Are they all really crystal hilted

Jens Nordlunde · 10th March 2010, 02:56 PM

Thank you for the answers.

I don’t know when the Belgians were supposed to exported glass hilts to India, and I don’t even know if the export was big – all I have is what I read in a book long ago, and I don’t even know the title of the book.

What I would like to know is, if others have come across any information’s of this kind, or maybe someone can show us a picture of one of these hilts as I have never seen one.

VANDOO · 10th March 2010, 07:58 PM

I HAVE NOT PERSONALLY READ ANYTHING ABOUT GLASS HILTS SO CAN BE OF NO HELP THERE.

BUT HAVE WORKED WITH GLASS A LITTLE AND CAN SAY IT CAN BE CARVED OR POURED INTO A MOLD TO FORM THE DESIRED SHAPE. A GOOD GLASS WORKER CAN ALSO FASHON AN ACCEPTABLE HANDLE BY HAND WITH A LITTLE GRINDING AND POLISH TO FINISH UP.
FOR A PRESENTATION OR CEREMONIAL DRESS DAGGER OR SWORD GLASS WOULD BE FINE BUT AS MENTIONED FRAGLE. GLASS WOULD HAVE AN ADVANTAGE OVER NATURAL CRYSTAL IN THAT IT COULD BE MADE IN ANY SIZE AND COLOR DESIRED WITH GARANTEED CLARITY IF SO DESIRED. INCLUSIONS , BUBBLES ECT . COULD ALSO BE ADDED.
PERHAPS A LOOK AT THE GLASS INDUSTRYS HISTORY IN VINICE ITALY MIGHT TURN UP SOME INFO, THEY HAVE BEEN MASTERS FOR A VERY LONG TIME. I WOULD BE SURPRIZED IF GLASS HANDLES HAVE NOT BEEN MADE IN SEVERAL COUNTRYS IN THE PAST. TAKE A LOOK AT THE OLD POSTS (ACRHIVES) ON PHIA KAETTA SOME OF THEM HAD CRYSTAL HANDLES, I HOPE THE PICTURES ARE STILL THERE.

kronckew · 10th March 2010, 08:05 PM

glass can also be tempered and hardened, some 'alloys' are quite tough.

the connection of the grip to the blade with a teeny tiny tang and that habaki style bolster does not look suitable for a weapon designed to be actually used, but it does look nice.

Lew · 10th March 2010, 08:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kronckew

glass can also be tempered and hardened, some 'alloys' are quite tough.

the connection of the grip to the blade with a teeny tiny tang and that habaki style bolster does not look suitable for a weapon designed to be actually used, but it does look nice.

I think this was more a status piece for the rich it was not ment for combat. One oops

and the hilt would shatter.

Jens Nordlunde · 10th March 2010, 09:33 PM

Thank you for the answers, I too believe that a dagger like the one shown was a court piece, and not meant for battle.

Vandoo is right, the Italians were working with glass for centuries, but so were the Belgians.

Kronckew is right, glass can be made very hard, but what we don’t know is, did they know this technique then?

kronckew · 10th March 2010, 11:34 PM

i seem to recall seeing a venetian cup hilt rapier where the cup was made out of glass.

...or was that in a bond film

Jens Nordlunde · 11th March 2010, 11:50 AM

From the answer on this thread, the number of glass hilts seem to be smaller than I had thought - or maybe the hilts have not been tested.

10th March 2010, 02:56 PM	#1
Jens Nordlunde Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Europe Posts: 2,718	Thank you for the answers. I don’t know when the Belgians were supposed to exported glass hilts to India, and I don’t even know if the export was big – all I have is what I read in a book long ago, and I don’t even know the title of the book. What I would like to know is, if others have come across any information’s of this kind, or maybe someone can show us a picture of one of these hilts as I have never seen one.

10th March 2010, 07:58 PM	#2
VANDOO (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: OKLAHOMA, USA Posts: 3,138	I HAVE NOT PERSONALLY READ ANYTHING ABOUT GLASS HILTS SO CAN BE OF NO HELP THERE. BUT HAVE WORKED WITH GLASS A LITTLE AND CAN SAY IT CAN BE CARVED OR POURED INTO A MOLD TO FORM THE DESIRED SHAPE. A GOOD GLASS WORKER CAN ALSO FASHON AN ACCEPTABLE HANDLE BY HAND WITH A LITTLE GRINDING AND POLISH TO FINISH UP. FOR A PRESENTATION OR CEREMONIAL DRESS DAGGER OR SWORD GLASS WOULD BE FINE BUT AS MENTIONED FRAGLE. GLASS WOULD HAVE AN ADVANTAGE OVER NATURAL CRYSTAL IN THAT IT COULD BE MADE IN ANY SIZE AND COLOR DESIRED WITH GARANTEED CLARITY IF SO DESIRED. INCLUSIONS , BUBBLES ECT . COULD ALSO BE ADDED. PERHAPS A LOOK AT THE GLASS INDUSTRYS HISTORY IN VINICE ITALY MIGHT TURN UP SOME INFO, THEY HAVE BEEN MASTERS FOR A VERY LONG TIME. I WOULD BE SURPRIZED IF GLASS HANDLES HAVE NOT BEEN MADE IN SEVERAL COUNTRYS IN THE PAST. TAKE A LOOK AT THE OLD POSTS (ACRHIVES) ON PHIA KAETTA SOME OF THEM HAD CRYSTAL HANDLES, I HOPE THE PICTURES ARE STILL THERE.

10th March 2010, 08:05 PM	#3
kronckew Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Room 101, Glos. UK Posts: 4,215	glass can also be tempered and hardened, some 'alloys' are quite tough. the connection of the grip to the blade with a teeny tiny tang and that habaki style bolster does not look suitable for a weapon designed to be actually used, but it does look nice.

10th March 2010, 09:33 PM	#5
Jens Nordlunde Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Europe Posts: 2,718	Thank you for the answers, I too believe that a dagger like the one shown was a court piece, and not meant for battle. Vandoo is right, the Italians were working with glass for centuries, but so were the Belgians. Kronckew is right, glass can be made very hard, but what we don’t know is, did they know this technique then?

10th March 2010, 11:34 PM	#6
kronckew Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Room 101, Glos. UK Posts: 4,215	i seem to recall seeing a venetian cup hilt rapier where the cup was made out of glass. ...or was that in a bond film

11th March 2010, 11:50 AM	#7
Jens Nordlunde Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Europe Posts: 2,718	From the answer on this thread, the number of glass hilts seem to be smaller than I had thought - or maybe the hilts have not been tested.