An Early Sunderland Bridge Rummer c1805

Description

Heading : Regency Sunderland Bridge Rummer
Period : George III 1796- 1810
Origin : England 
Colour : Clear . good grey hue
Bowl : Bucket bowl. engraved with the image of a sailing vessel passing under the Sunderland Bridge with the appropriate title; to the reverse. the initials RHJ within an ornate cartouche. surrounded by floral sprays and a swagged border under the rim.
Stem : A short. plain stem under an annular collar knop. flaring towards the foot
Foot : Lemon-squeezer style. the first “Sunderland Bridge” that e have offered for sale with anything other than a conical foot
Glass Type : Lead 
Size :  14.8 cm height. 9.2 cm diameter bowl. 6.0 x 6.0cm foot 
Condition : Excellent. no chips or cracks; tiny nibbles to corners of base
Restoration : None 
Weight:  430 grams 

A good early example. The majority of rummers depicting the bridge have low conical feet and plain of capstan stems

Additional Information : The 1796 Sunderland Road Bridge as it should be known was considered to be a major engineering achievement of the era. There are a number of contributory factors. Firstly the banks of the river Wear in Sunderland are very precipitous. the gorge was reputed to be 85 yards wide at the time and place of construction. Secondly the bridge had to be a single span so as not to impede tall masted ships. This was due to coal being loaded further upstream. Sunderland also had a ship building heritage and was known as the biggest ship building town in the word. but at the time the bridge was built there were only a handful of ship yards to the west of the bridge that was located between Sunderland and Monkwearmouth.

Some 50.000 people attended the opening of the bridge on 9th August 1796. an opportunity for commemorative wears for enterprising glass makers. The bridge had a toll for both waggons and pedestrians. despite this the financier. the Member of Parliament for Sunderland one Roland Burden ran into financial difficulties. In 1815 a parliament approved lottery gave the winner a share of the toll revenues. which included ships and ferries that travelled beneath the bridge itself. The bridge was rebuilt by one Robert Stephenson and re-opened in 1859.

This style of glass could have been made at any time between 1800 and 1830 and we know that the Bridge lost its appeal as a tourist attraction by 1820. thus the glass may very well be earlier.

References : English. Scottish & Irish Table Glass By G. Bernard Hughes – Page 193 Figure 139.

Nineteenth Century British Glass By Hugh Wakefield – Plate 46B. 

The Arthur Negus Guide To British Glass By John Brooks – Page 105 Plate 100 and Page 117 Plate 106.

Starting to Collect Antique Glass By John Sandon – Page 46.

Decanters and Glasses By Therle Hughes – Page 20 Plate 13.