Art Glass articles that cover the whole range of Art Glass in all its forms
The joy of having a glass collection goes beyond sheer visual admiration. For those who own antique glass, there is also the profoundly meaningful sense of restoring and preserving heirloom pieces for future generations. Each item of antique glass serves as a tangible emblem of an era—a way of life that has long since passed […]
How To Remove Scratches From Glass Continue Reading »
While Asia is a continent much admired for its long history of artistic and technical achievement, ancient Asian glass craft has largely been overshadowed by more mainstream mediums; the popularity (both within Asia itself and amongst modern collectors) of Asian ceramic wares and metalwork has rendered glass something a footnote. However, though glassmaking got off
Seeking Clarity: Unearthing The Secrets of Lead-Barium Glass in China Continue Reading »
In our two most recent pieces, Black Glass: Before There Was Glassblowing and Coloured Glass: Before The Age of Glass Blowing, we examined the motivations (both practical and cultural) that shaped the genesis of glassmaking. We also explored the ancient trade routes that helped spread glass art around the world, spurring innovations that would ultimately
Glass Art: Early Glass Manufacturing Techniques Continue Reading »
Before There Was Glass Blowing Part 2 – The Bronze Age: As the Chalcolithic Age slowly gave way to the Bronze Age and primitive settlements began to coalesce into powerful urban centres, the desire for individual expression and status – conveyed through personal adornment – intensified rapidly. It is therefore little wonder that the very
Coloured Glass: Before The Age of Glass Blowing Continue Reading »
For as long as people have been accessorising their homes, art glass has played a major role in adding to the beauty of a space. The glass art movement has been alive and well for many millennia now, and many of the methods used to create delicate-looking sculptures are still used today. There is an
The World of Studio Glass Continue Reading »
Sometimes, an optic glass sculpture artist comes along who breaks all the rules and grinds out their own path. One such artist is Jack Storms, who has become the master of an achingly laborious glass-making process that combines lead crystal with dichroic glass. This physically demanding cold-glass process can take around 18 weeks of work
Optic Glass Sculpture by Jack Storms Continue Reading »
The term “Murano glass”, widely used to describe the colourful, intricate pieces that flow out of Italy into the eager hands of collectors even today, does not refer to a specific glass manufacturer; instead, this label is born of location. The Murano islands, a small cluster of land masses that dot the turquoise waters of
Murano Glass Blowing Continue Reading »
Coloured glass ornaments are created using a variety of metal oxides. For those with ‘boffin leanings’ here are some of the metals that are used to create colourful art glass. Cadmium Sulfide Cadmium sulfide is used in the making of coloured glass to turn the glass into a beautiful shade of yellow. Gold Chloride Gold
Metals Used To Create Coloured Glass Ornaments Continue Reading »
The historic glass factories located on the Italian island of Murano (which has been a centre of glass-making since the Middle Ages) represent one of the last thriving bastions of Old World art glass, having survived both the ravages of World War 2 and the recent global recession. Brands like De Biasi, Gabbiani, Venini,
Italian Art Glass: Recognising and Appreciating the Authentic Continue Reading »
While we have previously discussed the safety and basic history of that most enticingly eerie of fin de siecle and early 20th century glass varieties—Uranium or “Vaseline” glass—in our piece Uranium Glass: Haunting Green Beauty, there is much more that remains to be said about this unique and controversial form of art glass. The science
Coloured Glass: The Mysterious Glow of Vaseline Glass Continue Reading »