What is a pontil on blown glass?

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A pontil mark or punt mark is the scar where the pontil, punty or punt was broken from a work of blown glass. The presence of such a scar indicates that a glass bottle or bowl was blown freehand, while the absence of a punt mark suggests either that the mark has been obliterated or that the work was mold-blown.

How do you tell if glass is blown or molded?

Bubbles can appear in both blown and molded glass vases. Bubbles in blown glass will not be consistent in color or size. Blown glass will also capture various strands of colors. Bubbles and colors in molded glass will appear more uniform.

What is an open pontil mark?

Blowpipe (“Open”) Pontil This type of pontil mark – which was also called the “ring pontil” – was formed when a hollow blowpipe was used as the pontil rod, is at least as common on American made bottles as the glass tipped pontil mark (Boow 1991).

How can you tell how old glass is?

Marks At The Base. The bottom of the glass bottle will tell you the most about its age.
Visible Seams. In the last hundred and fifty years, most of the glass bottles were produced by blowing molten glass into a mold.
Mouth.
The Shape Of The Top.
Embossed Markings.
Color.

How can you tell if something is hand blown?

How to distinguish between hand-blown glassware and machine-made glassware?

shape. Mpg’s top diameter is larger than bottom.
Thickness and transparent degree. Mpg’s thickness is around 3–5mm while Mbg is 1–2mm.
Top rim and bottom marks and glass finish. Mpg: top rim is smooth and regular.
Weight.

Does Blenko glass have a mark?

Blenko glass does not possess any maker’s marks or identification stickers.

Does hand blown glass have seams?

Hand blown glass has some tell tell characteristics as well! You will not find a seam on these pieces, however you may find a “rod mark” at the underside of the piece from where it was removed from the rod it was created using.

Does hand blown glass have bubbles?

Bubbles appear in the glass because it is blown glass. The shapes are formed literally with the craftsmen’s breath. Bubbles are part of the charm of a hand-blown piece and add character to each glass.

What is a ground pontil?

The pontil, or punty, is a solid metal rod that is usually tipped with a wad of hot glass, then applied to the base of a vessel to hold it during manufacture. It often leaves an irregular or ring-shaped scar on the base when removed. This is called the “pontil mark.”

How can I tell how old a bottle is?

Embossed Markings Missing letters, uneven spacing, or other embossing errors provide clues to a bottle’s age. Specifically, collectible Coca Cola bottles and milk bottles often include letters or marks that indicate the bottle’s source. These marks may be useful in learning how old the bottle is.

Do bubbles in glass mean it’s old?

Bubbles in old glass bottles and windows are actually air pockets that became trapped during the manufacturing process. Crude glass almost always contains bubbles, which often adds to its appeal and value among collectors.

What is a pontil mark on glass?

What causes a glass tipped Pontil to break off?

The most likely answer is that the center of the glass tipped pontil rod fused to the hot base of the bottle leaving behind the iron oxide typical of a iron pontil scar along with scattered fragments of glass typical of a glass tipped pontil scar.

How do you use pontil marks?

Pontil mark. Where the base of the work is sufficiently heavy, the entire natural base can be sawed or ground flat. Where the base of the work is concave, after the punt has been broken from the work, the punt may be used to attach a small gather of hot glass over the punt scar, into which a maker’s mark is impressed.

What is a glass tip pontil scar?

The glass tipped pontil scars are usually about the same diameter of the orifice or upper neck of the bottle – like the blowpipe pontil scar which is discussed next – but for reasons unknown (unlike the blowpipe pontil scar which is explained next).