Italian Louis XVI Style Water Goblets with Gold Rim, 1970s, Set of 6

Refined and precious Italian blown glass water goblets; the set consists of six pieces; the bowl of each glass was barrel-blown, then the craftsman manually hot-attached the stem and base; once cooled, the glass was ground on both the bowl and stem; a fine pure gold rocaille process was then applied to the rim using the gold leaf technique; this is laid on the surface of the glass coated with fondant, the decorator etches the leaf with the desired design and removes the excess parts; the whole is fixed to the glass indelibly by annealing in the furnace. A simpler gilding was also done on the edge of the base.

The glasses were created between 1970 and 1974 by master glassmakers in a small workshop in Montelupo (Empoli-Tuscany, Italy). We purchased the glasses directly from the glassworks, along with other items that were part of the display shortly before the workshop closed in 1998.

Empoli and its surroundings are a very important reality in the field of glass production in Italy. The various stages of processing are activities of economic importance, involving numerous companies from small to large present in the area. Of great importance is the artistic production of glass, both handmade and blown intended for furniture and tableware. The first glassworks was established in Montelupo, towards the end of the 18th century, and a few years later it was the turn of the first glass factory in Empoli. Later, between the second half of the 1800s and the early 1900s, other glass industries sprung up, especially in Empoli, taking advantage of the new communication routes, which made it possible to transport the products made to various parts of Tuscany and Italy. The artisanal and manual technique in the production of glass in Empoli, combined with the ancient tradition, had in a short time a great commercial success and an enormous artistic-cultural impact that lasts to this day.

The glasses are in excellent condition in fact they were part of an exhibition, so never used. Measurements diameter cm.8 height cm.19.