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Glass Discussion & Research. NO IDENTIFICATION REQUESTS here please. => Murano & Italy Glass => Topic started by: Carolyn Preston on September 03, 2006, 09:41:31 PM

Title: URANIUM IN GLASS
Post by: Carolyn Preston on September 03, 2006, 09:41:31 PM
There have been quite a few comments about uranium in glass. And so, newbie that I am, I have a few questions...(I asked them in a previous post and somebody suggested that I start a new topic).

1.  Why do we care if there is uranium in glass:?:
2.  Is it like having lead in crystal, thereby increasing the value of the glass :?:
?
3.  How do you tell if there is uranium in glass :?:

4.  Is it good or bad to have uranium in glass :?:


and, on a slightly different topic

5.  Were the Murano glass manufacturers in production during the years of the second world war :?:

Thanks for all your help.   :?


Carolyn
Title: Re: URANIUM IN GLASS
Post by: aa on September 03, 2006, 10:02:20 PM
Quote from: "Carolyn Preston"
(I asked them in a previous post and somebody suggested that I start a new topic).


Hi Carolyn, I think the suggestion was that you might get more specific replies in the Glass forum, rather than Murano. The people who really know about this stuff are more likely to be there! :D
Title: URANIUM IN GLASS
Post by: Anne on September 03, 2006, 10:05:51 PM
Carolyn, there are two excellent website I can refer you to to have a look at, both of which will give you an excellent overview of uranium/vaseline glass from the perspectives of both sides of the Atlantic (and there are slight differences - just to add interest!  :lol: )
UK: http://www.1st-glass.1st-things.com/vaselineglass.html
US: http://www.vaselineglass.org/
Can I suggest you have a look through them as they will probably explain better than we can do here, and then if there's anything you're not sure of or want more clarification on, to come and ask specific questions - as you did above. :)
Title: URANIUM IN GLASS
Post by: Carolyn Preston on September 04, 2006, 02:17:52 AM
Okay, I've read through Anne's links (Thanks Anne :!:  :!:  :!: )

So is it safe to assume that if it was made in Murano, it is not vaseline glass? I've looked through all the pictures and cannot find anything like my colouration. And on the geiger result page, there is nothing made in Italy.

And just where does one find a blacklight? (This not being the '70's anymore :)  )

(And sorry, I don't know how to change forums :oops:  )

Carolyn
Title: URANIUM IN GLASS
Post by: Anne on September 04, 2006, 03:34:18 AM
Carolyn, don't worry -  you can't move the thread,  it has to be the forum moderator who does that - in this forum that is either Javier or Frank. ;)

Now, a blacklight... I bought mine in a £1 shop - one of those places that sells everything for £1. It has an invisible ink pen and a small UV torch built in - intended for kids to write secret messages with that only someone with a UV light can read, but it's very handy as it slips into a bag or pocket and shows up UV glass when shone on it.  It also doubles up as a security marker pen - mark your glass with the pen end and see it with the UV end... neat! I think stationers also sell the security pens, and I know that UV torches and bulbs/striplights are available from Maplins (http://www.maplins.co.uk) - search for blacklight.

Murano and uranium glass... yes, it was (possibly still is, I don't know) used on Murano, but from what I have seen - and I'm by no means well-up on this at all - it was used in conjunction with non-UV glass e.g. as a casing over a coloured layer as in Chuggy's ewer  (http://www.glassmessages.com/index.php/topic,7063.0.html)which prompted your original question.  I've never seen anything from Murano which is made wholly from uranium glass but that's not to say it wasn't made... as I said I'm not an expert on Murano by a *long* way! :)

Uranium glass was made in the UK and in Europe (no idea if it still is), and is still made in the USA by glassblowers such as Jack Loranger (http://hotglass.cc/). The UK and European production I have seen has been pressed glass like that on the 1st.Glassman (http://www.1st-glass.1st-things.com/) site - I really do not know if it was used for other types of glass production.

I hope we can get this thread moved over to Glass soon as there are users who are more clued up on uranium glass than I am who will be able to add more for you, I'm sure.
Title: URANIUM IN GLASS
Post by: Carolyn Preston on September 05, 2006, 12:28:45 AM
Quote
Now, a blacklight... I bought mine in a £1 shop - one of those places that sells everything for £1.

Ah yes, our current version of the five and dime. In Canada we affectionately call them looney stores. I will check it out next weekend.

Quote
it was used in conjunction with non-UV glass e.g. as a casing over a coloured layer

Well I do have various levels of glass in my bowl, so I'm thinking it is possible, but it looks like it is clear on both sides. This $40 purchase in turning into a huge education. Much cheaper than our local university  :)  (where I'm a graduate student).

Carolyn
Title: URANIUM IN GLASS
Post by: Max on September 05, 2006, 07:23:00 AM
You can buy UV light related stuff (keyrings/penlights etc) very cheaply on eBay Canada Carolyn, in case you can't find one in the five & dime.

Have we seen a photo of this item yet?  A picture speaks a thousand words.   :D

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uranium_glass
Title: URANIUM IN GLASS
Post by: David E on September 05, 2006, 07:51:23 AM
The best UV light I have features three ultra-bright LEDs and was bought on eBay from a guy in Hong Kong five days before Christmas, but still arrived on the 24th!

Warning about UV lights - do not use them excessively as they can harm your eyes later in life.
Never point them at skin or eyes. The low-level ones are probably OK, but I doubt mine is!

They can also be used to detect Cadmium* in glass (glows yellow), or Selenium (glows orange-pink).

* I believe this is useful in dating Cadmium in glass as it was stopped being used around c.1960?
Title: URANIUM IN GLASS
Post by: Anne on September 05, 2006, 01:37:32 PM
Quote from: "Max"
Have we seen a photo of this item yet?  A picture speaks a thousand words.   :D

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uranium_glass


That's true Max... another picture of uranium glass illuminated with a black light is here in the album from the 1st Northern Glass fair at Harrogate (Oct 2005) - the green eerily glowing stuff at the back is uranium shown lit with a UV striplight: http://glassgallery.yobunny.org.uk/displayimage.php?pos=-322
Title: URANIUM IN GLASS
Post by: aa on September 05, 2006, 07:33:35 PM
Carolyn, if you are in Calgary, do you know http://www.rubaiyatgallery.com/ ?
 :D
Title: URANIUM IN GLASS
Post by: Carolyn Preston on September 05, 2006, 11:18:41 PM
Okay, point number 1 -- yes the pictures had been posted on previous topics, but here are the URL's again:

http://glassgallery.yobunny.org.uk/displayimage.php?pos=-10017

http://glassgallery.yobunny.org.uk/displayimage.php?pos=-10016

http://glassgallery.yobunny.org.uk/displayimage.php?pos=-10015

Point number 2; Oh yes, I know the Rubiayat on 17th avenue (one of our funkier shopping areas). Love the place, especially around christmas. Have drooled over the glass before, but have never purchased before. This bowl is my first glass purchase, originally made because I thought it was Scottish (based on store owner and mother-in-law's impressions), but I still love it.

If you are ever in town, let me know and I will take you there in person  :D

Carolyn
Title: URANIUM IN GLASS
Post by: Lustrousstone on September 09, 2006, 04:59:21 PM
Uranium is/was used in glass as a colorant. On it's own it produces a bright lemony/lime green colour, which is greatly enhanced in daylight (i.e., by the UV in sunlight). With other colorants it gives a richness to many variations of green glass,  but quite why it was used in some blue and amber glass I have no idea. In Murano glass, it seems to have been used mainly as a colorant for clear glass either as an outer layer or below a clear upper layer, as far my observations go
Title: URANIUM IN GLASS
Post by: Carolyn Preston on September 10, 2006, 02:55:28 AM
AA

I dropped into Rubiyat today as I was at a stationary store just down the way. I really noticed the glass this time (far more than normal). There were, indeed some, wonderful pieces.  

I asked if there way anythere that knew about retro glass, but unfortunately, the answer was no.

Carolyn
Title: Re: URANIUM IN GLASS
Post by: Leni on May 17, 2008, 08:44:24 AM
I've just posted a Uranium Sommerso bowl here http://www.glassmessages.com/index.php/topic,21262.msg119788.html#msg119788  and I'm really interested to learn something about it.  I know the Scandinavians went on using uranium as a colourant much later than the UK, because they added the uranium salts in a sealed environment, but how long did Murano go on using uranium salts?  Did / do they use the sealed environment method, too? 

Incidentally, nether the UK or US uranium glass collectors seem interested in Scandi or Murano uranium glass!  :huh:
Title: Re: URANIUM IN GLASS
Post by: Lustrousstone on May 20, 2008, 11:50:30 AM
I don't know how long they carried on using uranium in Murano, or even if they still do, but it was certainly into the later half of the 20th century, 50s/60s/70s style pieces are quite common, even little hot-worked 5-min touristy pieces.

I also think it's still being used in the Russian "Murano" animals (horses spring to mind)

Any spare Scandi or Murano uranium is welcome to come and join its relatives at my house, we aren't ageist or locationist here
Title: Re: URANIUM IN GLASS
Post by: Laura Friedman on May 22, 2008, 07:58:01 PM
I've had many pieces of Murano glass that were completely lime green vaseline glass with no other color casing.
Title: Re: URANIUM IN GLASS
Post by: dirk. on July 13, 2008, 07:33:22 PM
for those interested...
an all uranium from (i suppose) murano

new on board:
dirk
Title: Re: URANIUM IN GLASS
Post by: Ivo on July 13, 2008, 07:56:46 PM
Herzlich Wilkommen - we are very happy to see you here. 
I am not sure your vase is Murano - keep an open mind, these forms have been made in various places and we've all been surprised before.

I can show you two certain Uranium glass items from Murano. The first one is a dish with aventurine flecks rolled in. It is an unlikely combination, and not to everybody's liking.

The second one is a somerso vase with Uranium glass in the casing. It has a Balboa sticker - which was a New York importer of quality Murano glass.
Title: Re: URANIUM IN GLASS
Post by: dirk. on July 13, 2008, 08:36:41 PM
Dank ü vell, Ivo!

I´ve had my doubts though. Perhaps a request might lead to results?
Nice items of yours! I´m in fact rather in to the dish...