Chaucer Lodge 150th Anniversary: Engraved Firing Glasses

This commission involved producing sixty engraved firing glasses to mark the 150th anniversary of Chaucer Lodge (1875–2025).

Reference and Layout

The original discussion centred around the lodge logo. However, the logo itself contained a level of detail that would have been difficult to reproduce consistently at the scale required.

Rather than simplifying the logo beyond recognition, an alternative approach was proposed.

A sprig of acacia was selected as the central motif. Within Freemasonry, the acacia carries established symbolic meaning while also lending itself naturally to engraving. Its simple form could be reproduced clearly across sixty glasses without losing definition or balance.

The wording:

Chaucer Lodge 1875–2025

was arranged above the motif, creating a composition that remained clear and legible at a small scale.

The design also incorporated registration marks within the stencil artwork. These temporary alignment points allowed each stencil to be positioned consistently on the glass before engraving.

Once the stencil was applied, the marks were masked and did not form part of the finished design. Their purpose was purely practical, ensuring that all sixty glasses matched one another as closely as possible.

Form and Preparation

Firing glasses present a distinct challenge due to their tapered shape.

The narrowing profile affects how artwork sits on the surface, requiring careful alignment so the design remains balanced when viewed head-on. The layout was adjusted to account for this, ensuring consistency across the full set.

Engraving

Each glass was prepared and engraved individually.

The artwork was transferred to stencil and sandblasted, maintaining a consistent etched finish across all sixty pieces.

Outcome

The completed set forms a uniform group of engraved glasses, each carrying the same design and prepared to read consistently despite the variation in form.