Glass vases, bowls, platters, candle holders… All of us have at least one of these decorative home accessories. However, we do not think a lot about where they come from or how they are made. The most common technique which is often utilized to make decorative glass items is hand blowing. This is a fascinating process which final product are hand blown glass accessories.
Early History of Blown Glass
Hand blown glass pieces have been in a make for centuries. The technique originates from the ancient art of forming glass which dates to 50 B.C., and involves inflation that is expansion of a molten blob of glass by introducing small amount of air into it. One of the most popular items made at this time were vessels used for holding water. However, only when the hand blown glass process was revealed and became a widespread practice, the variety of products made of glass became boundless. Hand blown glass started to be especially popular in the time of growth of the Roman Empire. Glass blowing resulting in unique blown glass bowls, hand blown vases or glass blown bottles was adopted by different cultures, regions and religions. Even in the Middle East with Islamic religion forbidding ornamental objects, glass was often used in windows, and hand blown vases, glass blown bottles or blown glass platters were often displayed in homes.
Process of Glass Blowing
The glass blowing process is quite interesting and involves a craftsman, molten glass and a blowpipe. The technique evolved throughout the years it has been utilized, and the modern one involves inflating molten glass with a blowpipe. Under exceptionally high temperatures, the glass is moulded. The process consists of three steps and involves three furnaces. First, glass is melted at temperatures of up to 2400F (1315C) and then is let cool for a bit to release air bubbles. The second step is to place the glass in a second furnace, called “Glory Hole”, with temperature of 1350F (730C). The third step is cooling the glass for its final shaping and it takes place in the third furnace called “lehr”. The tip of a blowpipe is dipped in the molten glass, and then the glass is rolled on the marver (thick flat sheet of steel). Then the air is blown into the pipe which creates a bubble. If it is required to make a large glass piece, the artist can create additional bubbles over the original. There is a variety of tools which are used in the process. If one uses a tool called tweezer, the glass can be pulled or details can be created. To design flat areas in the glass, the artist can use paddles made of either graphite or wood. Jacks on the other hand are utilized to give shape to the glass. After a piece got the appropriate size, the artist moves the piece to a tool called punty where the top of the piece can be finished. That's how blown glass artwork is created.
Uniqueness of Home Glass Accessories
There is a variety of shapes, styles and colours represented by hand blown glass. For example, Murano blown glass art comes in brilliant colors and become gorgeous focal points for any room. These hand blown glass pieces are more art yet maintain high function and practicality. High quality, hand-made blown glass vases are a wonderful way to decorate your home. They can be placed on a pedestal in order to enlighten a room and become a centerpiece.
A high-quality, hand-blown glass vases, blown glass platters, or hand blown glass candle holders can be a relatively inexpensive way to decorate your house and increase the overall appearance of the rooms.
