A specialized rod with a plunger activated spring clip on its end to grip the foot of newly made glass objects, while the worker finishes the piece. The replaces the pontil and avoid the mark a pontil would leave. When the work is finished, the glass can be remotely dropped into a bed of sand before annealing.
Spring-clip device used (from c 1860) for holding the foot of a drinking-glass while it was finished, so obviating the pontil mark
A tool for holding the foot of a glass, so a punty does not have to be used, speeding work. (GGW) a tube with three spring steel "fingers" that extend. May also be a special tool for a specific shape, as inside a production vase for footing (GGNJ)