The most important distinction between Irish glass and foreign
imitations is to be found in their colours, and in this respect it
is the early glass of Cork, Waterford, and Dublin that defies the
copyist more than any other. Its steel or grey-blue tone stands alone,
although, alas, imitations artificially coloured with thin cobalt and
ultramarine have been, and in all probability will continue to be, sold
as the genuine article. In the analysis of Irish glass there is no
trace of cobalt.
Some copies of an almost emerald green have changed hands in good
faith as Waterford glass. How could green be produced from lead oxide,
potash, soda, and silica?--for this is the analysis of an early piece
of Waterford "pot metal" glass of the dark grey hue.
=THE INCREASING POPULARITY OF IRISH GLASS=
The multitude of fakes on the market bears testimony to the increasing
demand for Irish glass.
During the last six years, those members of the public who have a
knowledge of glass have realised more and more the value of the genuine
Irish article, which, of course, is due to the fact that it cannot be
copied sufficiently well to deceive the connoisseur. The direct outcome
of this is a steady increase in the market value, and rare specimens,
which were made at from 25s. to £4, now readily fetch anything from
£10 to £400; in fact, a single piece sold recently for £750, and a
beautiful bowl passed through my hands at £550; while only a few months
ago a chandelier was sold at an Irish auction for £1,218.
Magnificent specimens of Irish glass have found their way into English
collections, as will be seen by the plates shown in this book.
Photographs of most of the well-known pieces in the Dublin Museum,
and in private Irish houses, have already been reproduced in various
publications; but the accompanying photographs are of exceptional
specimens, taken exclusively from _English_ collections, and a very
large number of them has passed through my own hands.