Firing Glass

Drinking glasses such as this example with short, heavy stems and thick foot rims were made to withstand pounding on tabletops in response to successive rounds of toasts. The resulting noise was reminiscent of gunshots or "firing." The engraved decoration on this example features a memorial urn and oval reserve with the initial "W," probably a tribute to George Washington, whose cherished memory would have been the subject of many enthusiastic toasts.