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Mercury glass was produced
in the United States, Bohemia (now the Czech Republic), Germany,
and England from around 1840 until the early 1930s although
its popularity significantly eroded at the turn of the century.
Mercury glass is sometimes referred to as silvered glass, glass
that was blown double walled and subsequently silvered between
the layers with a sterling silvering liquid solution and sealed.
Although elemental mercury was used to make mirrors in the early
years of production, it was never used in tableware and after
about 1860 was almost completely replaced by the use of silver
nitrate. Mercury glass will have some type of hole or opening
in the bottom base of a piece to allow the internal silver coating
to be poured in, and then it was sealed with a glass or metal
disk to prevent tarnishing of the silver within. Silvered mercury
glass was often intricately painted, enanameled, etched, and
engraved to create intricate, luxurious looks, but it was much
more affordable than true silver and as such was referred to
as "poor man's silver". Nevertheless, researchers
have cited mercury glass vases, goblets, and diverse range of
tableware to be one of the earliest examples of true art glass,
i.e. glass produced solely for the aesthetic value and not for
some everyday purpose. Designs could be quite large and elaborate,
so they were often seen in public institutions such as alter
candlesticks in churches. Mercury glass was first patented in
England in 1849, and the first U.S. patent was registered in
1855. Some U.S. mercury glass was made and marked by the New
England Glass Company, while English mercury glass is sometimes
marked E. Varnish & Co or F. Hale Thomson.
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