GLASS DRINKING VESSELS

Glass was made at Jamestown in 1608-09, and again in 1621-24. It was, in
all probability, the first commodity made by the English in a "factory"
in the New World. Many glass fragments were found at the furnace site,
but none was large enough to reveal what specific glass objects were
made there. It appears that drinking glasses may have been among the
items manufactured.

The majority of the glass drinking vessels unearthed at Jamestown were
made in England, although a few were manufactured in Germany, Italy, and
the Low Countries. In the collection are fragments from goblets,
beakers, bowls, and wineglasses. Four of the English wineglass stems
bear makers' seals, rare marks seldom found on English drinking vessels.


GLASS WINE AND GIN BOTTLES

These comprise a large and important part of the Jamestown collection.
Literally thousands of glass fragments from these bottles have been
unearthed, and by diligent and patient work a few complete wine and gin
bottles have been pieced together.

The glass wine bottles were made in England. The oldest excavated, made
between 1640 and 1660, have spherical bodies and tall necks. Those made
between 1660 and 1680 have cup-shaped bodies with short necks. Of the
period between 1680 and 1700 the neck is very short and the body is wide
and squat. Insofar as is known, no glass wine bottles were used at
Jamestown before 1640.