The dragon-stemmed goblet is often considered the epitome of the Venetian goblet. They were created almost purely to showcase the talent of the glassblower for executing difficult techniques. It has been a decades-long personal quest of Eben's, creating these elaborate pieces. So naturally the first two goblets we made when we began our goblet exploration in the spring of 2024 were dragon stems, some of the most difficult a glassblower can make. He was ready to dive right back in. This piece features many Venetian techniques: The cup is blown into a pineapple mold to give it a pattern that resembles stained glass. It is attached to the dragon using an avolio, the sculpted, hour-glass shaped piece. The dragon's body is optic molded to give it ridges. Another bit of hot glass is applied to its back and pinched with tweezers to give it ridges. The dragon sits atop a merese that has been twisted like the signature foot you will see in much of Eben's work such as bowls and cups. Between the foot and the merese is a blown, optic-molded marble or knob. This goblet features a traditional blown foot with a turned under edge, which makes an otherwise thin, delicate foot stronger. This goblet was created on March 12, 2024, and was #2 of the series of 13 goblets made in the spring of 2024. It measures 10 1/2" tall and 3 1/2" wide. It comes in a custom-made wooden box to help protect it when it is not in use or displayed.