“Knotsbeker” Glass

This handmade glass is a reproduction of a 16th-century Dutch knotsbeker, also known as knotsglas, a characteristic drinking vessel from the early Renaissance period in the Low Countries.

Based on archaeological finds from historical urban sites in the Netherlands, knotsbekers were commonly used everyday drinking glasses in the first half of the 16th century. They were typically made from greenish forest glass (woudglas), a material produced in small-scale glass workshops using traditional wood-fired furnaces.

The defining feature of this type of glass is the applied spiral of molten glass thread wrapped around the body. In historical examples, this trailing decoration appears in either clear or coloured glass and is believed to have served both decorative and practical purposes, such as reinforcing grip or marking the vessel’s surface.

Each glass is individually mouth-blown and hand-finished, resulting in natural variations in shape, thickness, and tone. Small air bubbles and subtle irregularities are characteristic of authentic forest glass production and reflect the handmade nature of both historical originals and modern reproductions.

This knotsbeker is ideal for historical reenactment, museum-inspired table settings, collectors of archaeological glassware, or anyone interested in early European drinking culture before the rise of refined stemware in the 17th century.

Features:
• Based on 16th-century Dutch archaeological finds
• Knotsglas / knotsbeker type drinking glass
• Handmade from green forest glass (woudglas style)
• Applied spiral glass-thread decoration
• Mouth-blown traditional production method
• Approx. capacity: (add your spec)
• Unique variations in each piece
• Suitable for historical use, display, or collection

Each glass is unique, reflecting the variability of early Renaissance glass production in the Low Countries.