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Antiques! => Antique Questions Forum => Topic started by: Mat on February 14, 2014, 04:57:35 AM
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Dear forum members,
I have recently bought 2 drinking glasses, and I believe they could be quite old. Could anybody help me identifying them, where they come from and how old they are? The big one is 16,5 cm and the small one 10 cm. Both have pontil marks on the foot and the big one has a lot of bubbles and white inclusions. Any information is greatly appreciated!
Many thanks in advance,
Mat
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Can`t see well enough to tell design !!
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A couple of suggestions:Take a picture in natural light. If it doesn't come out clear, then put a dark (black or navy blue) piece of material inside and take a picture with natural light!
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Ok, I tried to make better photos...
I hope these help identifying the glasses?
Regards, Mat
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;D I'am just setting back resting, Would suggest you have & elderly pair of glass's Might get some info from Replacement's Ltd. as to pattern.
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The second glass is a cordial glass! First appears to be a wine glass.
However, we cannot make out the pattern at all from the pics. Please try putting a dark piece of material in it!
Good suggestion Dewain. They will need to see the pattern as well.
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They may tell you how old they are. but I doubt it. they can be dated by the Bowl shape. Knop shape. Stem & foot shape. Don't know if that info is on the www gave all my book's away.And now can't remember.
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Thank you all for your input! As I was not able to make a new photo today, I tried to draw the rather simple pattern on the bowl of the small glass. It is on two opposing sides of it. The big glass has no pattern at all. Dewain, I have searched a lot on the internet and found some information, but only some. The shape and the way the glasses are made seem to me to be right for 18th century glasses, but I hoped that someone more experienced could tell me more?
Regards, Mat
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Even hand blown glass today can have the same bubbles and inclusions !! Many times they want them to have the old look !! If what you call a pontil mark indented in the bottom or ground flat ??
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No, the "pontil mark" has not been ground flat, it has been left sharp as it was when the pontil was broken off. I know that also new hand blown glass can look like this, but the glasses have a lot of wear and little scratches that show that they were in use some time.
Mat
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That's a strange pattern, I'am thinking at least 18 th century. a Magnifying glass might show some carbon deposit's left behind but still no warranty to age.
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You can check for old or new glass if you have a black light,,old lead glass will look blue to purple,,newer soda glass will look yellow green under black light !! Also look at the engraving with a magnifying glass,,old glass,,before 1860 or so would have been wheel or hand engraved and you should be able to see individual strokes in the design !! Newer acid etched will be even and consistant over the entire pattern,,no individual stroke lines !! Keep in mind that many German factories were reproducing copies of older glassware after 1890 and into the 20th century !! They are pretty common in the UK and other countries !! That's why we needed to see the pattern as it is on the glass !!
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Hello and thank you again for helping me with this,
I made some photos of the small glass with dark blue cloth in it. Hopefully the pattern is now more clear to see. I think it is clearly visible that there are individual stokes, the 2 sides differ considerably in detail. Under black light both glasses have a purple look, and under natural light especially the big one has a sligthly yellowish look. I think the pattern is wheel-engraved? What Du you think?
Mat
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What bothers me about this glass is the crude way it was engraved !! Bad pattern, very bad workmanship !! Even back then they made extremely fine glassware !! It could be that whoever did this one was a beginner and just learning !! They would never have sold one so roughly done !! Any value in this would be more as a curiosity than quality !!
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I actually find the "crude" engraving rather pleasing! Not all work was for fine crystal.
Reminds me of some pieces I have even seen coming up from Mexico over the years. Just artistic for different people's tastes!
The design must have had some personal significance. Haven't seen one like this before! Maybe someone else can chirp in!
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Yes KC I think your right, the Brit's were known for adding grape vine's etc to there work. I do believe it's British.
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Not saying that it isn`t pleasing in its own way !! When I enlarged the last pic it was pretty evident that the engraver did not know the craft well !! But how else would they learn ?? They had to start somewhere !!
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What I find strange is the tiny size of the bowl of the small glass. It is just 3,5 cm high and just one little sip fits in it. Somewhere I have read that there existed miniature glasses as toys in 18th c. Maybe it could be something like that, or is that the usual size for cordial glasses?
Mat
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A cordial is only a sip or two !! Like when the ladies had their sip of sherry !!
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LOL Well Mat, I can take it you have never had a sip of Drambuie, Amaretto, etc. in one of these as an after dinner drink! :)
It is kind of like a shot glass on a stem. But to be politically correct, it is proper to sip a sweet, fruity liqueur or a dessert wine from this stemmed baby. Typically holds from 1.5 ounce to 4 ounces.
This glass was created so that the host/hostess could offer more expensive liqueurs to guests (and could afford to do so because of the limited size)!
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It looks Mexican to me. After the guy drank to much mescal he tried to engrave a scorpion but he was too drunk.