The Making of Art Glass

The Making of Art Glass

The Making of Art Glass

For thousands of years, glassmakers have created glass works that are both functional and decorative. So how is glassware produced in the first place? Here methods for creating handmade glassware will be covered.

1. Into the furnace

Silica, alkaline flux, and other ingredients are mixed together into a batch (dry powder). The top of the furnace is usually in the shape of a dome so that a constant temperature could be achieved by deflecting the heat downwards. Until around the Industrial Revolution, wood was a common source of fuel for the furnace, and later coal. Peat, oil, gas, and electricity are also used.

The furnace is kept at 1300-1500 degree Celsius, and the melting process can take up to 48 hours. Many times the furnace is never turned off. Impurities rise up to the surface, which can be skimmed off. When the glass is completely molten, it can be shaped with a blowpipe or other methods.

2. Glassblowing

A blowpipe or pontil, about 6 ft long, is heated. Glass is attached to the thickened end of it. The glassmaker would make glass smooth and symmetrical by twirling and moving the blowpipe, and then reheat it and blow into a bubble by breathing into the pipe. In this way, the glassmaker could make glass into a desired shape and thickness to make hollow glassware such as a drinking glass or other vessel.

The glasshouse is usually staffed by a large workforce, and in many cases cooperation on a single article is absolutely necessary. Nonetheless, in many studios the main artist (whose name is usually the brand) will put special attention into each piece in order to keep high standards.

3. Annealing

All glass must be annealed. In this process, the finished item is heated in a special furnace, a lehr, and then cooled gradually. This reduces the risk of fracture.

4. Industrial glass production

Free-blowing and mold-blowing has changed little since the Roman days. Even in the early factories, a lo t of glassware was handmade, even though division of labor may have existed. However, in the 19th century, mass-production of glass developed. For example, in the mold-pressing method, molten glass was poured into a metal mold and "pressed." Such production methods were a cheap alternative to expensive handmade glass.

5. At the lamp

For small glass objects, the craftsman can work at the lamp. This method has also existed since the Roman times. Rods of annealed glass are heated in the concentrated flame of an oil lamp or Bunsen burner and shaped by using tools.

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