illustrated in plate 98a in the Wine Trade Loan 

 Exhibition catalog;.-" Two fragments are bodyslicrds; 

 liic liiird is from a lip and neck. 



Several forms of drinking glasses are indicated. A 

 fragment of a foot from a long-stemmed cordial glass 

 chows the termini of white-enamel threads that were 

 somprised in a double enan^el-twist stem. The twists 

 consisted of a spiral ribljon of fine threads near the 

 surface of the stem, with a hea\y single spiral at the 

 core. The indicated diameter of the foot is 3% inches 

 (USNM 59.1761, ill. 43 j. 



Fragments of large knops arc probably from heavy 

 baluster wineglasses dating from Mercer's early period 

 before 1750. A. teardrop stem from a trumpet-bowl 

 wineglass has been melted past recognition in a fire. 

 The stem of a bucket-bowl cordial glass has suffered 

 in the same manner (US.XM 59.1607). Still with 

 their shapes intact are two stems and base sections of 

 bucket-bowl wineglass. Two engraved bowl sherds 

 from similar-shaped cordial glasses and a rim sherd 

 from another engraved piece are the only fragments 

 with surface decoration (USNM 59.1634, 59.1864, 

 ill. 45). Several sherds of foot rims, \arying in diam- 

 eter, were found, including one with a folded or 

 "welted" edge. 



Tumblers, depending on their sizes, were used for 

 strong spirits, toddy, flip, and water. The base and 

 body sherds of a molded tumbler from Marlborough 

 are fluted in quadruple ribs that are separated by 

 panels /^-inch wide (USNM 59.1864, fig. 82c, ill. 46). 

 Plain, blown tumbler bases have indicated diameters 

 of 3 inches. 



A few unusual, as well as more typical, forms are 

 indicated by the Marlborough glass sherds. One small 

 fragment comes from a large flanged cover, probably 

 from a sweetmeat bowl or a posset pot. A specimen 

 of more than usual interest is a pressed or cast cut- 

 glass octagonal trencher salt (USNM 59.1830, fig. 82a, 

 ill. 47). This artifact reflects silver and pewter salt 

 forms of about 1 725. A cur\ed section of a heavy glass 

 rod is apparently from a chandelier, candelabrum, or 

 sconce glass (USNM .59.1696, fig. 82e). We have seen 

 that Mercer, in 1748, bought "'1 superfine large gilt 

 Sconce glass." 



Although precise dates cannot be ascribed to any of 



2" Op. cit. (footnote 206), no. 244, p. (>6, pi. 68. 



this glass, it all derives without much question from 

 the period of Mercer's occupancy of Marlborough. 



MIRROR AND WINDOW GLASS 



VVe know from the ledgers that there were sconce 

 and looking glasses at Marlborough. Archcological 

 refuse supplies us with confirmation in pieces of clear 

 lead glass with slight sur\i\ing e\idence of the tinfoil 

 and mercury with which the backs originally were 

 coated. One piece (USNM 59.1693) has a beveled 

 edge ^s inch wide, characteristic of plate-glass wall 

 mirrors of the colonial period. A cur\ed groove on 

 this piece, along which the fracture occurred, is prob- 

 able evidence of engraved decoration. 



Window glass is of two principal types. One has a 

 pale-olive cast. A few fragments of this type ha\e 

 finished edges, indicating that they are from the 

 perimeters of sheets of crown glass and that Mercer 

 purchased whole crown sheets and had them cut up. 

 It may be assumed that this greenish glass is the oldest, 

 perhaps surviving from Mercer's early period. 



The other type is the more familiar aquamarine 

 window glass still to be found in 18th-century houses. 

 .\ large corner of a rectangular pane has the slightly 

 bent contour of crown glass, which is the English type 

 of window glass made by blowing great bubbles of 

 glass which were spun to form huge discs. The discs 

 sometimes were cut up into panes of stock sizes and 

 then shipped to America, or else were sent in whole 

 sheets, to be cut up by storekeepers here or to be sold 

 directly to planters and other users of window glass 

 in quantity. 



The centers of these sheets increased in thickness 

 and bore large scars where the massive pontil rods 

 which had held the sheets during their manipulation 

 were broken off. The center portions also were cut 

 into panes, which were used in transom lights and 

 windows where light was needed but a \icw was not. 

 Hence they ser\ed not only to utilize an otherwise 

 useless part of the crown-glass sheets, but also to 

 impart a decorative quality to the window. They are 

 still known to us as "bullseyes." A piece of a bullseye 

 pane of aquamarine glass occurs in the Marlborough 

 finds. The pontil scar itself is missing, but the thick 

 cur\ing sectioi> leaves little doubt as to its original 

 appearance. A similar fragment was found ;i! 

 Ro.scwell. 



154 



