Pontil (punty)
A pontil, also called a punty, is a metal rod used to hold a glass object during manufacture. The Corning Museum of Glass describes a solid rod usually attached to the base with a small gather of hot glass. Its removal can leave an irregular or ring-shaped scar.
Different from a blowpipe
Distinguish this tool from the hollow glassblower’s blowpipe that introduces air into the glass. The names describe different functions. A possible attachment scar on an object is evidence of a working process, not automatically a signature or manufacturer’s stamp.
What can a mark tell us?
Photograph the whole base and take a close view with light from the side. Describe the mark’s position, shape and surface without treating it as a secure date. Dating and workshop attribution also require comparison of form, workmanship and documented provenance. Do not grind away an irregularity simply to improve a collectible’s appearance before it has been assessed. Consider whether the feature is genuinely an attachment scar or later damage.
Corning Museum of Glass: Pontil
Corning Museum of Glass: Blowpipe
