Blown Glass Bowl Vase Applied Handles

Don't see a lot of wear on the base and that ground but not polished pontil makes me suspicious that it could be recent.
Also, wonder why the exterior is encrusted at the middle part of the body but nowhere else? What could have caused that? Should I try to clean it?
Any thoughts are welcomed.
Thanks

 

I am not sure about the base. Do you think it is ground or could be from iron rod?
http://www.pontil.com/images/iron-pontil-mark.jpg

 

The base was ground to let it sit straight. It was stuck up on a punty rod to apply the handles and when broken of a pontile scare was created. Nice looking item but a top level one would have polished the ground area. Mexico maybe?

 

I thought of Mexico too but the typical bubbles are not there. But I guess they make all kind of glass, with a lot of bubbles, with moderate amount, no bubbles, thin and thick glass etc...
Most of the Mexican glass I see does not have ground scars but again who knows what they make there.