Eight interesting facts about the Soviet faceted glass

In modern technologically advanced times, a large number of all kinds of auxiliary equipment for both cleaning and cooking have been invented to help housewives. But, as practice has shown, many housewives cannot do without the usual classic faceted glass in the kitchen.

History of appearance

In history, there are two versions of the appearance of faceted glass.

According to the first, the authorship belongs to the great sculptor Vera Ignatievna Mukhina, the author of the famous monumental sculpture "Worker and Collective Farm Girl". She developed it specifically for the dishwasher of that time, since a glass of ordinary shape could not gain a foothold in it, fell and broke.

According to the second version, it appeared in the distant times of the reign of Peter I. It was made by the glass maker of that time, Efim Smolin, for the convenience of sailors in the navy. During the pitching, the forms rolled off the tables less than the round ones, and after the fall they almost did not beat.

"Birthday" glass

Be that as it may, and no matter who is credited with authorship, the official birthday of the faceted glass is September 11, 1943. According to historical data, it was on this day that the first Soviet faceted glass was produced.

For the first time it was officially smelted in the oldest city of Russia, Gus-Khrustalny, its height was 9 cm, diameter 6.5 cm, it had 17 faces, and the volume of the faceted glass was 200 ml. It is he who has been considered a classic ever since.

Then, when production was put on stream, they were produced with 16, 17 and even 20 facets, and the volume of a faceted glass in ml could be from 150 to 280.

Application area

In addition to the standard application, the faceted glass has received many more additional functions. With his help:

Volume to weight ratio

And no matter how we progress modern technologies, often in various recipes you can find such a measure as a faceted glass.

Or, conversely, without having a scale at hand, you can use it to measure the right amount of product. The main thing is that the volume of the faceted glass should be standard - 200 ml.

Below are the most popular liquid products:

The measure of measurement in faceted glasses and bulk products did not bypass:

From this we can conclude that everything can be measured with a faceted glass.

Glasses in modern times

Apart from normal use- something to measure or pour - glasses have become something more than ordinary kitchen utensils.

It can be donated. Buy a ready-made glass in a souvenir shop with an original inscription, name, picture, or order something of your own. And it will be a great gift.

In honor of the faceted glass, various exhibitions and expositions are held, in which all kinds of specimens are collected, from the most modern to very old and valuable.

There are competitions for the best cup holder. Then they are put on public display at exhibitions. Some glasses are so beautiful and original that it is easier to classify them as a work of art than as dishes. After all, as you know, there are a fairly large number of craftsmen who are able to make a real masterpiece out of an ordinary faceted glass.

From this we can conclude: a faceted glass is not just dishes, but something historical, creative and still necessary in many kitchens.

For many older people, a faceted glass reminds them of life during the Soviet Union, since this item has practically become a symbol of the era. This subject is no less popular in our time.

The history of faceted glass is controversial and ambiguous. It is hard to say who exactly came up with this shape for the glass. Opinions differed on this issue. Some researchers suggest that the shape of the faceted glass was invented by the sculptor Vera Mukhina (among her works is the famous sculpture "Worker and Collective Farm Girl"). In 1943, during the siege of Leningrad, Mukhina directed the Leningrad Art Glass Workshop. It is for this reason that many consider her the author of the faceted glass shape. However, there are no documents confirming its authorship.

Others believe that the faceted glass was invented by geology professor Nikolai Slavyanov. He made an invaluable contribution to the development of Soviet metallurgy. When studying his diaries, which have survived to this day, sketches were found depicting glasses with a different number of faces. However, his products were not supposed to be glass, but metal. Determination of authorship is also complicated by the fact that Mukhina and Slavyanov met, so it is impossible to say exactly which of them owned the idea. It is quite possible that Slavyanov came up with the shape of the faceted glass, and Mukhina suggested the material for manufacturing.

True, there is another opinion that the history of the creation of faceted glass is associated with the names of the artist Kazimir Malevich and Mukhin. But employees of the glass museum claim that they planned to make a glass of this shape even before the war, and this was due to the fact that its shape had to match the new dishwasher.

Opinions also differ about where the word “glass” came from in our language. It is known that in the 17th century there were “glasses” - dishes made of tightly ground small boards connected by a ring. Many believe that this is where the name comes from. Others claim that it came to us from the Turkic language, in which there were such words as "dastarkhan" ( festive table) and "tustygan" (bowl).

Faceted glasses were produced in various volumes (from 50 to 250 g) and the number of faces (8-14). However, a product with ten faces and a volume of 250 g has nevertheless become a classic. In cooking, it is often used to accurately measure the required amount of bulk or liquid products.

In the 80s, the production of glasses was transferred to imported equipment. At the same time, the manufacturing technology was violated, as a result of which the product, always distinguished by its strength, suddenly began to burst on the sides, or its bottom fell off.

If today you want to buy a faceted glass, then you will have to run around the shops pretty much. Today they offer a huge range of glass or crystal products of more elegant forms. But, despite this, faceted glass has not remained in the past, and today it can be found in almost every kitchen.

How many grams are in a faceted glass and where did it come from and how can an ordinary faceted glass be useful in everyday life.

In Soviet times, not a single kitchen, factory canteen or train could do without it. They still use it now.

Great-grandfathers faceted

Several legends are associated with his birth. The well-known Vladimir glassblower Efim Smolin presented Peter 1 with a new strong drinking vessel. It was a faceted (so as not to roll off the ship's table during pitching) glass. The king decided to check the quality and hit them on the floor with the words: “There will be a glass!”. The vessel, of course, broke, but a tradition arose to beat the dishes for good luck. In 1905, the Faberge Museum in Baden-Baden exhibited a still life depicting the skeleton of a herring, fried eggs and the great-grandfather of a faceted glass.

Measuring capacity: How many grams in a faceted glass table

Housewives have long been doing without a special measure - they bake and cook, measuring food with a glass.

Bulk products

This type includes sugar, buckwheat, flour and much more. If you are faced with a recipe that includes bulk products in grams, then this table will be useful in your kitchen.

Liquids

Liquid has a relatively fixed volume, so it is very difficult to measure it in grams. However, the table below shows the products in grams in detail.

solid foods

This table roughly shows how many grams are in a faceted glass, because the exact content will depend on the size and type.

Viscous products

Let's now look at the last type of food that we have left.

And in 1918, on the canvas “Morning Still Life” by Kuzma Petrov-Vodkin, there was a 12-sided glass of tea. Although it could have a different number of faces, from 12 to 20. The invention of the upper rounded rim is attributed to the famous sculptor of the USSR Vera Mukhina (she also invented the beer mug). It is believed that a container of this shape was more convenient to wash in Soviet dishwashers. Mass production of glasses began on September 11, 1943 at a glass factory in Gus-Khrustalny.

September 11 is the day of faceted glass. No, this is not a joke on drinkers, but a good reason 🙂 September 11, 1943 is considered the birthday of this glassware. As history testifies, it was on this day that the first Soviet faceted glass was produced at the glass factory in Gus-Khrustalny.

(Total 7 photos)

1. The design of the Soviet-style faceted glass is attributed to Vera Mukhina, the author of the monumental composition "Worker and Collective Farm Girl". However, there is no documented evidence for this. According to some reports, Vera Ignatievna developed the shape of the glass specifically for the Soviet public catering.

2. The "Mukhinsky" glass, thanks to a smooth ring that runs along the circumference and distinguishes it from a faceted glass of a traditional shape, turned out to be not only very durable, but also convenient for washing in dishwashers. Thanks to this, the Soviet glass was prescribed for many years in canteens and on railway transport.

3. And also actively used in street vending machines for carbonated drinks.

4. The dimensions of a standard faceted glass are 65 millimeters in diameter and 90 millimeters in height. The very first glass had 16 faces, which is considered today a classic of the genre. There are specimens with 12, and 14, and 18, and 20 faces, as well as with 17 faces (but they are not so typical, since it is easier to produce glasses with an even number of faces). At the bottom of the glass, as a rule, the price was squeezed out - 7 or 14 kopecks (that's how much the "20-hedrons" cost).

5. As for the usual faceted glass cup (without the upper smooth rim), it was known much earlier - back in the time of Peter the Great. It is attested that the faceted glass was presented to the emperor as an unbreakable dish for drinking alcoholic beverages. The king, who, as you know, was fond of shipbuilding, appreciated the gift, declaring that such a glass would not fall to the floor while rolling on the ship, and if it did fall, it would not break.

6. At a later time, a 12-sided glass of tea was depicted in the painting by the famous Russian artist Kuzma Petrov-Vodkin "Morning Still Life" (1918). This dish became the progenitor of the Soviet faceted glass.

7. The expression "think for three" is directly related to the Soviet faceted glass. The fact is that exactly 167 grams of vodka is placed in a 200-gram glass up to the glass rim - a third of a half-liter bottle, which allows you to share its contents "in good conscience."

It is quite difficult to find at least one family in the expanses of the former Soviet Union that would not keep a couple, or even more, faceted glasses in their cabinets in the kitchen. This piece of utensil is one of the symbols of that distant era. At present, most of them no longer use them, but throw away the history of who invented it, when - all this information is covered in secrets and legends. In the article we will try to understand all this.

Legends about the origin of faceted glass

Many objects and things of the Soviet era have a lot of legends about their origin. It did not pass by and all famous History its creation is shrouded in many legends. Here are just a few of them that go around his appearance.

1. Everyone knows the name of the muralist Vera Mukhina. This is the same master who designed the sculpture "Worker and Collective Farm Girl". So, according to one of the legends, it was she who invented the faceted glass. It is believed that her beloved husband helped her in this, who liked to skip a glass or two of an alcoholic drink for long evenings.
2. Many are inclined to the version according to which the Soviet engineer Nikolai Slavyanov put his hand to the invention of the faceted glass. He was a master of mining, then became a professor of geology. Among his friends and acquaintances, he is known for discoveries in the field of arc welding and sealing of castings using electricity. It is to his merits that the high level of development of the metallurgical industry in the Soviet era is attributed. Initially, Slavyanov suggested making a glass from metal, and the options contained sketches of products with 10, 20 and 30 faces. It was only later that Mukhina proposed to produce such a glass in glass form.
3. Another legend explains where the faceted glass came from. The history of its creation is connected with the times of Peter the Great. One Vladimir glassmaker, Efim Smolin, presented the tsar with such a glass as a gift, with assurances that it was almost impossible to break it. Peter drank wine from it and threw it on the ground, saying the words: "There will be a glass." But, unfortunately, the glass broke. However, the ruler did not show his anger. Since then, there has been a tradition of breaking dishes during the feast.

Where did the word "glass" come from?

Not only the history of faceted glass is rather vague and controversial, but the very name of the object has several opinions about its origin.

From historical information it is known that in the 17th century there was dishes that were made from ground small boards connected by rings, and it was called “glasses”. Many believe that the name of faceted glasses came from this word.

According to another version, the word is of Turkic origin, in this language such words as "dastarkhan", meaning a festive table, and "tustygan" - a bowl were in use. From the combination of these two words, the name of the glass arose, which they began to use.

The history of faceted glass in Russia begins in 1943, when the first representative of the glass army left the assembly line of the glass factory in Gus-Khrustalny. Many believe that this form is not just an artist's fantasy, but a necessity.

It turns out that even in those distant times, the first dishwashers appeared, which could only perform their functions when dishes of a certain shape and size were immersed in them. So I had to produce a glass with edges, and not round walls.

The appearance of a "foreigner" in Russia

According to historical information, in 1943, not the first representative of faceted glasses, but an updated old one, rolled off the assembly line of the glass factory in Gus-Khrustalny. The history of faceted glass (16 facets) claims that it appeared quite a long time ago.

They came up with this item of utensils not in the USSR, but in Russia, in the 17th century. Proof of this are the exhibits stored in the Hermitage.

They confirm the antiquity of the origin of the glasses and the mention in the special army doctrine, which was published by Paul I at the end of the 18th century. At that time, the monarch was trying to reform the army, which was far from full combat readiness, and ordered a faceted glass to limit the daily dose of wine that was supposed to be for soldiers in the army.

There is an opinion that the history of faceted glass is not connected with Russia at all. An excellent confirmation of this is a painting by Diego Velascas called "Breakfast".

On the table you can also see a faceted glass, only the edges are not vertical, but slightly arched. If you look at the time of the painting, and this was in 1617-1618, then it can be said with confidence that the faceted glass, its history is not connected with Russia at all, but with foreign countries.

This fact is confirmed by the fact that the method of making glasses that was used in the USSR was invented only in 1820 - the pressing method. Production using this technology was launched already in the middle of the 19th century, and it came to Russia only in the 20th century.

What is the secret of the high strength of the glass?

Soviet faceted glasses not only had a comfortable shape and did not slip in the hand, but were also very durable. This was achieved by a decent wall thickness, as well as the use of special technologies.

Raw materials for the manufacture of glass for faceted glasses were boiled at a huge temperature in the range of 1400-1600 degrees, then the process of firing and cutting was carried out using special technologies. There was a period of time when lead, which is commonly used in the manufacture of crystal glassware, was added to the mix to increase strength.

Production of faceted glasses

Glass factories began to produce glasses of different volumes and having a different number of faces. The volume could vary from 50 ml to 250, and the faces were from 8 to 14.

The classic history of faceted glass considers a product with a volume of 250 ml and having 10 faces. With it, you can accurately measure the right amount of bulk and liquid products.

In the 80s, glass factories began to replace equipment with imported ones, which led to the loss of the usual qualities of faceted glass.

The glass, which until that time had been distinguished by its excellent strength, withstood temperature changes and falling from the table, began to crack on the sides. Some fell off the bottom. The culprit is considered a violation of manufacturing technology.

Characteristics of faceted glasses

Despite the fact that there is a lot of information about who invented the faceted glass, the history and appearance in Russia are also contradictory, yet the characteristics remain the same. And they are different from those of other similar products.

• The diameter of the uppermost part is from 7.2 to 7.3 cm.
• The diameter of the bottom of the glass is 5.5 cm.
• The height of the glass product is 10.5 centimeters.
• The number of faces is usually 16 or 20.
• On the top of the glass there is an edge, the width of which is from 1.4 to 2.1 cm.

All glasses of the Soviet era, produced at different glass factories, had such characteristics.

The advantage of faceted glass over other similar products

In the expanses of the former Soviet Union, faceted glass is widely used due to its advantages over its counterparts.

1. Does not roll off the table, for example, on a sea vessel during pitching and moving through the waves.
2. Popularity in institutions is due to its high strength.
3. Drinkers loved this item because it was easy to split the bottle between three people. If you pour liquid up to the rim, then just one third of a half-liter bottle is placed in one glass.
4. The glass remains intact when dropped from a decent height. Such strength is explained precisely by the presence of edges that give this property to fragile glass.

Modern life of faceted glass

If in Soviet times faceted glass was an indispensable attribute of every kitchen, but now it is not so easy to find such a piece of utensils. Everything can be explained by the fact that most glass factories have discontinued these products.

At the plant in Gus-Khrustalny, where, as the history of faceted glass says, the first faceted representative was produced, other glasses are produced that are completely transparent, which cannot be said about faceted. Representatives of the Soviet era are produced only on order.

Now, for some, a faceted glass is an occasion to entertain the public and become famous for themselves. In 2005, at the celebration of the City Day in Izhevsk, a high tower of almost 2.5 meters high was built from faceted glasses. 2024 glasses went to such a construction. The idea belonged to a distillery.

Regardless of the history of faceted glass in Russia, it has always been used not only for its intended purpose. Mistresses of the old school sometimes found the most unexpected uses for him.

1. The most famous use is cutting blanks for dumplings, dumplings with it. If a larger diameter was required, then a large glass was taken, and if necessary, stacks were used. Despite the fact that now there are a lot of devices to facilitate this process, many housewives have not stopped using an old and reliable glass for this.
2. Faceted glass in the Soviet kitchen was a universal measuring device. In old culinary publications, products for cooking were measured not in grams, but in glasses.
3. Quite unusual is the use of a faceted glass as a dehumidifier. He could often be seen standing between the double frames in winter. Salt was poured into the glass so that the windows would not freeze. Now, more and more often, instead of wooden frames, plastic bags flaunt on our windows, so there is no longer any place for a faceted glass.
4. Summer residents have adapted to use faceted glasses for growing seedlings. They look more aesthetically pleasing, do not leave debris behind, unlike peat cups.
5. A glass can be used to demonstrate optical phenomena: if you pour water into it and place a teaspoon, it seems that it is broken.

Such use of glasses was practiced in Soviet times, although some methods of application have been preserved even now, and no one thinks about who invented the faceted glass. On the modern kitchens modern dishes flaunt on the shelves, which look more advantageous compared to a faceted glass, but many housewives, if they have such a rarity in their pantries, are in no hurry to get rid of it.

Glass Facts

There are some facts that are associated with faceted glass. Here are some of them:

1. The cost of such dishes depended on the number of faces. A glass with 10 sides cost 3 kopecks, and with 16 sides - 7 kopecks. The volume did not depend on the number of faces, it always remained unchanged - 250 ml.
2. The spread of drunkenness in Moldova is associated with a faceted glass. Historical information makes it possible to find out that before the country was liberated from the Nazis by Soviet soldiers, citizens drank from small 50 ml glasses, and the Russians brought with them capacious (250 ml) faceted glasses.
3. The Soviet faceted glass was popularly called "Malenkovsky". Defense Minister Malenkov issued an order according to which a soldier was given 200 ml of vodka. Although this rule did not last long, it was remembered by many.

Here are just some of the facts that are inextricably linked with faceted glass.

Faceted glass festival

We examined in detail and remembered the faceted glass (history, how many faces), but it turns out that this piece of utensil has its own holiday.

It is celebrated every year on September 11th. This date was chosen for a reason, it was on this day that the mass production of these dishes began at the glass factory in Gus-Khrustalny. This holiday date is not considered official, rather, a folk holiday, so not very pleasant traditions are associated with it.

A Russian person is always willing to find a reason to relax with a glass of alcoholic drink, but here, as a godsend, such a holiday, it’s just a sin not to drink. Here's what to expect from such a celebration.

• From faceted glasses it is supposed to drink only vodka, others alcoholic drinks nothing to do with this dish.
• You should not drink alone, but always in a company, because the expression “think for three” is associated with a faceted glass.
• One of the traditions of this holiday is breaking the “hero” of the celebration on the floor.
• It would be nice to remember that tea, jelly, compote and water are perfectly drunk from faceted glasses. Everyone remembers such glasses in cup holders in train cars.

We can say that between the concepts of "faceted glass", "the history of our country" you can put an equal sign. These two concepts are inextricably linked. I would very much like to see a Nobel Prize for such an invention, and not make it a permanent attribute of all feasts.