Glassware is the collective term for vessels and objects made of glass, especially drinking glasses, decanters, jugs, bowls, dishes and other wares for the table. In antiques it encompasses everything from early hand-blown wine glasses and rummers to cut-glass services, coloured and engraved pieces, and decorative ornaments.
English glassware was transformed in the late seventeenth century when George Ravenscroft developed lead glass, a heavy, brilliant material that suited both elegant blown forms and deep cutting. Eighteenth-century drinking glasses, with their baluster, air twist, opaque twist and faceted stems, are a major collecting field, as is Georgian and Irish cut glass. The Victorian period brought pressed glass, coloured and cased glass, cameo glass and elaborate engraving, while the twentieth century added Art Deco and Scandinavian designs. When assessing antique glassware, collectors consider the colour and weight of the metal, the presence of a pontil mark, signs of wear on the foot, quality of decoration and condition. Chips, cracks and cloudy staining inside decanters reduce value. Antique glasses are used and enjoyed at the table today, though they should always be washed carefully by hand.
