Heading : A Facet Cut Stem Wine Glass c1790
Period : George III
Origin : England 
Colour : Clear 
Bowl : Ogee, slice and scallop-cut with polished lenses. Good pucella marks
Stem : Facet cut  
Foot : Conical 
Pontil : Polished 
Glass Type : Lead 
Size :  14.2 cm height, 4.7 cm diameter bowl, 6.8 cm diameter base.
Condition : Excellent, no chips or cracks 
Restoration : None 
Weight: 115 grams 

The cutting on the stem is one of many types that when viewed from above through the bowl creates an image of a rose. We are extremely sceptical about the Jacobite claims made for such glasses. Our resident mathematician will tell you that - like a kaleidoscope - there will be thousands of cutting and moulding combinations that will achieve the same effect, each one of which will produce a rose-like image of six or seven petals with just three layers of cutting and moulding. 

Some may well be intentional and some may well have been intentional within a Jacobite context, most completely unintentional. How you can differentiate between them is unknown.

Roses are widespread throughout the symbology of Britain, the white rose of Yorkshire, the red rose of t'uther lot, the rose without thorns from the Christian tradition. The Tudor rose being a symbol of the virginity of Elizabeth 1 and all those roses carved upon ceilings to ensure that conversations 'sub rosa' remain secret. Roses have have played a part in the cultural life of this country since the Romans brought 'rosalia' with them when placing primarily roses on the graves of the dead.

Secondly when the glass was blown the delusional futility of the Jacobite cause was risible. The the Old pretender was dead and the no longer young pretender was simply dead drunk.

Finally, roses have been used in a decorative manner ever since ancient Egyptians. The rose seen within the bowl of this glass is just as likely to have been used to toast King George, to celebrate an anniversary of the battle of Towton or the fair ladies of England than anyone "over the water".