I imagine this is how many of my drinking glasses ended up with early repairs. Let’s raise a glass and welcome the New Year, and hope it’s better than the last one.
All the best to you in 2021 and please drink responsibly!
Archive for the ‘glass/goblet’ Category
A toast to the New Year, 2021!
Sunday, January 3rd, 2021Cut ruby glass cordial with silver stem, c.1920
Sunday, December 13th, 2020I believe this cut ruby glass cordial wine glass was made in Germany or Bohemia in the 1920s. It was most likely part of a larger set consisting of 6 or more glasses – possibly each a different color – along with a matching decanter.
As most antique glass stemware is fragile, many were broken and ultimately tossed out. Luckily, this one was spared the trash bin and brought back to life with the addition of a silver sleeve. Thank you to the unknown tinker or silversmith who conjoined the broken pieces with their skill and ingenuity, allowing this glass to function again.
This sturdy set with a similar cut pattern appears to be without damage.
Photo courtesy of Ruby Lane
EAPG “Loop” goblet with metal base, c.1865
Sunday, September 20th, 2020This EAPG (Early American Pattern Glass) water goblet in the Loop pattern, was made in America, c.1860-1870. It stands 5 inches high with a 3 inch opening, and is made of lead glass.
A tinker made a metal replacement base, sometime in the late 1880s to early 1900s, after the original base broke off. Judging by the advanced rust, it must have been neglected for some time. It now sits on a shelf alongside other glass goblets with inventive repairs, and I wouldn’t be surprised if they exchange war stories when I’m not around.
This goblet with the same Loop pattern still has its original base, but looks quite common next to my stalwart survivor.
Photo courtesy of the Early American Pattern Glass Society
Etched glass wine goblet, c.1850
Sunday, March 29th, 2020Sorry to have been out of touch over the past month, but I thought it best to not post during these difficult times. Now I realize it might be helpful to try to return to some of our normal activities so I am happy to resume posting. I hope you are all well and remaining safe and healthy.
This colorless etched glass wine goblet stands 7 inches high, and has an opening of 3.25 inches. It dates to the middle of the 1800s and features copper wheel engraved scrollwork around the rim and an inscription of what appears to be William Myher and the word Nov beneath it.
The nicely turned wood replacement base and stem, which I believe to be mahogany, were added after the goblet took a tumble, well over one hundred years ago. Not sure if the goblet was made in America or in Europe. If anyone has insight as to where this was made, please let me know.
This goblet with similar form still has its original base.
Photo courtesy of Etsy
Bohemian glass pokal, c.1851
Sunday, January 19th, 2020I bought this striking alabaster glass pokal with sterling silver overlay from a dealer a few years ago and have loved looking at it ever since. It was made in Bohemia, today the Czech Republic, in the middle of the 19th century and stands 16 inches high. Etched on the lid is “Andenken von (Souvenir of) G.W. 1851”. If anyone knows what G.W. stands for, please let me know.
Over 150 years ago, a well constructed pewter replacement base was added by a skilled metalsmith after the original glass base broke off. The muted pewter tones compliment the tarnished silver decoration on the pokal.
“Stippled Medallion” glass spooner, c.1865
Sunday, April 28th, 2019I purchased this humble flint EAPG (Early American Pattern Glass) spooner in the Stippled Medallion pattern many years ago while visiting Mark’s aunt and uncle in Framingham, Massachusetts. It was made by Union Glass Company in Somerville, Massachusetts, just 20 miles northeast of Framingham, between 1860 and 1870. It measures 5.5 inches high, and has a diameter of 3.5 inches. After its original base snapped off, a simple turned wood base was made (most likely at home) and the spooner was returned to the dining table and put back to use.
I spotted it at an antiques shop, sitting on a shelf among other “perfect” glassware, with a faded price tag of around $10. I assume it had been gathering dust on that shelf for many years, watching as dozens of nearby pieces came and went, feeling as an orphan must feel seeing others taken away to start a new life. It’s a good thing I found it and added it to my collection, or else it might still be sitting on that shelf, anxiously eying each customer and hoping “maybe this is the one…”
This example still has its original base and shows what mine looked like before the crash.
Photo courtesy of eBay
Engraved goblet with Mining Scenes, c.1690
Thursday, January 31st, 2019This superbly engraved blown wine glass was made in Nuremberg, Germany, c.1680-1700. It stands 10.5 inches high. The large bowl features finely engraved scenes of open-pit mining and a large coat of arms, believed to belong to one of the Counts of Mansfeld. The delicate stem is made up of a series of hollow knobs and rings and amazingly, has remained intact after knocking around for over 330 years.
The foot was not so lucky. As would be expected of a large, fragile glass object such as this, the original glass foot broke off hundreds of years ago, and was fitted with an elegant hand hammered silver replacement. It is engraved with the name “Mansfeld”, the date “1530”, and in a tiny font “A.E. 12”. As Mansfeld, Germany was the center of silver mining for over 800 years, this magnificent goblet was most likely made by one of the Mansfeld families as a commemorative piece.
As with almost everything from my collection, we will never know for sure how the piece broke, who repaired it, and what happened to it after it was reborn. I’m just glad that so many of them ended up in my collection and that I can share them with you.
This goblet from the same period shows what the original glass base on mine might have looked like.
Photo courtesy of Scottish Antiques
Make-Don’t, Fake-Do, or the real deal?
Sunday, November 25th, 2018Every so often I find a piece that stumps me, stopping me dead in my tracks. This is one such example.
I purchased this 6.5 inch high robin’s egg blue satin glass goblet at an antiques shop in Southern Vermont where I have found other interesting antiques with inventive repairs. At first glance, I believed it to have an at-home wood replacement base repair, similar to dozens of others I own. Upon closer inspection, I am not so sure.
Although I have a few examples of finely turned wood bases, this one seems too slick and intentional to be a replacement. The glass itself is in perfect condition, with no indication of its base having been snapped off.
After a bit of research, I believe the goblet to be a reproduction of French Portieux Vallerysthal glass, c.1900. Why it has a wood base is a mystery, but if anyone has any information, I would love to hear from you.
These goblets have their original bases.
Photo courtesy of eBay
Pressed glass goblet with wood base, c.1860
Saturday, April 22nd, 2017This EAPG (Early American Pattern Glass) goblet in the Honeycomb pattern was made in America during the Industrial Revolution between 1850 and 1870. It stands 3.25 inches high.
After the base snapped off, it was repaired at home with a primitive wood replacement. A quick and easy, yet inelegant, fix. Please take a look at two other similar pieces, Honeycomb pattern goblet and EAPG glass goblet, each with different shaped wood replacement bases. I would like to attend, or perhaps host, a dinner party with mismatched wine goblets such as these, and being able to use the jumper rentals in Phoenix (https://jumpersnrentals.com/phoenix/) would complete my dream. And if things get rowdy, I may have to do a bit of re-repairing of my own.
This goblet with base intact shows what my goblet might have looked like before it became undone.
Photo courtesy of Brey Antiques
Champagne coupe with wood base, c.1850
Saturday, January 2nd, 2016This hand blown glass champagne coupe with fluted stem was made around 1850, possibly in America. It measures 5-1/2 inches high.
I imagine during an exuberant New Year’s Eve toast, well over 100 years ago, the base snapped off. Rather than toss out the broken glass, a replacement base was made. A simple, nicely turned wood replacement base was attached to the remaining stem and the champagne was poured once again.
Happy New Year to my friends and followers of Past Imperfect: The Art of Inventive Repair!
