Jim Peake
Head of Department
Lot 32
A rare inscribed airtwist wine glass of American interest, mid 18th century
5 June 2019, 10:30 BST
London, KnightsbridgeSold for £1,785 inc. premium
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Fergus Gambon
Director
A rare inscribed airtwist wine glass of American interest, mid 18th century
Of drawn trumpet shape with a multiple spiral airtwist stem and folded foot, the bowl neatly inscribed in upper case 'JEFFERSON OR GOD', 16.8cm high
Footnotes
Provenance
British private collection
The inscription possibly refers to the unconventional religious views of Thomas Jefferson and his opposition to any form of State-sponsored Church.
As a Christian, Jefferson believed in Christ's moral teachings but he rejected the Divinity of Jesus. He also rejected the validity of the biblical miracles. He was a strong advocate of the idea that government has no business in supporting one particular Church at the expense of others, nor should government coerce religious conformity.
Jefferson was one of the main proponents of the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom, which was introduced in 1779 and finally adopted in 1786. This Statute brought an end to the official State Church in Virginia and to official support for it. It also guaranteed religious freedom for all faiths. It was an early manifestation of Jefferson's firm commitment to the principal of the separation of Church and State.
There would have been opposition to Jefferson's ideas at the time, particularly from supporters of the Anglican Church. The inscription on this glass could possibly be a reference to this.
