How do you clean early glass safely?

Wash them gently by hand in lukewarm water. Line the sink bowl with a soft towel to protect the foot. Never use a dishwasher. The harsh heat causes permanent clouding known as sickness.

Why are the bowls so small?

Wine was stronger and served in smaller measures during the eighteenth century. Diners emptied their glasses quickly and servants refilled them from a decanter. Modern habits favour large pours to let the wine breathe. Early drinking culture focused on frequent toasts instead.

I read somewhere that a folded edge on the foot means it is an eighteenth century piece, is that always true for stemware?

A folded foot is a very common feature on eighteenth-century glasses. It provided extra strength where the glass struck the table. You see it frequently on tavern pieces. Glassmakers did drop the practice towards the end of the century. Some nineteenth-century glasshouses revived the technique for specific retro designs.

My grandmother left me a set with green stems and clear bowls, were coloured stems a normal thing for Georgian dinner tables?

Coloured glass was an expensive luxury item. Glasshouses produced green tones by adding copper or iron oxide to the melt. Roemers often featured green glass to mask the cloudy appearance of early white wines. Clear lead glass dominated the English market. Coloured stems from that period turn up less often and usually point to continental origins.

Home > Glass > Wine Glasses > Page 24

Antique Wine Glasses

← Page 24 of 26 →

These early drinking vessels consist of a blown glass bowl, a supportive stem, and a flat foot, designed specifically for serving and consuming wine at the table.