Wednesday 7 December 2011

Heart of glass

As I brace myself for the arduous task of responding to another 5 comments, I thought I would show you my latest glass acquisition being used in anger.

It is a huge, masculine, beast of a glass. At almost 7 inches high (control yourselves, ladies); it takes almost half the amount of wine that you would have to pay about £6 for in a bar these days, and it purports to date from around 1750. And yet...

When I took it out of the box, I - at first - thought it to have a fake folded foot, but now I am thinking that it is a real one, but somehow too expertly made to go with the rest of it, which is quite crude really, and more suited to an 18th century tavern than a private house. And yet...

How to make a glass like this: Shove a long iron rod into a crucible of molten glass, extracting a large lump. Roll the iron rod on trestles, working it with iron tools to form an elongated stem, at the same time as parting the upper bowl with more iron tools, constantly plunging it back into the furnace to keep it malleable. Once the trumpet bowl shape has been formed, trim off the rim with shears to the required height until you have the desired shape, then keep it hot and malleable whilst you reach for the other, tubular rod of iron, which you gather a lump of the same molten glass on. Blow that into a smallish bubble, the pop it, and using a pair of shears, cutting around until you are left with a cup shape. Flatten the cup shape at the same time as folding a quarter of an inch of excess glass under the rim which will strengthen it for use later. Allow the 'foot' you have just made to cool off a little, the snap it off from the top by hitting it with a small hammer. Pick up the bowl of the glass and bring it back up to heat, pull it out of the furnace and weld it to the foot whilst both are still red. Plunge the finished glass back into the furnace to anneal it, then snap it off the iron 'pontil' onto a soft bed and allow it to cool. Simple.

The trouble is, I have a nagging doubt as to the authenticity of this glass, even though it shows just the right amount of wear and repairs, all the tool marks etc. and shows up well under ultra violet light. And yet...

The other trouble is that - of all of the 4 or 5 British glass experts that I personally know - not one of them is anything other than an utter c***, and I am sick of either hearing about them stabbing each other in the back, or being stabbed by all of them myself, so I will just have to trust my own judgement, based on my own, limited experience. I have yet to hear of a Polish glass house producing these things, but I do know of some Victorian ones that did. A little knowledge is a dangerous thing, and yet...


15 comments:

  1. I like your handsome new glass. It looks quite modern for something made in the 1750s. That description of how it was made makes me appreciate it the more. I hope you will find out whether it is authentic. My crappy mass made bark glass must be a complete mockery when you read about it!!xx

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  2. Oh Bris - you are into Retro, and that's a completely different obsession and just as justified as mine. My retro just extends a bit further back than yours, that's all.

    I've just looked at another 18th C. glass of mine which I know to be genuine, and now I feel a lot happier about this new one. I only paid about £40 for it, and it should have been about 150. I have a suspicious mind. Also, there was a time when glass was taxed by the weight, and I forget when they lifted that tax - after 1740 I think - this one is a heavy monster. I plan to use it regularly, since it didn't cost much and has a small chip to the rim.

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  3. glass.. the new candlestick.... no wonder there's only 2 comments x

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  4. I was ranting about glass long before I ranted about candlesticks, John. I thought you were a loyal ! ;) lol, etc.

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  5. I am loyal sweetie
    yours is the only blog I have visited tonight
    trying to write an euolgy..... phew x

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  6. I don't know anything about old glass, but it seems to hold wine really well. So it should be o.k.

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  7. Authentic or not it's bloody gorgeous!

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  8. I think it is a lovely glass, Tom. I know little of the value of things, but I do know what I like and enjoy and truly, that is all that matters. I think what really makes it attractive though is that it is full of what looks like a very nice Pinot Noir.

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  9. It's a lovely deep red, maybe it's a bi beefy Australian Shiraz, which would suit that big glass. The Aussies make excellent reds though it does hurt a little to say so.

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  10. I like the shape of it. You can't beat a beautiful glass filled with a beautiful red wine. (Although a rose wine looks very pretty in a pale green glass.)

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  11. I'm with Judith. Right or not, it's a great glass for drinking red wine. Personally I'd fill with a good Merlot; accompanied by a roast rib of beef. Digression is the better part of...comment.

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  12. It would be nice if you posted your eulogy up after the event, John.

    Yes, the glass seems to convey wine from the bottle to the back of my throat quite well, as I discovered after exhaustive tests last night. The thing is, that I can't stand the idea of fakes - I really don't mind copies or pastiches, but would never wear a fake Rolex, for instance, even if it kept perfect time.

    I'm a bit of a snob when it comes to 'New World' wines, and the Australian stuff that I can afford just tastes too perfect to me - it's so perfectly produced that it gives me the creeps. The wine is this glass is a beefy, cheap French one called 'Chat en Ouef' - GEDDITTT???

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  13. Hehe, you should try the one called "Chat som' more"!

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