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DISCOVERY IN COLONIAL AMERICAN GLASS; THE WISTAR THREADED MUG-

This tankard size mug has been an icon in American glass for over 70 years. The mug was owned by early pioneers in glass collecting like Melvin P Bullip and today can only be found in Museum collections (Corning Museum of Glass and the Issac Delgado Museum of Art. ) For many years scholars speculated over the possibility that the mug was a genuine product from the Wistar Glass Works.That perspective became more positive when an example of the mug was excavated in a privy at the home of Benjamin Franklin on Market street in Philadelphia; experts dated the mug about 1750. Another example was discovered some years back on Tindall island not far from Alloway creek. The real excitment came when pieces of the mug were purchursed in a group of fragments by Glass International, originally sold in the 1970's to Mr. Norm Schleicher of Richwood NJ by Wistarberg property owner Mrs. Marich. The Marich family has owned the Wistar property since the 1920's and is the present owner. Years ago Mrs. Marich would collect pieces of glass from the field and would take the time and segragate them by color or form. She would then transfer pieces to old tin cans and sell them to visitors for the sum of $5.00. Individual pieces would range from twenty five cents to one dollar.

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Click on thumbnails to see larger photo

No. 1- Two Wistar threaded mugs, different colors, different size, Corning Museum collection.

 

 

 

 

 

No.2- 6 1/4" h. Wistar mug, with "arc" handle and thumb lug, threaded body, c.1750, collection of Anthony Picadio

 

 

 

 

 

 

No,3-Mug, and miniature Wistar creamer from the ex. collection of Anthony Picadio, currently in the collection of
Malcolm L Polis.

 

 

 

 

 

No.4- the entire curl of the mug, intact - handle curl found at Wistarberg, matching the curl on Threaded mug.

 

 

 

 

 

 

No.5- the corrugated handle-found at Wistarberg, compare to threaded mug handle.

 

 

 

 

 

 

No.6 & 7-the entire side of the mug- Found at Wistarberg, applied threading somewhat fused, almost an identical fit, remarkable find.

 

 

 

 

 

 

No.8- Gall pontil on large threaded mug.

 

 

 

 

 

 

No.9- Wistar childs mug, threaded body, hollow handle, c.1760-76, tubular pontil, collection of Malcolm L Polis

 

 

 

 

 

 

No.10-Childs mug hollow handle.