SOLD – Jacobite Engraved Opaque Twist Wine glass c1770

Description

A Jacobite engraved opaque twist wine glass c1760.

It has an ogee bowl beautifully engraved with an open rose bud. rose leaves and a flying insect. possibly a crane fly opposite. Sits on a double series opaque twist stem consisting of pair of multi-ply corkscrews outside a pair of spiral threads. Conical foot snapped pontil.

We are all familiar with the rose and two bud engraved glasses. There are two primary theorems for their interpretation. the first being that the rose represents James. the “Old pretender” and the buds his two sons. Charles and Henry. The second. the “Horridge” theory being that the rose represents the crown of England and the buds the old and young pretenders. The first theory has it’s pitfalls. why would prince Henry be celebrated on later glasses after he left the cause to take up the hassocks of a cardinal being one major stumbling block. The second theorem also has its problems. the rose was also used as a symbol of the usurping Hannoverians. but it does cater for the single bud and rose glasses more easily. There are some baluster single bud glasses. which predate the birth of the young pretender in 1720 and some which postdate the death of his father James in 1766.

Opaque twist glases are known to have been manufactured from around 1748. the Jacobite cause was all but lost after the “45” and we can only describe this Jacobite glases as being “sentimentalist. what might have been. In both theorems the more open of the two rose buds is deemed to be representative of Prince Charles Edward. the “Bonnie Prince” himself. This glass has only the classic single opening bud. surely then this must post date the death of the old pretender as it has no second closed bud. The first theorem also supports this postulate if the  absent second bud were to represent Prince Henry as he left “the cause” in 1757 for the catholic Church. This is a single bud in the truest sense. there is no rose. and if we are allowed to be sentimental rather than analytical for once could this be that the hope for the restoration to the crown of England was gone?

Insects are a common feature on Jacobite glasses. moths and butterflies in particular. This is a lacewing or crane fly. but it is representative of the same belief that a scotsman who should meet his demise abroad will take the “low road” and return to the homeland via a subterranean route. Moths. butterflies and crane flies all pupate below ground.

To summarise. this glass adheres to both interpretations of  roses on Jacobite glasses. The single rose bud has no associated rose. we have not seen this before . however this does comply with both theories in thst Henry would not be represented after his departure and Old pretender after his death and the glass is contemporary.

English lead. no chips cracks or restoration. it measures 5 ¾ inches tall with a 2 inch foot and 2 9/16 inch foot.