What is a baluster stem glass?

It refers to a heavy stem profile used in the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries. The shape features a prominent bulge or knop, often placed near the top or middle of the stem. The style copied silver and architectural forms of the period. They carry significant weight in the hand because they contain a high percentage of lead.

I have a few old glasses with different bowl shapes and I was wondering if the shape tells you what kind of drink went in them?

Bowl shape does suggest the original contents. Tall, narrow flutes were usually intended for ale or cider. The tight rim helped preserve the carbonation and funnelled the scent upwards. Smaller rounded bowls often held strong wines or cordials. Wide, shallow shapes like the pan-topped bowl were popular for champagne, though they let the fizz escape quickly.

Why are some stems twisted?

Glassmakers twisted stems to catch the candlelight across the dining table. They trapped air bubbles or embedded white enamel canes in the hot glass.

Some of the glasses I look at have a thick rim folded under the base while others are just flat, so does that mean something specific?

A folded foot was a practical choice for early antique drinking glasses. The glassblower rolled the edge of the footrim under itself while the glass was still hot, doubling the thickness at the very edge. This simple technique stopped the rim from chipping when the glass was set down hard on a table. It was standard practice for tavern glassware and many domestic pieces. The practice died out around the middle of the eighteenth century. Flat feet became the norm, especially after the Glass Excise Act made makers conscious of the weight of their goods.

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Antique Drinking Glasses from the 19th Century

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Antique drinking glasses are vessels crafted from lead or soda glass, originally shaped to serve specific beverages like wine, ale, and strong cordials at the dining table.