SOLD – Georgian Engraved Newcastle Light Baluster c1750

Description

A magnificent Georgian Newcastle Light Baluster c1750 widely regarded by collectors as amongst the finest English glasses ever made. This example has been Dutch engraved on it’s round funnel bowl with the city armorial of Rotterdam. This has been beautifully engraved with lions either side of a shield

Sits on a wonderful stem with a double annulated knop above an inverted baluster and double basal knop. Conical foot snapped pontil.

English lead. no chips cracks or restoration. it measures 7 3/8 inches tall with a 3 1/8 inch bowl and 3 inch foot.

There has been much debate over the origins of such light balusters.Some favour Newcastle and Gateshead. others. London or Amsterdam. We know that lead glass was made on the continent in the 18th century and we know that London was blessed with a huge community of Dutch merchants. Styles would have permeated through European society through commerce. travel and trade. It is highly unlikely that this form was manufactured in just one place. Some. but not all. examples do have a propensity to be brighter than many period glasses. we know that Lynn sand produced bright glass and that it was shipped to both Newcastle and the near continent. No doubt many glasses were exported to be engraved in the workshops of Dutch glass merchants. The lack of certainty over their origins does not detract from their beauty.