Old Glass and How to Collect it

sappeared. In the palmy days of its glass industry it boasted no fewer than fifteen "glass-houses," and it had

boy, as his apprentice, in the difficult art of glass "grinding" without the usual premium of ￡7. But as early as 1666 an order was made by the City Council to the effect that "no stranger or foreigner should presume to o

ow that the duty on glass for that year amounted to ￡17,642, and that a "drawback" allowed on exported glass amounted in the case of Bri

d in the factories of that city. The colouring of Bristol glass is exceptionally brilliant, especially its deep blues. The opaque milky-white ware, which is most common, is often "ri

ut did not maintain their existence for a longer period. The exact date at which the famous opaque ware was made is ope

corded in 1715 a bequest of china and glass, and in a long account of a feast given to commemorate the access

￡4, 16s. for "a glass to be placed in Mr Alderman Laroche's coach, which was broken at th

specimens are found with finely curved and twisted handles. It was, in my opinion, the object of the Bristol glass-houses to imitate white porcelain, and,{118} in support

d of Barcelona was already famous. The characteristic feature of its manufacture was the large amount of lead and the small quantity

a delicate taste both in hue and form. The ware, too, has a peculiar softness to the touch which is quite characteristic, and provides the amateur collector, once he has recognised it, with an

, now and again, copies of those found on Venetian and French pieces. But, generally speaking, the decoration of Bristol glass was entirely English in conception and execu

finest examples extant. There is, for example, a "Venetian glass"-purely Bristol, of course, but on a Venetian model, which is reproduced as a frontispiece to this volume

the product of the Venice glass-makers-the pastmasters of the art. Many a collection, ostensibly hailing from Venice, must, on a closer scrutiny, be attributed to a place of origi

have been in doubt. Also, and with the smaller pieces in particular, it was almost universal with the Bristol manufacturer to leave untouched the "mark" or place where the piece was nipped from the blower's tube. Modern reproductions, whilst fa

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E ENAMEL. THE WORD "MOUNTAIN" BEING THE NAME OF A K

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ISTOL GLASS MUG, WIT

G.

ed to produce the milky-white tone cease abruptly, leaving the "mark" perfectly transparent. I

of bad mixing. This is, of course, a useful test, provided one does not rely upon it entirely, for certain specimens of undoubted authenticity display somewhat similar features. In particular, I remember an old drinking flask ma

o find small pieces-cups,{122} salt-cellars, small bowls, finger basins, mugs, and the like-the really important pieces of Bristol glass are few, and they and th

failing to find a customer in London, had put it into the sale of the effects of a cottage. It was bought in by its owner for ￡3, 3s., and eventually at the end of the day realised only 36s. I saw the piece subsequently. It was obviously a reproduction, though a very good one, and certai

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CIMENS OF BR

uring by Mic

w and again, particularly in the west of England, it will not pay t

r of very fine early Bristol vases which, although undecorated, are exquisite in colour and form

the work of Michael Edkin, a Bristol enameller of distinction. If carefully examined, it affords ample ev

examples of Bristol ware here reproduced (Fig. 27) is included a pair of vases. These{124} rank among the finest specimens still extant of Michael Edkin's work. This talented artist was a painter of some merit, who gradually dri

doubted specimens of his work in Rome and the museums of other Continental cities I have visited. One of the very finest specimens of his art is a richly gilt and decorated tea-tray, now in the Museum of Practical Geology. Another example from the Britis

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OPAQUE WHITE BRISTOL

ed by M.

our and gilt, which must have taken a considerable time, was the lordly sum of 8d., a striking commentary upon the value placed upon ski

hould not, as a matter of fact, claim Nailsea as their place of origin. We can certainly ascribe oil, vinegar, and pepper pots, candlesticks, salt-cellars, and vases to Bristol, as the daintily decorated pepper and sugar castors, shown in Fig. 27, pro

is quite transparent, the apparent opacity of the background of the landscape being due to enamel laid on the glass. The fine decante

ces were made of yellowish or dark green glass, with blotches of white, as in the jug shown in Fig. 28. They were usually very inferior in style, colour, texture, and workmanship, and were consequently not greatly sought after by purchasers; hence the output was restrict

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LSEA GLASS JUGS. E

t specimens are of a dark toffee-like colour, and when held up to a strong light exhibit a greenish tinge. The lighter and finer kinds display a characteristic ground which, if not beautiful, is certainly quaint. Collectors who are fortunate enough to come across a specimen of Nailsea at a reasonable figure should undoubtedly seize the oppor