Following on from the last depressed post about the glass world in general, here is a picture of today's haul, minus a couple of turkeys I had to buy in one lot.The one on the left is the star of the show - a baluster wine glass in perfect condition, with a bubble running right through the stem, dating from around 1720-1730 (first quarter of the 18th century to you). This is the one I had my black heart set on. The one on the right is a nice, folded-foot wine glass, which I can confidently call 'baustroid', because of the little blob of glass on the bottom of the stem - this puts another £50 onto it's final sales price. It is mid-eighteenth century (1740 to you). I would have come back with a lot more glass than this, had I not met a well-known dealer in the car park, as previously warned.
I am really pleased to have met him, despite my somewhat limited purchases, as he has turned out to be a good, friendly bloke. But - as of course we had to - we agreed not to bid on each other's favoured glasses, and hoped that some of the local dealers were sunning themselves in Glastonbury, this hot day of the sale. I am very happy to get the baluster, and it is a toss-up as to who makes the biggest margin on the sale, but I have to remember that he makes his living from this caper, whereas I do not. As it turned out, hardly anyone bid on anything, and the bids left were cheeky, so we both came away with a lot more value than we paid for. But all this talk of monetary value is vulgar (though I expect to make about a grand on my two...). Suffice it to say that if you want a fun day out for all the family, do not go to an auction.
I reminded myself of a comment he made to a mutual friend, shortly after he knew of my existence as a non-dealer/non-collector: "Life was so much simpler when people like him were not around - we just turned up at the sales and bought the glass".
I know what he means, but it still pains me to watch him walk away with my glass, as it must pain him to watch me walk away with his.
My Precioussssss..................
Tom, they are quite lovely. I was expecting something much larger and heavier and more ornate. Even though they have a design (Baustraude) they have a simplicity about them and beautiful lines. I would be very afraid to drink out of them though.
ReplyDeleteI would be very afraid for you to drink out of them too, Raz, but this would not stop me from pouring you a drink in one, should you grace my compact but adorable, city apartment. It has survived almost 300 years, so I'm sure you would be safe. They are about 6 1/2 inches high. Is Baustraude a term I haven't heard of, or is this a simple miss-spelling? (serious question).
ReplyDeleteThey are quite lovely...the one on the left looks decidedly pink. I still think you should keep these two, get rid of the rest and pour yourself and Her Indoors a nice glass of wine in them and use them for the purpose for which they were made.
ReplyDeleteI just don't have the collector gene in me.
Good idea J - but these glasses are an investment for H.I. so we will use them until someone buys them. We use a set of 1790 glasses on a daily basis anyway, so jam-jars are not yet needed. The colour varies a lot on these glasses, and the left looks pink because the right is so cool - it's confusing, and not always usefully predictable.
ReplyDeleteHi Tom, It was a spelling error Tom. Careful about inviting me for a drink, I may just show up one day. I have lots of new relatives to visit in the UK.
ReplyDeleteYou would be welcome, Raz. I'll clean out an old jam jar.
ReplyDeleteThey are beautiful - I think I need to treat us to some nice glasses. It's lovely to drink out of something that has a little history to it. We have two very small wine glasses which I bought from an antique fair years ago, and they are always my preferred choice, I am a slow drinker, which is just as well because they are so small :)
ReplyDeleteWell you can buy these if you want, Suzanne. Best price guaranteed, and I take Paypal.
ReplyDeleteMe thinks that they are ever so slightly out of my price range :)
ReplyDeleteOne on the right - £200. One on the left - £1200 to you, coz I like you, you've got a cheeky face.
ReplyDeleteOk - I'm going to cut my own hand off now, £1100 and it's yours. I can't say fairer than that. I'd be a fool to myself, and my grandchildren would never forgive me. Check out the price, and you'll see that mine is a good 'un.
ReplyDelete