Topic: How was this made? Graal? Fused? I'm stumped.

[Glen]

A big welcome to Tom Fuhrman from me.
 
Good to see you here, Tom.

Glen Thistlewood

[aa]

Conclusion: I don't think anybody is going to be able to add much that will shed any more light on how this piece was made, unless someone is able to identify the maker and then we can ask them how they did it. 

Now that we have a suggested maker, why not contact John Lewis and ask if he recognizes it. Then if it is one of his early pieces he may be able to explain how he did it.

[Frank]

Trying to get a good yellow to stay nice like this without encasing it and doing repeated reheats is always a challenge, unless it was encased in clear and then it can still be a challenge. ellows like to go orange unless they have enormous amounts of cadmium in them and very little selenium.

Tom that one gave me a surprise, as I had always assumed the reverse based on orange Monart that often has changes to yellow - from what you say the orange colour was the changeling. These are almost certainly Kügler colours, pre WW2.
Example 1:
Example 2:
Example 3:

Good to discover I was wrong, even after 20+ years of assumption.

[Fuhrman Glass]

Frank: I wouldn't say you were wrong. Those colors may have worked that way at that time. The yellows, reds, and oranges can do all kinds of quirky things depending upon the particular mix and how it is reheated. I have friend who melts some other glass that will strike, yellow, green, and blue, depending upon how many times you reheat and to what temperatures you reheat it. Glass chemistry is really an art form of it's own.
I am always amazed at what I stumble across as different colors and techniques when I start experimenting. It gets real frustrating though when you can't go back and repeat a really nice effect that you stumble across. It also gets frustrating when some days the glass just won't do anything you want it to do and evertything is a problem. yesterday was one of those days.

[aa]

It also gets frustrating when some days the glass just won't do anything you want it to do and evertything is a problem. yesterday was one of those days.

My sympathies. I know exactly what you mean!

[Frank]

I used to think that they used a mix of yellow and orange as they had a more consistent orange too but careful examination showed that many of the 'scales' sic showed all variations between orange and yellow. The reds they produced are rarely found consistent either with most examples having a lot of reddish orange. Temperature control was never a highlight of the families skills.

[Fuhrman Glass]

This can happen in other colors too. Just had an experience with a signal green. My friend just couldn't get ti to melt in less than 400lb. batch without getting cords. Black copper and tin combination was supposedly the culprits. He'd done it befgore with good success but it had been a few years.
I've made lots of stuff that was red when it went in the annealer and came out next day just as orange as it could be. The crystals can grow at some temperatures and you're not aware of it as it happens.
A lot of collectors don't realize what a monster glass batching can be.

[mtpaul]

painting with enamel on cold rod then reheating ..? depends what your binder or vehicle for your enamel is.. ..might burn out before enamel fuses ..easier to roll molten glass in enamel ..pick up hot ..enamel comes as dry powder ..have tried picking up enamel patterns on gathers and piece surfaces ,,find lines not definite enough for my liking ..often will roll first gather in white enamel then case a few times with clear ..then do colour work on surface ..flower designs ..find white enamel back ground ..creats nice bright canvas for colours ..makes them richer ..kinda of vailed cloudy back ground ..with clear colours creates many variations of shades and tones ..kinda like painting with molten glass ..think hot ..work hotter
expert glass blower ...please ...just 35 yr master ..no expert here ..glass shows me some thing new every day
peace out ..mt paul ...an education can not be bought nor sold ...must be earned .experience is the teacher

[Frank]

Too true, but I bow to your student-ship. Thank you.

[aa]

When you use the phrase "enamel" what exactly are you referring to? Powdered rod or something else?