Last post we looked at some of the most common types of stems, lady leg, circular both straight and flared, faceted, grooved and a less common style, stems with bubbles. Today let’s continue with some less common styles, twisted stems, stems with cubes and stems with birds.
Twisted Stems
Twisted stems always look so elegant! And they are far less common than many styles. Be aware that there are different methods to forming the twisted stem. Some pieces are formed by twisting separate glass filaments, these are likely the least common as the artisans would have required considerable skill, and molded or blow molded stems.
You can find photos of some Steuben Glass stems that have twisted filaments or twisted pockets of air inside the stem. As you can imagine these are exquisite.
Morgantown Stem 7664, which they used for Sunrise Medallion etch, looks to be made from twisting two filaments together before they cooled. I’ve seen this style but didn’t get photos. The stems appear delicate and so beautifully made. I’m in awe at the control the glass artisan had of his medium.
Molded twists are more common; here the glass is blown into a mold that presses the twist look into the stem. I have several to show you.
This contemporary stem turned out to be by Daum, the Orval pattern. It is clear crystal that looks superb with the thick twist shape.
Here is a close up of the Daum Orval stem. You can tell it is molded but shape is well done and attractive.
This next one has a crystal stem with a twist that is most noticeably twisted just under the amethyst bowl. It is very pretty. I never identified it but came across Sasaki Hawthorne when I was researching this post and that may be the correct name. (I do not have the stem in hand any more.)
I had several pieces of twisted stems that I never identified. Here is another with amber bowl and crystal twist stem.
Goblets and stemware were not the only items to have twisted stems. Often glass makers used similar styles to form comports, as with this Fostoria Line #2327 comport in Electric Blue. I bought it because I couldn’t resist the color or the twist!
Stems with Cubes in Them
There are other stems that have square-ish shapes but this one, Manor Rose by American Hostess is a most definite cube!
Bird Stems
Morgantown made stems with bird figurines, such as Old Crow and another with a big rooster. This neat stem from Libbey has a falcon in the stem.
Ball Stems
There are many stems that have small round spherical sections, knops actually, but here we look at some that are large, true spheres. Morgantown made the famous Golf Ball stems, which have big textured spheres in the stem, usually crystal with colored bowls, but there are others. I do not have photos any more of the contemporary stemware we had with big spheres.