Page 48 - JOA_April20_ONLINE

by Jessica Kosinski
ANTIQUES PEEK
ANTIQUES PEEK

A Toast!

n many cases, collectible trends tend to change. The items someone quite a bit from its early days. Originally, the glass itself was
in his or her 20s or 30s may collect often vary greatly from those etched using some sort of abrasive process or material. Today, such
Icollected by someone in his or her 60s or 70s, for example. techniques (including acid etching) are still used, but mold etching
However, some collectibles stand the test of time, both due to general is also an option.
appeal and continued usefulness. Champagne glasses definitely fit that
category, especially since younger people are becoming increasingly Cut Glass
enamored with them lately. Let’s take a peek at the interesting world of Another type of antique champagne
antique champagne glasses. glass you may find is a cut glass example.
Cutting is similar to French Embossing,
except it was done using an abrasive
The History of Champagne Itself
Champagne is a drink many of us take for granted today. It is a wheel that cut a specific pattern into
favorite at special events, especially weddings, but it was not always the glass. The first known use of the
as prevalent. As such, neither were champagne glasses. In 1670, cut-glass technique was in 1761.
champagne was first enjoyed in England. It was brought there by Although the origin of the technique
Chevalier de Saint-Évremond. Soon, Charles II of England took a itself predates French embossing, both
liking to it, causing it to become popularized there. Eventually, the techniques were widely used during
trend of drinking champagne also spread here to the United States. overlapping periods. Therefore, even if
you identify the technique used, that in
and of itself is not an indicator of the age
The History of Champagne Glasses Six antique French champagne
Originally, there was no such thing as a champagne glass. Cider, of the champagne glass. glasses with red etched glass flutes
beer, and champagne were all consumed from the same glasses. Those
early glasses typically had simple shapes and very little sense of style Antique Champagne Glass Singles vs. Sets
or design, largely due to glassmaking problems of the time. Early Antique champagne glasses are popular today for many reasons.
glassmaking methods often left bubbles in the glass. They also did not For example, real estate agents
allow for the long-term manipulation of the glass. Therefore, there was often try to find them in sets
no time to embellish them before the glass hardened. to stage dining tables for house
George Ravenscroft invented lead glass in 1864. Lead glass is often showings. Similarly, you may want
mistakenly called “crystal” because of its ability to refract light. to find one or more full sets of
That light refraction was particularly noticeable in the candlelight them if you host a lot of formal
common to the time period and quickly made it a favorite. It was also dinner parties. However, if your
much easier to manipulate than earlier glass and left more room for style is more casual, do not rule out
creativity and design development. collecting such glasses. They can
still add a lot of décor and fun to
your home. You might just want to
Flutes vs. Coupes
The champagne flute was developed consider collecting single antique
along with other wine stemware in glasses, rather than sets. Doing so is
the early 1700s. A flute is designed to an inexpensive and fun hobby. It
concentrate the champagne bubbles. Its can also give each of your guests
long stem also helps with temperature his or her own unique glass to use
control because your hands do not at parties. Six antique French Baccarat
come in contact with the wine. This champagne flutes
quickly became the favored glass for How to Collect Antique Champagne Glasses
drinking sparkling wine as materials for To collect antique champagne glasses, you need to do some
drinking vessels shifted from metal and homework. Make sure you peruse some antique glass buying guides and
ceramic to glassware. do not be afraid to ask questions. You must also weigh the merits of
18th Century Georgian opaque One of the convenience with the ability to self-assess your
twist champagne flute c. 1760 earliest champagne purchase. For instance, you might find a so-called
glass designs used antique champagne glass set available for sale
in the U.S. was the coupe. A coupe is a compara- online. Verifying it actually is truly an antique, is
tively short glass with a wide bowl. Champagne a complete set, and in top condition can be
experts agree the style allows you to enjoy the difficult. Having such fragile glassware shipped
flavor of the champagne more, which is one reason can also be risky, even if the listing is accurate.
it is a popular style to this day. By contrast, hunting for antique champagne
glasses locally gives you the chance to make sure
each glass is not chipped or damaged and is exactly
French Embossing
A common early technique for decorating as expected. Visiting local flea markets and antique
champagne glasses was French embossing. That shops allows you to experience the thrill of the
technique is still used today, but it is commonly hunt and the ability to socialize and sometimes to
known as etching. The process has also changed Edwardian champagne glasses with etching haggle for the best deal.

Jessica Kosinski has been a freelance writer specializing in writing short articles for 15 years. She is also an avid collector of both antique books and Star Wars memorabilia. Although she is not in the
antiques industry professionally, she has learned a lot about antiques over the years by periodically helping out at her mom’s antiques shop in Greenville, NH. She currently balances maintaining the
antiques shop’s Facebook page, www.facebook.com/MallofNE, and working on various freelance writing assignments. She can be reached at dementorskiss77@yahoo.com.
46 Journal of Antiques and Collectibles