A minimum of table-glass sherds was recovered, and these were
fragmentary. Glass is scarcely mentioned in Mercer's accounts, although
there is no reason to suppose that Marlborough was any less well
furnished with fine crystal than with other elegant objects that we know
about. Three sherds of heavy lead glass have the thickness and contours
of early 18th-century English decanters, matching more complete
fragments from Rosewell and a specimen illustrated in plate 98a in
the Wine Trade Loan Exhibition catalog.[211] Two fragments are body
sherds; the third is from a lip and neck.
[Illustration: Illustration 46.--Clear-glass tumbler blown in a ribbed
mold (fig. 82b). Same size. (USNM 59.1864.)]
[Illustration: Illustration 47.--Octagonal cut-glass trencher salt (fig.
82a). Same size. (USNM 59.1830.)]
[Illustration: Figure 82.--GLASSWARE: a, cut-glass salt (ill. 47); b,
tumbler base (ill. 46); c, engraved sherds (ill. 45); d, tumbler and
wineglass sherds; e, part of candle arm (see p. 154); f, mirror
fragment; g, window glass; and h, medicine-bottle sherds.]
Several forms of drinking glasses are indicated. A fragment of a foot
from a long-stemmed cordial glass shows the termini of white-enamel
threads that were comprised in a double enamel-twist stem. The twists
consisted of a spiral ribbon of fine threads near the surface of the
stem, with a heavy single spiral at the core. The indicated diameter of
the foot is 3-1/4 inches (USNM 59.1761, ill. 43).
Fragments of large knops are 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
(USNM 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, varying in diameter,
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
1/4-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 1725. A curved 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 this glass, it all
derives without much question from the period of Mercer's occupancy of
Marlborough.