Gold ruby glass is believed to have been known since antiquity but was rediscovered in the Baroque period, where interest was at its peak in the period between 1685–1705. During this period ruby glass was considered to be a new, valuable material at the same level as hard-paste porcelain, which came into production in Europe only a few decades later. Most European monarchs have had one or more gold ruby glasses in their collection.

Gold ruby glass is characterized by its deep, yet also translucent red colour which is achieved by adding gold chloride to the molten glass. It was either the Italian Antonio Neri (Florence 1576–1614) or the German Johann Kunckel (Potsdam c. 1637–1703) who rediscovered the manufacturing process of gold ruby glass, but it was the latter who succeeded in manufacturing the glass around 1684.