Kelkglas met het wapen van Tholen c. 1725 - 1750

This delicate glass, made by an anonymous maker, features the coat of arms of Tholen, a town in the Netherlands. Glassblowing is an ancient process that involves heating silica-rich sand until it becomes molten, and then inflating it with a blowpipe. The result is a material at once strong and fragile, and the maker clearly knew how to manipulate the medium. Notice the beautifully proportioned stem, which is made of alternating spheres and baluster shapes. But the most distinctive aspect is the engraved decoration. To achieve this, the glass would have been meticulously abraded with small rotating wheels, a skilled technique that required a good eye and a steady hand. Though unsigned, it’s a beautiful display of virtuosity. The clear material would have shown the contents of the glass, and proclaimed the wealth of its owner, someone deeply invested in civic pride. So while this may seem like a simple object, it embodies a complex relationship between material, making, and social status, expanding our appreciation beyond aesthetics alone.