What does a Pontil mark look like? A pontil mark is a variable size and type of scar or roughage left on the base of a bottle by a pontil rod. A typical pontil rod (aka ponty, punty or punte) was a long (4-6 feet) rod which was securely attached to the base of the just blown hot bottle (Trowbridge 1870).
Full Answer
What is a pontil mark?
A pontil mark is a variable size and type of scar or roughage left on the base of a bottle by a pontil rod. A typical pontil rod (aka ponty, punty or punte) was a long (4-6 feet) rod which was securely attached to the base of the just blown hot bottle (Trowbridge 1870).
How can you tell the difference between shear marks and pontil marks?
Examine the pontil marks that appear to be real. These lines are typically rough and extend out in a ripple-like pattern. Shear lines may appear rough depending on the machine that created them, but they will run along the marble in thin lines that look like cracks in glass. Pontil marks are rounder and do not follow a pattern.
How do I know if my marble has a pontil mark?
Check for smooth lines or a single straight line that runs deep into the marble. Lines like this as well as smooth indents or bubbles do not indicate pontil marks found on handmade marbles. They are shear lines caused by machines and are not true pontil marks.
What should be the shape of a pontil scar?
That the scar itself be ring shaped, or approximately so. That the continuing surface within the ring be the same as the bottom of the bottle. That the enclosed surface exhibit the same surface characteristics as the surface outside the ring of the pontil scar.
What is a pontil mark on a bottle?
A pontil mark is a variable size and type of scar or roughage left on the base of a bottle by a pontil rod. A typical pontil rod (aka ponty, punty or punte) was a long (4-6 feet) rod which was securely attached to the base of the just blown hot bottle (Trowbridge 1870).
What does a rough pontil mark mean?
A pontil mark or punt mark is the scar where the pontil, punty or punt was broken from a work of blown glass. The presence of such a scar indicates that a glass bottle or bowl was blown freehand, while the absence of a punt mark suggests either that the mark has been obliterated or that the work was mold-blown.
What is a pontil mark on a marble?
All handmade glass marbles have at least one pontil mark on them. This mark shows where the creator broke the marble off the rod during its creation. Some creators leave the pontil as it is, while others attempt to grind or melt it down to hide its appearance.
What is a ground pontil?
A pontil, a solid metal rod usually tipped with hot glass, is applied to the base of a vessel to hold it while the mouth is being formed.
How do you tell if glass is hand blown?
Check the lip of the vase for a pinched area. A small pinched area around the lip of a vase indicates the spot where blown glass is removed from the blowing tube. Finding a pinched area at the lip or opening of the vase is a good indicator of blown glass.
How can you tell how old glass is?
Marks At The Base. The bottom of the glass bottle will tell you the most about its age. ... Visible Seams. In the last hundred and fifty years, most of the glass bottles were produced by blowing molten glass into a mold. ... Mouth. ... The Shape Of The Top. ... Embossed Markings. ... Color.
How can you tell a vintage marble?
How to identify antique marblesThe Pontil.Appearance.Pro Tip: If it looks like the color seems to have been applied over the glass base surface, the marble is modern.Centre Design.Quality of the Glass.Presence of Flaws.The Swirl Styled Marbles.More items...
How can you tell if marbles are antique collectible?
When it comes to glass, handmade antique marbles are most valuable. They can be easily identified because they have a tiny scar, or pontil mark, where they were cut from the glass rod while being made.
What is the rarest color of marbles?
Blue, pink, and green are rarer. Some are referred to as Melon Balls. Other opaque, pastel or translucent colors are even rarer. Single pontil marbles, either single-gather or end- of-cane are very rare.
Does all Murano glass have a pontil mark?
As the Murano glass articles are individually blown, they will have a mark at the bottom of the product. This mark is called 'pontil mark'. This is made by the rod which is used by the artisans to hold the articles while he shapes it. This is a sure sign that the article is hand blown.
Does blenko have a pontil?
“Except for the Water Bottle and a few forms, most Blenko will have a fire polished pontil.”
What is the Murano glass mark?
The Pontil mark is a scar that was left behind when the glass master broke the Pontil rod of the finished blown Murano glasswork. The Pontil mark can be found on the bottom of a hand-blown artwork. Touch it with your finger and you can feel that the surface of the Pontil mark is not smooth.
What is a round pontil mark?
Round pontil marks with a slightly rough texture that are still fairly smooth indicate what is known as a ground pontil mark, according to Akron Marbles 1 ⭐. . After the marble was made, the creator ground the pontil mark down to create the slightly rough yet flat mark on the bottom.
What is the pontil mark on glass?
18 April, 2017. All handmade glass marbles have at least one pontil mark on them. This mark shows where the creator broke the marble off the rod during its creation. Some creators leave the pontil as it is, while others attempt to grind or melt it down to hide its appearance.
What are shear lines on marble?
Shear lines may appear rough depending on the machine that created them, but they will run along the marble in thin lines that look like cracks in glass. Pontil marks are rounder and do not follow a pattern.
How to tell if marble is machine made?
This spot marks the bottom of the marble and shows where the creator broke the marble from the rod after creation was complete. Determine how rough the area feels, and examine it to see what types of marks appear and what they look like. If the marble is completely smooth, it was machine made and has no pontil marks.
What does it mean when a marble is smooth?
If the marble is completely smooth, it was machine made and has no pontil marks. Check for smooth lines or a single straight line that runs deep into the marble. Lines like this as well as smooth indents or bubbles do not indicate pontil marks found on handmade marbles. They are shear lines caused by machines and are not true pontil marks.
What is a pontil mark?
Pontil scar on the base of a free-blown glass bowl. A pontil mark or punt mark is the scar where the pontil, punty or punt was broken from a work of blown glass. The presence of such a scar indicates that a glass bottle or bowl was blown freehand, while the absence of a punt mark suggests either ...
How many pontil marks are there in enamelled glass?
In older enamelled glass there are often two pontil marks, indicating that the piece has been in the furnace twice, before and after the enamels were added.
