Antique Glass

                                                                         

                                               
    Glassmaking is an ancient art
dating back 2,000 years.
Ancient phoenicians made
glass beads as early as
5,000 bce. 
    By 2,000 bce, the Egyptians
were starting to refine the
process.The mold was
usually made of mud, straw,
and clay formed around a
metal rod, producing a
crude, hollow vessel. 
    The Romans revolutionized
the art of glassmaking when
they introduced glassblowing
techniques in the 1st century
bce. Relatively unchanged
to this day.
    There have been facinating
developmentalchanges from
the first glassblowing
techniques to the exquisite
glass of 15 century Venice
to the modern studio art glass.
    Glass is made by melting sand,
and either sodium, or
potassium using very high
temperatures so the materials
fuse.
    Most glasses are catigorized
by the type of stem.This system
was devised by E. Barrington
Haynes in his book.......
Glass Through the Ages.
    When checking a piece of
glass...run your thumbover
the surface. Besides "feeling"
for the cut and complexity
of the surface, you will
also be able to "feel" for
any chips.
    The most expensive colored
glass is red. It was more
difficult to make and contained
gold.
    If a signature includes
the circle with an R symbol
(trademark) inside it was made
after 1980.
    "Seeds" are air bubbles caught
in a piece of glass.It can be a
good indication of an old piece.
    Flaws and marks(imperfections)
could indicate early glass.

    Slight variations in the color
of the glass can indicatean
older piece. Clear glass can
have a tinge of grey,green
(early lead?), or amber
(20th century?).

Antique glass decoration

    Acid etched
The design is first marked
out on the surface using an
acid-resistant material such
as wax, which will protect
the glass underneath. A 3
dimensional pattern is
created by immersing the
glass in acid, which eats
it away. The longer the body
stays in the acid, the more
glass is eaten away, the
deeper the design.

            Enameled
Made of metallic oxides
and finely ground glass
suspended in an oily medium.
Applied to the body with
a brush, or transfered.
The colors are bonded and
solidified in the heat of
the kiln. The process can
be consuming as different
colors require different
firing tenperatures.

            Applied
A seperate, smaller piece
of molten glass is applied
to the body while it is still
hot and in the forming process.
This smaller piece is then
formed into handles, rims,
or a foot which will
sometimes have patterns
stamped into them.
          
               Gilded
This is the most common
way of applying gold to
the inside or outside
surfaces. Done by mixing
gold leaf or powder with
an oily medium and painting
it on. It is then solidified and
fixed to the body through firing.

                End of day
The term used to describe
multicolored glass made from
the remains of glass left in
the pots after the days
production has ended.
Glassmakers used these
leftovers in their spare time.
Each piece is unique.

                Zanfirico
Twisted strands of white
or colored glass are
embedded in rods of clear,
colorless glass.The rods
can then be put together
and fused to create a
form, or to the outside 
of a body of glass.

                Opaline
Lightly translucent glass
in pastel tones of pink
and blue,but can also
be in other stronger
colors, or off-white.
Made by adding calcified
bones to the glass mixture.
Often blown or pressed
into molds.

        Diamond point & stipple 
                  engraved
A diamond stylus with a
diamond point is used to
scratch a very fine shallow
line into the surface. Lines
are used in combination
to create a pattern.
Often used on thin glass
that could not be cut.
Stippling is a variation
where the point is gently
tapped onto the surface,
leaving a shallow dot.


                                                          
*resource Antiques Investigator  


              
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