Georgian firing glass

A firing glass is a short stemmed sturdy glass with a thick foot. They were commonly used by members of the Freemason fraternity in the 18th and early 19th century by rapping them on the table after speeches, rituals, toasts and other activities. One theory as to why they were so named is that when rapped on the table they sounded like muskets firing. The Masonic firing glass was often elaborately decorated with Masonic symbols, such as the all-seeing eye, the square and compasses, and the letter "G", which represents God. These symbols were meant to reflect the Masonic belief in a higher power and to emphasize the importance of the activities being timed.