Glass Circle Diary Dates - Meetings

7.15pm Thursday 16th May - Simon Cottle - 'Glittering Prizes: English Privateer Glasses of the 18th Century'

For most collectors of wine glasses of the 18th century those engraved with English privateer ships are amongst the most sought. They are often treasured as much as the booty recovered by the vessels depicted on the glasses. The owners of these independent vessels had much to gain during the naval wars of the mid 18th century. In the spirit of the toasting etiquette of the period, glasses were raised to the health of the captains and their crews. Many of the ships sailed from Bristol and London.

Revealing a relatively consistent style to the engraving, the origins of these glasses are as yet generally unknown. The preponderance of ships sailing from ports where glass was regularly produced, however, strongly suggests a local source.

Stories of derring-do gives these objects a significance which lies beyond the superficially engraved ship portraits. Their commanders and captains, such as John Knill whose name appears on the popular Eagle frigate, were obviously held in high esteem.

A review and new assessment of these glasses will be offered in this lecture which celebrates a high point in a period of English marine history in the 18th century to rival that of the later Napoleonic Wars. From the Constantine to the Defiance, the romance of the privateers makes these glasses favourite conversation pieces.