Jacobean Glass - Finding out with the Gallery's Friday Focus

(My thanks to Sonia for her notes on her talk)!

A Friday Focus talk was given by Sonia Morris from the Gallery on the history of European drinking glass design, and focusing on the collection. Their designs were affected by the politican context of the time as well as manufacturing developments.

The Gallery's collection was largely donated by Francis Jahn, who came from a family of ceramic makers in the Potteries.

This posting is just a brief summary of the talk which was extensive - images are included further down the posting.

 

If you look at a glass, there are 3 parts you can use to describe what you see: 

The bowl (bucket, tulip, bell, funnel - is it tall, waisted or lipped)

The stem (Is there a baluster shape, are there twists?)

The foot (plain, domed, folded, solid) 

Manufacture

One of he most important advances in glass manufacture was the addition of lead oxide to molten glass, improving it's appearance and easier to make new designs. This was done by George Ravenscroft initially but when his patent ran out in 1696 twenty seven glass houses existed and were widely exporting all over Europe. So of course, the Government decided to tax it.

To compete with each other and continue to make profits, manufacturers reponded by creating highly decorated, small, more delicate forms, often with hollow stems (Excise glasses). The tax was repealed in 1845. 

18th century became bolder including curves, natural motifs, single and double twists, sometimes coloured; smaller bowls longer stems, and even enamel canes. 

Some of the most collectable glasses are those of the Jacobit Rebellion of 1690 to 1746.  Glass cutting became popular, that is carving by hand or machine to make patterns and motifs.

Jacobite History - briefly! 

King James ll was Catholic. 

After the revolution of 1688 there was a fear that there would be a drive back to Catholisism and William lll of Orange was invited to invade - his wife was Mary, daughter of James ll and protestant. In 1688 James had a son, who if he was bought up to be Catholic and inherited the title, would drive the country away from Protestism. William of Orange invaded, and King James fled.

People who were loyalists to James however, hoped he'd come back and supported him. They were known as Jacobites.

What's that got to do with the glasses of the time? 

The government passed a lot of strict treason laws, so to avoid trouble, supporters used to toast the exiled King using secret codes eg when raising a glass to the King (William lll) they took care to do so over the water-filled finger bowls, secretly toasting the King "over the water".

Looking for symbols 

If you decide to go rummaging at a car boot, or charity shop, there are lots of things you can look for to identify an incredible and perhaps lucrative find! 

1. Fiat - translating to "let it be" (referring to a Stuart restoration)
2. Amen - incredibly rare - 37 known to exist but there must be more somewhere!
3. 6 pointed star - represents royalty.
4. Boscobel Oak Leaf -  King Charles ll apparently hid in this oak to escape the Roundheads
5. Three crowns - England, Scotland and Ireland
6. Birds in Flight - Stuart heir either fleeing or returning
7. Carnation - A strange way of saying Coronation
8. Daffodils - hope and floral symbol of Wales. You might see feathers instead.
9. The thistle - embodying resilience, prode and protection through it's thorny-ness. 

 Symbols in the collection

Bunch of grapes of the vine - hope, rebirth, future abundance and prosperity under the Jacobites.

Sunflowers - symbols of loyalty and steadfast devotion (sunflower heads follow the sun)

Butterfly - moth, gilded dragonfly - representing return of the sould

Bee - fertility and ressurection; a new life out of decay.

4 petalled flower - A variation of the white rose. A cryptic way to identify a supporter of the cause.

A coin in the stem - so when you drained your glass you were confronted with an image of the King so a subtle toast. 

At the end of Sonia's talk we were invited to play a game of glass bingo, and tick off the ones we could find! If you wish to do the same you are most welcome to download the image and nip to the gallery for a go!!