A syllabub glass, made during the 17605, usually held a lemon-flavored dessert or drink of the same name. The twist to the right of the top of this glass indicates that its creator was a right-handed glass blower. The miniature glass pitcher and bowl shown here arouse curiosity when their origin and purpose can’t be traced. Just about everything created during the 18th century served a purpose. Lancaster Fafrfmg yWfZt/4p€€&& Above, Richard Pencek of Lemont, Centre County, lines up three thumpers and two firing glasses, named for the sound their base made against a tavern’s wooden tabletop presumably to get the barmaid’s attention for a refill. An 18th century glassmaker took time to paint a beautiful bird on the glass mug Pencek holds. Glassware Collector Preserves Fragile Pieces of History GAIL STROCK Mifflin Co. Correspondent LEMONT (Centre Co.) “It’s hard to believe anything like this could survive,” Richard Pencek says, lifting a very fragile, light weight clear-glass drinking vessel that was handblown in the 1700 s. “It amazes me that it was so util itarian. They used it in everyday life and in taverns. That it sur vived is pretty remarkable.” Pencek holds in his hand a rare piece of Stiegel glass made in one of Pennsylvania’s first “glass house manufactories” lo cated near Manheim, Lancaster County, and owned by glassmak er Henry William Stiegel. The rare glass is part of Pen cek’s collection of lipped bowls, air-twist cordials, paneled flips, bow-and-garland wine glasses, twisted champagne glasses, stop pered decanters, and fluted rins ers, many beautifully engraved or intricately painted. Almost all, whether made in Germany or America, were used in Pennsyl vania. Pencek teaches Early Pennsyl vania Decorative Arts and Furni ture at Penn State and applies his knowledge and expertise to wards collecting antiques from early American life. At his home in Lemont, he reaches for a glass mug that has painted on it a col orful peacock. “I’m fascinated with the his torical aspect. It’s remarkable that they took all that time on a drinking vessel. I’m fascinated also because it’s 18th century, and we were doing some amazing things at that time, like getting ready for war. It took a lot of Lancaster Farming, Saturday, February 3,2001-823 luck for this to have survived. The drinking glass was made so light. It could have been broken when washing it.” Like all antiques, antique glassware gives us a glimpse of what life might have been like two centuries ago. The 1760 glass vessel called a flip held an alco holic drink made from eggs and sugar. “Before the Revolution, we av eraged 3.5 gallons per person per year. After the Revolution, we were 4.0 per person. Either life was hard or the food bad,” Pen cek speculates. Maybe both. Nev ertheless, glassmakers created works of art by carefully painting on them foliage, animals, and/or human figures or engraving loop and lattice patterns, tulips, or baskets. “A lot of the painted glassware Air-twist cordials, made in 1700, held anything to en lighten one’s spirit, such as wine or brandy. The left one features a tulip top. came from Germany. As for col lectibility, foliage is “C” level, an imals “B” level, and figures “A” level. The pieces with animals and human figures painted on them are more rare. They’re the hardest to come by.” Pencek chooses his antiques according to preference and in trigue. “For me, there’s aesthetic and historical value. How did it fit into history, the lifestyles, for ex ample, of the Quakers or Penn sylvania Germans?” To find answers, Pencek reads and challenges his students in class. He’s grown to appreciate the network of friends who share his passion for preserving these very fragile pieces of history, making the search for answers as fascinating as the antiques them selves.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers