goblet

Filigree decoration originated at Murano in the 16th century and quickly spread to other parts of Europe. In this covered goblet, twisted canes of white glass encased in colorless glass alternate with plain white canes. These canes were arranged in a rectangular form and fused in the furnace to create a sheet of striped glass. The sheet was picked up on a disk of molten glass attached to the blowpipe, rolled up into a cylinder, and closed at the end to form an elongated bubble. This bubble was then divided into separate sections, from which the foot, knop (a small knob in the stem of a glass vessel), bowl, and matching lid were fashioned. A team of skilled craftsmen collaborated on such vessels, which were made in a great variety of twisted cane and network patterns. Filigree glass remained popular for more than 200 years.