Pair Fine Wrythenen Moulded Champagne Flutes 1775

Description

Heading : A pair of18th century champagne flutes
Period : Second half 18th century
Origin : Belgium. Namur or Liege
Colour : Clear 
Bowl : Pointed funnel with fine wrythen moulding . the stem is a continuation of the bowl
Stem : None
Foot : High conical
Pontil : Snapped
Glass Type : Lead free
Size :  14.7cm height.  6.2cm diameter bowl. 7.3cm diameter foot 
Condition : Excellent. no chips or cracks. There is a small piece of clinker in the bowl
Restoration : None 
Weight:  135 grams combined

This form is invariably associated with Sebastien Zoude (1707-1779) the man who brought lead crystal to Wallonia. He was the most prominent glass maker of his day in Namur. At a time when the “secret” for “glass of lead” was closely guarded by the English he did through his own hardwork . research and industrial espionage achieve his own first “crystal” by 1753 refined further by 1761.

This may pre-date crystal glass in Belgium. this is lead free or it may simply have been made in Liege in a style similar to that of Zoude. The experts on such matters are the Le Grand Curtius Museum and they advise that this was made in Belgium in the second half of the 18th century and is late 18th century worst case.