Mill-glass
- Place of origin:
- Date:
- Artist/Maker:
- Materials and Techniques:
Blown glass, diamond-point engraved and with silver mount
- Credit Line:
Wilfred Buckley Collection
- Museum number:
- Gallery location:
Medieval and Renaissance, room 62, case 11
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In the 16th century, drinking games were popular in many European countries including the Netherlands. There, special objects were made to encourage alcohol consumption in a social and playful manner.
This goblet was specially crafted for such use. When the whistle is blown, both the windmill and the hands of the clock start turning. The drinker would have had to empty the entire contents of the glass before the windmill stopped turning. The price of failure would have been to drain the glass again, as many times as indicated by the clock.
The windmill mount of the goblet probably dates from around 1800 and must be a replacement for an earlier mount. Sometimes a goblet that had lost its foot was subsequently mounted in this manner. However, the engraving on the glass is stylistically contemporary with the glass itself and, since it is written so it can be read only when the glass is turned upside down, it appears that the glass was always intended to be fitted with a mount.
Physical description
Glass bowl on a ribbed knop to which is attached a silver mount, bearing the hallmark for Dordrecht. The glass is engraved with a diamond point with scrolls and the inscription: 'CONCORDE EN VNITE'.
Place of Origin
Holland (probably, made)
Date
ca. 1570 (made)
Artist/maker
Unknown (production)
Materials and Techniques
Blown glass, diamond-point engraved and with silver mount
Marks and inscriptions
'CONCORDE EN VNITE' Concord in Unity
Hallmark for Dordrecht.
Dimensions
Height: 23.2 cm, Diameter: 8 cm, Weight: 0.18 kg
Object history note
The mount probably dates from around 1800 and must be a replacement for an earlier mount. The engraving on the glass is stylistically comtemporary with the glass itself and, as it is written so it can be read only when the glass is turned up side down, it appears that the glass was always intended to be fitted with a mount.
Historical context note
This goblet was used for a popular drinking game. When the whistle is blown, both the windmill and the hands of the clock start turning. The user would have to drink the entire contents of the glass before the windmill stops turning. If he does not succeed, he will have to drain the glass again, as many times as is indicated by the clock on the windmill. As a result, most contestants will sooner or later end up completely drunk.
Descriptive line
Mill-glass with silver mount, probably Holland, 1550-1650
Bibliographic References (Citation, Note/Abstract, NAL no)
Chambon, R., L'Histoire de la verrerie en Belgique de IIme siecle a nos jours, Brussels 1955, p. 314, pl. XI fig. 39
Our piece is illustrated
Buckley, W. , The Art of Glass, London 1939, p. 268, no. 362
Our piece is illustrated
Production Note
Tony North 16-12-1992: mount prob. c19th, around 1800; Cf. glass dated 1570 of similar shape and decoration, but with original glass finial, in the Museum für Kunsthandwerk, Frankfurt am Main. ( M. Bauer 1975 = C. und M. Pfoh-stiftung, p. 24, cat. 32 and also Buckley, Diamond engraved glasses..., London 1929 pl. 14-15). The ribbed hollow knob is similar, as are distinctive features of the engraved decoration. The inscription on the Frankfurt glass is: "AMOR VINCIT OMNYA Ao 1570" (see: F.G.A.M. Smit, Line-engraved glass, Peterborough 1994, nrs 67.
Categories
Glass; Drinking
Collection code
CER
