The Parks Canada Glass Glossary: For the Description of Containers, Tableware, Flat Glass, and Closures

Janet Arnett is the former campus manager of adult education at Ontario’s Georgian College. She is the author of Antiques and Collectibles: Starting Small, The Grange at Knock, and 673 Ways to Save Money.

This is a technical guide intended to standardize the cataloguing of glass artifacts excavated at archaeological sites. It is primarily a textbook and authority for archaeology technicians or students; yet anyone who has ever picked up a glass shard in a plowed field or purchased an old bottle at a flea market will be fascinated by this wealth of information on glass.

The glossary covers bottles, tableware, lamps, closures (lids, stoppers), and flat glass (windows, mirrors) and is a good overview of the type of glass artifacts being unearthed at Canadian digs. It covers French, British, and American glass — most glass in use in early Canada was imported — as well as that produced by nineteenth century Canadian factories.

The book is very generously illustrated with clear line drawings and black-and-white photos. The detailed yet readable text covers types of glass (soda-lime, potash-lime, potash-lead, etc.), the colors of early glass, surface textures, manufacturers’ marks, manufacturing techniques (mouth blown, the various moulds, machine made, etc.), decorative techniques, patterns, and much, much more. Bottle collectors, antique collectors, and anyone with an interest in Canada’s material and social history will find the work a treasure trove.

The large body of information is well organized, subdivided into small units for easy access. Although the approach is all business, the clarity of the writing and the large number of illustrations prevent it from being either dull or ponderous. It’s a work that will be welcomed by both the professional archaeologist and the amateur historian.