pontil
1
9.9
A rough mark on the bottom of hand-blown glass where a rod breaks off
- noun
- /ˈpɒntɪl/
- Specialized
:
marca de puntero
- To identify hand-blown glass, look for the characteristic pontil mark left from the glass-blowing process.
Examples
-
The cute little pontil scar measured one cubic centimeter, the same, on average, as the human navel that it resembled.
Fiction book (1990) -
The artisan polished the pontil mark on the base of the glass vase, giving it a smooth finish.
-
A visible pontil scar remained on the bottom of the hand-blown glass ornament.
Synonyms
9.9
A small mark on the base of handmade glass where the rod was removed
is the traditional alternative term used by glassblowers for the same scar
Surface Forms
Etymology
Pontil comes from an old word for 'bridge', like Italian ponte, and when the glass is cut from that 'bridge' it often leaves a rough mark on the base. That's why a pontil can also mean the scar or mark left on hand-blown glass.