K. P. C. de Bazel, servies H (tableware H) - Port glass, 1918

14.8 × 4.8 cm, V 86 d (KN&V)
COLLECTION Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen. Bequest of Mrs J. M. Pieters-Dunlop.
PHOTO The Visual Art Box, 2025

creation

making process

Material colourless glass, transparent
Technique mould blown
Hot working coloured glass, snipped drawn stem with an undulating form, and snipped-on foot shaped with a clapper

• making techniques K. P. C. de Bazel, servies H (tableware H) - Port glass, 1918

(art) history

P.M. Cochius (1874–1938) was director of the Leerdam Glass Factory (Glasfabriek Leerdam) around the time this glass was produced. In 1915, he commissioned De Bazel to design glasses and vases that were suitable for mass production without sacrificing elegance. De Bazel designed a number of drinking services, including Servies H(ygpa). Introduced in 1918, this set has the same curvature as the stem in Servies F, but features a flowing transition to the large rounded fluted bowl. The four tumblers and the eight stemmed glasses are almost equal in height. It was particularly difficult to achieve a smooth finish on the avolio at the junction between the bowl and the stem. De Bazel was strict about ensuring his designs were executed precisely. The rim of a wine glass can be finished in different ways.

conservation

research & diagnosis

technical analysis

visual examination

b.5 dust/dirt/stains, c.1 cloudy appearance, c.2 slippery surface and d.1 droplets: all on inside of bowl

IC analysis of ion concentrations on the surface

Low alkali concentrations on outer surface of the object.

• IC Form

pXRF analysis of the composition

Lead glass (crystal) containing barium. Establishing correlations with comparable objects generates more information in some cases, such as in the example below, where the spectra of V86d and V63e are placed side by side to highlight the close similarities and enable the minor differences to be observed.

• XRF Form

Previous treatments

The object was cleaned in 2013 with 4:1 mixture of demineralised water and ethanol. In 2023, droplets were again observed on the inside of the bowl.

Condition diagnosis

Condition (visual) poor
Condition (IC) likely unstable

A discrepancy therefore exists between the visual findings and IC analysis results. In this case, the object should also have been sampled on the inside. The sampling locations should be chosen by a conservator following a visual assessment of the object’s condition.

(Click on photos to enlarge)

advice & treatment

Suggestions for packaging, handling, storage and transport

Advice: record the vulnerabilities of this object in the (museum) documentation system and/or at the relevant location in the (museum) storage facility. Note that it is slippery and must be handled with care.

As of 2025, the object is not slippery on the outside. However, since the glass is very likely unstable, it should always be handled with care.

Keep the object in a separate cabinet with other unstable glass. Ensure the object is positioned so that its condition can be easily monitored and that it is readily accessible for inspection.

Suggestions for monitoring the environment and climate

Keep the object in a stable environment with minimal fluctuations in humidity and temperature. It is highly advisable to monitor both the condition of the object and the climatic conditions regularly to detect changes at an early stage and to analyse any links with the environmental conditions. The object is not suitable for loan.

Suggestions for treatment

Research indicates that the condition of the object is deteriorating. The concentration of ions on the glass surface has begun to rise again following a previous cleaning treatment. This deterioration is currently being investigated to devise specific cleaning strategies.
Cleaning the object is advisable because droplets on the surface contribute to further degradation.

Only a glass conservator can determine whether cleaning is desirable and feasible, which cleaning method to use and how to closely monitor the condition.
If undertaken, only a glass conservator should clean the glass.

Suggestions for further research

Further research into glass instability, particularly in relation to cleaning, and into the storage of unstable glass is urgently needed.