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Glass Discussion & Research. NO IDENTIFICATION REQUESTS here please. => British & Irish Glass => Topic started by: Kaybe on April 26, 2021, 06:07:52 AM

Title: Sowerby uranium pressed glass beer mug/seidel 6oz
Post by: Kaybe on April 26, 2021, 06:07:52 AM

Hi all, new here and hoping for some more information on this Sowerby pressed glass piece, which I bought second hand in New Zealand. I cannot find another like it online.

It is made to the same design as the pint seidel #1513 in the Sowerby Pattern Book XV 1895 (thank you to Mike from victorianpressedglass.com for that info), but it holds just over 6oz and has no weights & measures mark on the side, so I'm assuming it's a post-1910 penny beer glass, aka a 'Lloyd George', designed to hold 6.15fl.oz.

It has the peacock head symbol, which I believe dates it before 1930, and the words BRITISH MADE on the base.

It's also a most lurid green, and glows beautifully under UV! I can't image it being a popular colour to drink beer from, so I'm wondering if it may have been a novelty issue for a trade fair or expo.

If anyone can shed any light on when and why this piece was made it would be greatly appreciated.

Title: Re: Sowerby uranium pressed glass beer mug/seidel 6oz
Post by: Lustrousstone on April 26, 2021, 09:52:52 AM

Welcome to the board. I believe that green beer glasses are usually for pale-coloured beer such as lager, as green wine glasses are for white wine. In its early days in the UK, lager was expensive, which possibly explains the small size of your glass https://www.beeradvocate.com/articles/7144/britains-first-lager/ (https://www.beeradvocate.com/articles/7144/britains-first-lager/)

Title: Re: Sowerby uranium pressed glass beer mug/seidel 6oz
Post by: NevB on April 26, 2021, 11:12:35 AM

Nice! I collect uranium glass and also old beer glasses so this ticks all the boxes. I do have one half pint uranium one which I haven't identified. Here's a link to an interesting site which might help, I haven't re-read it all the way through.


http://zythophile.co.uk/2015/03/28/more-notes-towards-a-history-of-the-beer-mug/

Title: Re: Sowerby uranium pressed glass beer mug/seidel 6oz
Post by: Kaybe on April 26, 2021, 09:51:28 PM

Thanks for that article, Loustrousstone. Boy those Viennese lagers were strong!

Thanks, NevB, for that link. That was the article where I found the information about a 'penny glass' of 6.15oz being introduced after 1910 thanks to Lloyd George's new budget.