Topic: What is this etching like technique called?

[cubby01]

I have some older hand blown glasses with patterns.  I have always assumed they were American.  A long time ago I used to think they were 'needle etched' elegant glass like old Fostoria but they are not needle etched.  They are not etched at all, they have the pattern somehow applied to the glass, in close up it looks like the glass has been sprayed on?  I have this type of glass several different patterns, shapes and sizes but I can't find much information on them because I don't know what to call the decorative technique.  Or who made them.

Thanks,
-Buck

Pardon the quick and dirty pictures.  Oh and the glass is 2.5 inches (6cm) in diameter.

[Lustrousstone]

They certainly look etched to me. A shot of the entire glass might help. I would say say American is probably right too, although manufacturer and decorator are not necessarily the same thing. I would try asking here http://chataboutdg.com/

[cubby01]

Thanks Christine.  

The glass is not ectched in the sense of being removed.  On these the decorative design glass is applied atop the blown glass surface.  I can only think that the design was applied with something that contained glass dust which was heated and dust fused to the surface.  It's a mystery to me how this was done.  

-Buck

[jsmeasell]

Here's what one of our former decorating department supervisors suggested:

(1) use stencil for the pattern and apply glue to the surface;
(2) sprinkle finely ground crystal glass (frit) which will stick to the glue;
(3) fire at about 1030 degrees F in lehr or kiln.

The good close-up image shows how irregular the frit becomes when it melts onto the surface of the object.
 

[vidrioguapo]

It looks to me like the glass equivalent of flock wallpaper :spls:

[cubby01]

Here's what one of our former decorating department supervisors suggested:

(1) use stencil for the pattern and apply glue to the surface;
(2) sprinkle finely ground crystal glass (frit) which will stick to the glue;
(3) fire at about 1030 degrees F in lehr or kiln.

The good close-up image shows how irregular the frit becomes when it melts onto the surface of the object.
  

Hi James, that's not why he's 'former' is it  

That pretty much how I thought this must have been done.   Wouldn't think it's Fenton.  Any idea's on who then.   I felt they were kind of low budget approach to decorative glasses but I don't know.   Here are a couple more pictures to give a since of scale.  The taller ones are 4-3/4 inches tall.  The smaller one is 3-7/8 inches tall.

[jsmeasell]

These are definitely not Fenton. There are a number of big name plants in America that could have made them, but I suspect it's one of the lesser lights--Monongah, Lippincott, Paramount, etc. etc. It's also possible that these were machine-made.

The decoration looks good at a distance and was probably meant to compete with the more expensive deep plate etchings that were popular in the 1920-40s.

Incidentally, that "former" supervisor is now company president. He and or director of design have wide knowledge of decorative techniques.

[Leni]

It looks to me like it's acid etching, the pattern perhaps being somewhat crudely pricked through the resist using a stencil.  Acid etching done in this way does leave the design looking 'proud' of the surface of the glass, so that it looks as if it has been piped or 'blobbed' on a bit like icing.  It was cheaper to do and, as has been said, from a distance could compete with more expensive etching. 

[chopin-liszt]

That's REALLY interesting and good to know, Leni!
I was once desperately trying to decipher how a big beer stein had been decorated, without the benefit of a magnifying glass, or glasses which allow me to focus on anything remotely close to me, so I was feeling it with a fingernail, (that most useful of glass investigating tools!) and the design stood proud - although it kind of looked as if it shouldn't.
It was a lovely design - a stag in a forest, with mountains behind, loads of detail, I simply couldn't decide how it had been produced, now I know. :kissy:
(sorry, it's gone from the charity shop where it was, I had you in mind when I was "examining" it)