On display
Image of Gallery in South Kensington

Beaker

1590-1650 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Tall cylindrical glass on a folded foot. The base is round and the top has been shaped by an octagonal clay form, which has been pushed in while the glass was still soft. The foot has been made by pushing in the lower part of the glass bubble, so it would fold double, thus creating a strong, sturdy base.

Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Clear green glass, blown, with blue spiral trails
Brief description
Beaker (Passglas), Netherlands, 1580-1650
Physical description
Tall cylindrical glass on a folded foot. The base is round and the top has been shaped by an octagonal clay form, which has been pushed in while the glass was still soft. The foot has been made by pushing in the lower part of the glass bubble, so it would fold double, thus creating a strong, sturdy base.
Dimensions
  • Height: 30.8cm
Styles
Gallery label
Passgläser have between 3 and 7 divisions marked sometimes with enamel, and sometimes, as in this example, with trailed threads. Each drinker at a gathering was expected to drink exactly to the next division or would have to continue until he did. Although this type of glass was very common for drinking beer in the late 16th and 17th century, only a few have survived.
Credit line
Given by Mr. G.H. Payne
Historical context
Drinking games were popular in many European countries including Germany and the Netherlands. There, special objects were made to encourage alcohol consumption in a social and playful manner. So called 'Passgläser' [measure glasses] have between 3 and 7 divisions marked sometimes with enamel, and sometimes, as in this example, with trailed threads. During a drinking game, each participant was expected to drink exactly to the next division or, failing this, he would have to continue to the next mark down, and so on. Although this type of glass was very common for drinking beer in the late 16th and 17th century, only a few have survived. A glass like this is shown on Rembrandts painting 'portrait of the painter with Saskia' in the Pinakothek in Dresden.
Production
Glasses like this are often illustrated in Dutch still-life paintings of the period. (see Bibl. Refs) The trails on 17th-century examples are usually less precisely executed that the ones on late 17th-century pieces.
Bibliographic references
  • Henkes, H.E., 'Het Achtkantig pijpglas', in: Antiek XXII (1987), no 2, pp. 85-88
  • Zecchin, L., Vetro e vetri di Murano, vol II, 1989, p. 56
  • Henkes, H.E., Glass without gloss: Utility glass from five centuries excavated in the Low Countries 1300-1800, Rotterdam Papers vol 9, 1994, pp. 157-161
Other number
8696 - Glass gallery number
Collection
Accession number
C.37-1958

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Record createdDecember 13, 1997
Record URL
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