Can you drink from a lead glass decanter?

Storing spirits long-term in lead glass does carry risks. The lead can slowly leach into the liquid over several months. Most people use them just for the duration of a dinner party. Pouring wine for an evening and washing the vessel afterwards poses no real issue.

A heavy glass decanter was handed down in the family, but the stopper doesn't seem to fit the neck properly and sits too high. Is that normal?

That suggests a married piece. Over the years, original stoppers roll off tables or get broken, and owners find a replacement from another vessel that looks close enough. A proper match sits flush and engages with the ground interior of the neck. If it wobbles or sticks up too high, it belongs to a different decanter.

How do I clean the cloudy stains inside?

That cloudiness is often a chemical change to the glass surface. It happens when liquids sit inside for years. You can try swirling warm water, white vinegar and uncooked rice to scour the inside. If that fails, the glass needs professional polishing.

There is a rough circular patch underneath the base of a decanter instead of being polished flat like modern glass. What caused this specific mark?

That is a snapped pontil mark. It shows where the glassblower broke the iron rod away from the base after shaping the vessel. Earlier or simpler pieces often leave this scar rough and unfinished.

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Antique Decanters in South West

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Antique decanters are stoppered glass vessels designed to receive wine or spirits drawn from a cask or bottle, serving both to aerate the liquid and present it at the table.