The baluster was a type of English drinking glass made in the late 17th and early 18th centuries. Its stem was in the form of a baluster, a short vertical support with a circular section and a vase-like outline. This motif, adopted from Renaissance architecture, had been employed on early 17th-century Venetian glasses. Balusters were first made in England shortly after George Ravenscroft introduced his lead glass, and they became very popular. The stems of these heavy glasses contained knops and air traps that reflected and refracted light. Inverted baluster stems, which resembled the Venetian glasses, were made until 1710. For the next 25 years, true baluster stems were in demand. Knops, which were arranged in various ways, were found on a wide range of objects, including candlesticks as well as drinking and dessert glasses.