7. CUT PLAIN-GLASS STEMS
These seem to have been in fashion during the period 1775–1825. Usually the stems are hexagonal, and the cutting had, of course, to be continued, in a shallow way, on the lower part of the bowl. “Thistle” glasses are those in which the cutting of the stem and bowl to some extent suggests the thistle in shape and appearance. The stems were often knopped—this is a feature of Waterford glass cut stems—but towards the end of the period mentioned above the stems became cylindrical except for the cutting, and the cutting did not so much produce facets as long grooves.
The dates just given would suggest that the dome foot and the folded foot are not to be looked for under cut stems, but they are met with, the dome foot having been kept in use for ornament’s sake, probably. Nor is the pontil-mark present, if the cutter removed it; except that sometimes he left just the faintest trace of it, which the finger can detect.
VIII. THE VARIOUS SHAPES OF BOWL
Stemmed drinking vessels, whether for wine or ale, for rum or cordials, cider or drams, can be classified according to shape of bowl; this is important for descriptive purposes, and to some extent for dating. The following names of shapes do not apply to tumblers, mugs, or tankards, of course.
(1) DRAWN
(2) BELL
There are ten general shapes of bowl:
1. Drawn, found with the plain round stem and the air-spiral stem.
2. Bell, found with the baluster stem, the necked and collared stem, the air-spiral stem, the cotton-white spiral stem, with coin glasses, and with rose glasses.
3. Waisted bell, found with the corrugated stem and the plain stem.
4. Straight-sided, found with each class of stem.
(3) WAISTED BELL
(4) STRAIGHT-SIDED
5. Rectangular, a variety of the straight-sided, found with the plain round stem and the air-spiral stem.
(5) RECTANGULAR
(6) EGG-CUP-SHAPED
6. Egg-cup-shaped, or ovoid, found with the cotton-white spiral stem, the air-spiral stem, and the cut stem.
7. Ogee (named after a term in architecture, signifying a curve, somewhat like the letter S), found mostly with the cotton-white spiral stem and the coloured spiral stem. These are believed to be of Bristol make as a rule, as many of them have the Bristol characteristic of perpendicular or spiral flutings in the lower half of the bowl, produced by pressure (a kind of moulding). The ogee bowl is also found with the cut stem, the plain round stem, and moulded stems.
(7) OGEE (TWO VARIETIES)
(8) LIPPED OGEE
(9) DOUBLE OGEE
(10) WAISTED
8. Lipped ogee, found with the coloured spiral stem, the cotton-white stem, and moulded stems mainly.
9. Double ogee, found with the air-spiral stem, and the cotton-white stem; some of the oldest have knops and the folded foot.
10. Waisted, found with the air-spiral stem and the mixed spiral stem.