Monday 26 April 2010

Old glasses.


These are a couple of our 'every-day' old wine glasses. The one in front is (I think) English, and maybe called a 'rummer' (?). And the one behind is French, but I don't know if it has a special name ('wine glass', perhaps?).

The French one, which I use all the time, has a badly chipped foot and is generally a bit wonky, but the English one is perfect.

I'm posting this picture simply because I'm hoping that glass expert Mr Tom Stephenson will be able to elucidate, re the English one.

Both are serious drinking glasses. Personally I have nothing against a chip or two in an old glass, as long as the price I'd been asked to pay for it was rock-bottom. I just like the idea of a glass having history. I'm enjoying a glass of Pécharmant in the French glass, as I write.

I may post a picture of some of my collection of old French wine/absinthe glasses some time. They still turn up at 'boot sales', but sadly not always at prices that suit my pocket. CHEERS!

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9 comments:

  1. The French one is what we in England call a 'Bistro' glass (made for bars and restaurants), and they were used for beer. There are quite a few are over here, having been bought in France by dealers. It is late 19th century, I guess. The other is, as you say, a 'Rummer', as this size and shape was used for hot rum toddys. You quite often find scratches at the bottom, where sugar has been stirred with a metal spoon, as they were mixed in the glass. Your type could be anywhere from 1840 to 1890, and I could only be more accurate by handling it. If it has a rough 'pontil' mark (where the iron rod was snapped off at the base), then it is more likely to be earlier. A small patch of polishing on the base indicates mid 19th C, and a smooth base with a 'Y' or 'T' shaped ripple in it ('gadget' mark) indicates late 19th C. The latter are often referred to as 'Pub Rummers', as they were made for the pub and inn trade as well as private households.

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  3. Oh Christ - I just deleted a comment saying I had already commented but it disappeared, and that disappeared too - sorry, I'm leaving this one nomatter what happens..

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  4. In which case it's probably late 19th C. Many thanks Tom. It was sold to me as a 'Georgian Rummer'; half right. I only paid a couple of quid, back in the 60's.

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  5. I think Mr Blogger is having trouble with his 'comments' machine. A bit of WD40 should do the trick.

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  6. I picked up a lovely etched vintage wine glass last weekend and ended up chipping the foot after just one use. Drat. I like the one you use. The heaviness looks as if it would feel nice in your hand.

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  7. And it holds a heafty slug of the good stuff too, Willow. Its weight adds another dimension.

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  8. I am coveting that bottle of Pecharmant ("charming hill?").

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  9. T. The way it's pronounced, it's more like 'charming fart'.

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