1740 - 1760: Air twist stems
(1740 - 1760)
The air bubbles sometimes enclosed within the baluster stem developed into the highly decorative air twist stems. These were achieved by pricking the molten stem to create several bubbles, and then twisting the stem as it was drawn out to form long spiral threads of air. These types of glasses were known as 'wormed' in the eighteenth century. The introduction of the Glass Excise Act in 1746 imposed a tax on the materials used in making glass, and at the same time, glassmakers began to produce lighter styles of glassware, which were in keeping with the sinuous lines of the rococo period.Related objects
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