The multitude of fakes on the market bears testimony to the increasing demand for Irish glass.

During the last six years, those members of the public who have a knowledge of glass have realised more and more the value of the genuine Irish article, which, of course, is due to the fact that it cannot be copied sufficiently well to deceive the connoisseur. The direct outcome of this is a steady increase in the market value, and rare specimens, which were made at from 25s. to £4, now readily fetch anything from £10 to £400; in fact, a single piece sold recently for £750, and a beautiful bowl passed through my hands at £550; while only a few months ago a chandelier was sold at an Irish auction for £1,218.

Magnificent specimens of Irish glass have found their way into English collections, as will be seen by the plates shown in this book. Photographs of most of the well-known pieces in the Dublin Museum, and in private Irish houses, have already been reproduced in various publications; but the accompanying photographs are of exceptional specimens, taken exclusively from English collections, and a very large number of them has passed through my own hands.

EXPERIENCE ESSENTIAL.

It is absolutely impossible to become a sound judge of Irish glass without years of experience, and, above all, without the constant actual handling of pieces of all dates and descriptions, consequently the genuine Irish dealer who has lived amongst it all his life has a very great pull with regard to actual knowledge.

So many specimens were made to order, and were therefore of special shape and cutting, that it is very difficult for the uninitiated to recognise a piece as being of any certain factory or period, and he is naturally mystified when he tries to classify such pieces into more or less well-known categories. For instance, an ancestor of mine had in his possession an early deep coloured bowl, cover, and stand of exceptional quality, made about 1750. His son, in 1790, had it cut in "flat diamonds" (a cutting then much in vogue), the result being a specimen of early dark "wavy" glass, adorned with the beautiful cutting of forty years later, and this is only one instance of many which could be quoted.

IRISH GLASS SOLD ABROAD.

Great quantities of Irish glass were made, and the official Irish records show that large numbers of pieces were exported to America, Spain, Portugal, and the West Indies, etc. Many of our finest specimens were also taken to Holland, where they found a permanent home, and were extensively copied by the foreign glass-makers.

France was very keen on Irish glass, and I have unearthed there some very lovely and absolutely genuine specimens, especially wall-lights and chandeliers.

Needless to say, a very big trade was done by the glass-houses direct with old Irish families, who gave large orders for glass-ware, ranging from single pieces to complete table services, of which few records appear to have been kept.

UNCUT PIECES.

A large amount of Irish glass was made and put by, uncut, as Irish families (especially those who lived near the glass-houses) preferred to choose their own cuttings from drawings, so as to have something different from their neighbours. This accounts for the number of uncut pieces still to be found in various parts of Ireland, especially thick finger-bowls, which were, undoubtedly, made in great quantities to await orders.

THE ILLUSTRATIONS.

The following plates give some idea of the beautiful pieces of glass which have left Ireland, but there are magnificent specimens still there, which will probably never be placed on the market—pieces as poetic in design as their owners are in mind; pieces that will live for the sons and heirs to love and cherish with the many other treasures of Ireland's finest periods, long after Sinn Feiners have ceased their endeavours to destroy all that is best and loveliest in the old country.

At the time of writing this, I find an enormous amount of spurious "Irish" glass on the market, and I take this opportunity of warning all collectors and dealers (many of whom are my friends) to be exceedingly careful. It is essential that all lovers of Irish glass should keep their collections pure, and some of these fakes are so clever that dealers will have to exercise the greatest vigilance and care if they are to avoid the ignominy of having pieces which they have sold in good faith returned to them as "wrong." At the present time, all the best known dealers in Irish glass are trusted by their customers, and their advice is taken without question. It is in the best interests of their great profession that this sense of confidence should remain.

In conclusion, I should like to add that I hope this book—written, as it is, at the request of many lovers of Irish glass—may be a real help to the novice, and assist him to distinguish between the "true" piece and the forgery.