A Liegeois Wine Glass, c1720

About the Item

A Liegeois Wine Glass, c1720 This may be attributed to the Nizet glasshouse. Some time around 1710, Nizet, formerly a wine dealer, established a glasshouse which rapidly overtook the fine glass business from the Bonhomme glasshouse. His invention was to introduce a thicker (more durable) and more limpid glass that used by the Bonhommes, who still produced glass in the Façon d'Altare. Nizet was inspired by the English lead glass and his glasses (except those produced when production first began) contain a low level lead oxide. During the second half of the 17th century, the Bonhommes generated most of their revenue from the production of simple, small glasses. The production of luxury Façon de Venise glasses was already on the wane. This may in part be attributed to poor economic conditions due to a series of French invasions of Southern Netherlands, the last wave of which took place in the War of the Spanish Succession (1701-1714). Style and practicality may also have played a role consumers desired practical smaller glasses in which to enjoy their wine and in economical portions. With the coming of Nizet, the production of the most luxurious "verres d'apparat" was ceased altogether in the Low Countries and was left mostly to Bohemia, Germany and later England. These glasses are successors of thinner verres de fougère produced in France, the Southern Netherlands and probably even in England. In the Low Countries they were made to enjoy Burgundy wine. This was imported from Burgundy on the river Meuse. It is believed that the ships returned to France loaded with Nizet glasses from Liège. It seems that they were very popular within the region and goes some way to explain why many reside in French collections. These glasses have a stretched air tear in the stem. The shoulder knop is flattened (would have evolved from a merese) and the stem is smooth. The flute and moulding is exactly the same as can be found (more superficially of course) on many of the old fern glasses. These are indeed called "verres fraisés". When filled with Burgundy wine, which was probably a lighter red than nowadays, the bowls do indeed have a resemblance to strawberries! Additional information: Date : c1720 Origin : Liege Colour : Clear Bowl : Round funnel Bowl Features : Band of "strawberry" moulding above rib moulding Stem : Air teared Stem Features : Elongated air tear which swells into the basal knop Foot : Conical & folded Pontil : Snapped Glass Type : Low lead Size : H 12.9 cm Diameter bowl : 5.8 cm Diameter foot: 6.8 cm Condition : Excellent : Restoration : None

Dimensions:

Height: 5.08 in (12.9 cm)Diameter: 2.68 in (6.8 cm)

Materials and Techniques:

Glass

Period:

18th Century

Date of Manufacture:

circa 1720

Condition:

Seller Location:

Tunbridge Wells, GB

Reference Number: