The two major stem types in this period, mould blow stems and cigar stems, represent the two most enduring of 17thC glass styles, apparently in production since the end of the 16th C. Virtually all are made from glass tinted green or grey due to the presence of impurities in the mixture. Excavated fragments often display iridescence. Early clear glasses do exist, but are only encountered rarely, since they represent the 'luxury' high-priced end of the market. These often occur with finely moulded features; probably Venetian imports. The two-stems seem to embody the split in British society, the mould blown stems being the ornate 'Cavalier' design compared with the plain-functional 'Roundhead' design of the cigar stems. Remains of these glasses are found on civil-war sites of the 1640s (both types occurring on most sites) and 'Fire-of-London' sites of 1666. As their name suggests mould blown stems (type 1) were formed by blowing into a two-part mould. The most common motif was a lion-mask. Some mould blown stems display traces of surface gilding. At least one glass has been found with a 'Greene' type bucket bowl with a moulded basal cordon. This presumably is a later glass. See classification for further details mould-blown stems.
The cigar stems (type 2) are also hollow, but usually thicker and more robust than moulded stems. Some early versions have pronounced vertical ribbing and a few (later) stems have wrythen moulding There is one known example with metal foil inside. Unlike the mould-blown stems, cigar stems were suited to the new crystalline glasses introduced c1670. One example has survived made from this kind of glass. See classification for further details cigar stems.
A squat version of the cigar stem is taken as being a separate type (type 3), since it marks the beginning of the inverted baluster shape that runs through English glass designs in both the 17th & 18th C. An almost complete example is illustrated (Dent 81). See classification for further details squat cigars.
Probably the rarest type from this period is one with a central 'melon knop in the stem. They bridge the gap between the earlier stems and the later designs of John Greene, giving almost a continuum of development. Fourteen of the sixteen recorded examples come from London and the other two from the south east, indicating the likely place of manufacture. See classification for further details type 4: melon-knopped stems. The last group in this period is serpent stem glasses. here the stems are made from coiled hollow or solid threads, hence the resemblence to a serpent. See classification for further details type 5: serpent stems.
Bowls were blown very thin, typically around 0.5-0.6mm thick at the rim. Decorated bowls are quite common, with trailing, reed moulding or dimple moulding. Feet were also blown thinly and usually have folded rims, although plain-edged feet have been found infrequently. A number of stems show traces of period repairs, the most usual kind being a lead 'cage' made to fit over knops or collars at the top of the stem. The largest number found were from the site of an inn and thus repairing may have been a practice restricted to inn owners.
Non-stemmed drinking glasses, such as beakers have not yet been split-up by period, but their classification can be found at beaker.htm