How do I know if my drinking glass is antique?

Marks are your best friends when it comes to identifying antique drinking glasses. Its the absolute first thing you should look for in any antique, straight-up showing you who made the glass. Use a glassmaker marks book to identify the signature, symbol or trademark - Google can be just as handy.

How do you identify Georgian glass?

The most significant mark is the pontil mark which is the glass scar normally found on the base. The pontil mark was created when the glass was broken free of the blowpipe. In addition vertical lines running down the bowl and striations in or around the bowl are among the other identifying features.

What are some characteristics of antique glass?

With eye-catching colors and an alluring array of shapes and patterns, antique glassware offers a unique decorative accent that recalls craftsmanship from decades past. While collectors of vintage glass often purchase these pieces for display, many others maintain them for everyday use.

What is a Georgian firing glass?

A fine quality, 18th century firing glass of conical form with substantial foot. Firing glasses were used for toasting and once drained, were banged down onto the table hence the thickened foot to prevent breakage. Condition: the glass has a minor scratch commensurate with use and age.

What kind of glass is collectible?

Popular examples of antique and vintage glassware include pressed glass, cut glass, carnival glass, Depression glass, elegant glass, and milk glass. Of these techniques, cut glass is the oldest, going back some 2,000 years, almost to the introduction in the West of glassblowing itself.

What is a firing glass?

A drinking glass with a bowl, a short stem, and a thick foot. On ceremonial occasions, firing glasses were rapped loudly on the table, making a noise that resembled a volley of gunfire.

Is it safe to touch lead crystal?

Lead can cause nerve damage, mental disorders and heart and kidney problems if regularly ingested in significant amounts. Close to one-third of any true crystal is lead, which gives it brilliance and weight. There are no specific official guidelines for safety in such glassware.