Topic: Iittala large Aurinkopallo

[glassobsessed]

Found this large sun ball a few months ago, a little group would look very fine hanging in front of a sunny window. Designer Timo Sarpaneva, this example 20cm diameter so quite large. Nice photo of three here:
https://www.designlasi.com/en/content/aurinkopallo-sun-ball-2000-sarpaneva-timo-en

John

[glassobsessed]

This one is much smaller around 10cm in diameter.

[chopin-liszt]

Very elegant.
Interesting to compare such sophisticated versions (or takes on? inspired by?) a basic witch ball, I have a newish, cheaper one, not particularly sophisticated - but it does help to show how truly elegant Sarpaneva's are. 
It shows where it can all go wrong.

[glassobsessed]

Do you know if there is a name for this technique or the threads strung across the inside? I woke up this morning wondering about that, maybe not such a good sign...

[chopin-liszt]

It's done by poking wet sticks in. At least, that's how the unsophisticated ones are done. I don't know how they stop the steam from creating big blow-outs (as in the Scandi orchid vases, Webb's Flair or even Sam Herman's blown out tops) but I'd think something needs to stop the hot glass sticking to a stick or needle shaped tool.

Your Sarpanevas may have required something a lot more fiddly and difficult. I am actually struggling to see how the Sarpaneva's could possibly have been made, they are so clear, delicate, sophisticated and elegant. 

I suspect my modern one is from India.

[glassobsessed]

A steel rod might do the trick without having to worry about steam, can't the metal tools be lubed with something, is it a bit of candlewax? Perhaps I am mixing that up with something else, I use candle wax on wooden drawers to make them run smoothly. The Aurinkopallos must have been blown a second time after the threads were made.

[chopin-liszt]

A second blowing would make sense.
But candlewax would burn, leaving a black carbon residue which would create bubbles.
It looks like an almost impossibly delicate thing to achieve, especially with such a pure clear and even colour.

[glassobsessed]

Pretty much what you can see where this was snapped off.