity shop yesterday, and I was so impressed with the thing just couldn't leave it behind - it cost one pound.
Dating is, as usual, a headache ……………………... the evolution of shape of tumblers tends, generally, to go from a more squat 'nearly as wide as they are tall' early C19 appearance, to the later taller, thinner jobs - with of course other obvious differences. Needless to say this one lacks any makers mark or Reg. details, so will probably remain anonymous - there appears to be a complete absence of mould lines.
So, for the technically minded here is the description ……… height 3.75" (95 mm) - width at top rim 3.5/16" (84 mm) - straight sided, and with only very slight tapering of the shape.
The base shows a moulded concave 'lemon squeezer' pattern surrounded by a smooth base rim quite highly polished, showing some wear.
Upward from the base …… convex pillar moulding for one third of height showing evidence of a poor quality or worn mould surface, overtopped by a band of arch-shaped flat slice cut panels, each separated by very narrow blazes - each blaze consists of three very shallow mitre cuts.
The piece is very heavy and thickens noticeably toward the base where the shape comes inward (internally) as is common with many older tumblers, and re-heating at the mouth has produced a very clean and smooth rim - remarkably without a flea bite or chip in sight.
Speculation could be rife as to origin - makers such as P.V., Davidson, and Ed. Moore are known to have favoured heavy pillars, which can be seen in some of their insulators, that's assuming it originated in the U.K.
Reading Brooks 'Glass Tumblers 1700 - 1900' is of little help - his booklet avoids any u. examples and shows only a single heavy pillared job which carries a diamond point inscription for 1806 - well before the introduction of machine mould pressing in the U.K., which I assume this to be.
Silber & Fleming (c. last third C19) show very few chunky pillared tumblers, and in any event much of the wares shown were imported.
I now have only the one volume of Skelcher's books on Uranium glass, and don't see anything comparable - though he does include the odd tumbler. Odly, it could come down to the actual shade/colour of U. that might help more than anything to help narrow the date for this one - this glass has the well-known very oily yellow-green appearance - not perhaps captured too well in the attached pix.
So, in conclusion, am tempted to say this one is second half C19 - perhaps nearer to the start of that period rather than the end.
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Hi :)
have you stopped collecting glass :'(
the base immediately reminded me of piano insulators!
(I'm probably wrong but that's what it spoke to me - also Molyneux Webb for some reason - have you checked the website to see if there is similar?)
m
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Paul, that's a corker, for sure! Can't help with maker but, as M says, I thought too that it does look like a piano insulator on the base.
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thanks to both for your thoughts. Really, I'm clueless as to origin on this one - I can do the description bit still, but perhaps have lost the touch as to possible makers. I've seen u. before with this colour - peering into the top rim shows quite a noticeable green shade inside the yellow, and yes the base does look similar to the underside of an insulator - maybe 'starburst' is more appropriate. Unfortunately, insulators were made by many factories, and some as we know were never marked.
Before doing the torch bit I would have expected Bernard's 'enough fire to burn the curtains down' look, but it didn't quite happen, and the smooth rim to the underside of the foot almost doesn't have the degree of wear for well over the century, though there are patches of fine rubbing. The inside is exceptionally shiny and clean - it looks almost to have never been used - I think it's almost certain that this has been cherished in someone's display cabinet for a long time.
I suppose it might have been mould blown.
When flicked it doesn't thud completely, so assume there might have been a little lead in the mix to help with refraction and weight.
U.K. makers such as Davidson and Sowerby made glass in vastly greater quantities than most others, though a lot of theirs is marked and numbered, so on balance my opinion as to origin is that it's likely to be one of the smaller factories, but there seems no doubt that it's a very uncommon item I'm sure.
As for date, it could almost be anywhere from mid C19 to 1930s - thanks m, will have a look at M.W., though I fear this one is going to remain without an i.d.
I had a good run for my money for a few years with glass and learned a lot - I very occasionally buy a piece of cut glass but it has to be very special - oh, and I do buy uranium coloured pillar moulded tumblers ;)
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Yikes - Molineaux !! Not Molyneux
mm,not sure if there are any similar but some do have the star impressed base
https://sites.google.com/site/molwebbhistory/Home/registered-designs/molineaux-webb-unregistered-pressed-glass/misc
Oh I guess it reminded me of this piece :) - the star impressed base probably.
https://www.glassmessages.com/index.php/topic,52256.msg296576.html#msg296576
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Hello Paul, long time no hear, nice tumbler hope you are well ;D ;D
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Hi Keith - thanks for remembering me :) - yes, a good piece this one - if only it could talk, I bet there would be some tales to tell. Stemware and drinking glasses in general - particularly without a Reg. No. or trade mark - aren't the best things for a positive i.d. in the sense of locating a maker, though as you'll know patterns and shapes can help with dating. I think this one will remain simply a generic item from somewhere in the latter part of the C19, but despite the anonymity it's interesting and probably very uncommon, and will stay with me.
Very best wishes to you.
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Love it but can't add anything
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or Percival Vickers - except the insulator I've found has 12 lobes/pillars not 10 like yours.
It's on the board somewhere. I'll try and find it.
here - irritatingly it's also got a star ish design but not quite the same either.
https://www.glassmessages.com/index.php/topic,49980.msg311871.html#msg311871
m