Glass Message Board
Glass Identification - Post here for all ID requests => Glass => Resolved Glass Queries => Topic started by: lhazeldahl on July 25, 2005, 11:38:53 AM
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Good Morning,
It has occured to me that I should ask advise on just how much uranium is in Vaseline glass. When I have put some 40 pieces together, does the old gieger counter go off? Also, under my black light, some pieces have a much brighter (glow :?: ) shine. Does that mean it is more radient? Now, I am surely not worried about getting pregnant, thank God, but it seems my offspring doesn't realize just what it is that is responsible for all the babies around here!! They just don't know when to quit! What level of radiation is safe? What is not safe?
Now,hopefully, onto another path to this wealth of knowledge here...
The pieces of Israeli Glass I have are most likely knockoffs from the real deal, but, what if.......? How do I tell what is authentic? I have learned on this forum of the wave of psuedo Israeli Glass on the market today, so if that's what I have, so be it. I would like to have some links for the research, as I have had no joy at all, not even on Google or Omni.
Thanks so much for your time and advise,
Linda
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From my limited knowledge, I understand the Geiger counter will go off with just a single piece! :P
Tony Hayter's 1st Glass site is well worth visiting on this subject and a good source of attribution:
http://www.1st-glass.1st-things.com (http://www.1st-glass.1st-things.com)
I think the ciontent or purity of uranium can determine the brightness - some pieces I have glow readily in normal daylight, whereas others don't look uranium at all and need the 'purple light' to reveal all.
I know that the level of uranium is "harmless" but have often wondered myself whether a substantial collection could make anyone "icky-poo" — but I reckon you'll be alright Linda, providing the babies don't have three heads :lol:
Free advice, with no conditions (ahem!) :wink:
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'The Big Book of Vaseline Glass' by Barrie W Skelcher, published by Schiffer, (I bought my copy at Broadfield House) is fantastic for the science (both physics and chemistry) involved in 'Vaseline' (uranium) glass :shock:
To cut a long story short, his conclusion is that a full cabinet of uranium glass might expose the owner in one year to an additional dose equal to from one eighth to a quarter of the normal annual exposure to background radiation we all get, depending where we live. (Hope I made that clear enough :? )
Skelcher says this might increase if, for example, one wore a necklace made of uranium glass beads next to the skin, but would still be below the dose regularly experinced by workers in the nuclear industry and considered to be safe (although he admits it might eventually cause a skin complaint, in the way that over exposure to UV in sunlight can lead to skin cancer).
As for the amount of uranium in a piece affecting the fluorescence, it is not dependant on quantity but on the chemical composition of the various uranium salts and on their reaction with the other chemicals in the glass.
Also, Thorium and Potassium can cause glass to fluoresce without there being any uranium in it at all! And both will register on a Geiger Counter, too :shock:
It's a super book, and well worth getting if you are 'into' 'Vaseline' (or 'uranium') glass! :D
Leni
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:D :D
I don't think you need to worry unduly about the radiation from Uranium. I believe it is not really of the harmful type. (there's Alpha, Beta and Gamma types, all have varying strengths - some cannot penetrate as far as others, while the dangerous stuff needs lead bricks to stop it.
I don't think Uranium will get through anything much. They gave it to us as trainee technicians, in liquid form, to throw about in labs!). It's not much more dangerous than luminous toys or watchfaces, although, obviously there is more of it! I've heard that someone wearing beads of uranium glass set off the alarm bells while visiting Sellafield! :lol::lol::lol:
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An eight of the 'safe' dose seems a lot to put on top of the normal background. Plus there have been scientific opinions that the so called 'safe' dose is a hundred or more time too high. A subject that is aired from time to time in journals but never with the power of the nuclear lobby.
But what the heck we all die anyway. :wink:
Don't forget radiation doses are cumulative, so every additional exposure tots up your dose.
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http://www.beadcats.com/radhaz.htm
two more on vaseline:
http://www.vaselineglass.org/
http://www.maxframe.com/GLASS/Vaseline/Reproductions/
Regards,
Marcus
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I had discussions with a professor some years ago - he was the inventor of the Geiger Mueller tube (for detecting radioactivity). He told me that vaseline glass was not "dangerous" at all - and that brazil nuts were actually more radioactive.
I'm no scientist, but my understanding has always been that vaseline glass (in the form in which we have it as glass) is not "dangerous" in any way.
Glen
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Pictures really do help, huh?
pitcher-13 " tall
http://tinypic.com/9fyvq9.jpg
http://tinypic.com/9fyvyq.jpg
http://tinypic.com/9fyyjq.jpg
candle holder-10" tall
http://tinypic.com/9fza6o.jpg
http://tinypic.com/9fz7ma.jpg
http://tinypic.com/9fz7ma.jpg
http://tinypic.com/9fz880.jpg
pitcher-I was told this was Israeli, and also told it was Mt. Washington(?) 8" tall
http://tinypic.com/9fzas4.jpg
http://tinypic.com/9fzb15.jpg
http://tinypic.com/9fzbic.jpg
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Hi,
The pitcher is almost certainly Israeli. Ruthven perhaps.
Of the others, I can't say.
Max, Leni, convince this gal, she'a natural-born glassaholic Texas chapter founder member. :lol: :lol:
There's some interesting-looking pieces in the back-grounds of these images.
Thanks for the tantalising glimpses Linda,
Regards,
Marcus
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LeCasson,
Do you mean the first pitcher? It has a gold sticker saying Israeli, and another member here told me it was most likely put on there to decieve
Yes, I have certainly become a "glassie", "glassoholic", and I am loading some pics of the other glass, just in case you want to see.......hee hee.
Of all the many antiques that has befallen me, the glass is by far my favorite. There is a vast amount, and it is very intimidating and overwhelming. I feel this way, probably, because I recognize the daunting responsibility I have to these wonderful pieces of history! As I have told Max and Leni, I can't imagine being without this obsession!!! There is loads of Ivory, Jewlery, Wall Art, an immense amount of Asian Art, Ephemera, you name it, these gals probably collected it. What I recieved is the leftovers, at that, after everyone got what they wanted. I have wondered if some was in some kind of retail setting, and some have auction tags on them. This is truly a labor of love. (but I am retired, clocked out, off duty!!!) just kidding, I'll see it thru.
I will be back later, Hubby wants fish for supper, and I get out of cooking!
You people make me feel great! Thanks
Linda
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What I was <trying> to say in the previous post is that the Israeli acid stainware from Ilanit is actually machine made in France or Italy, and only decorated in Israel. As far as design and production go, this is deceptive - and I cannnot say I am impressed by the fluor acidstain splotchblotch pattern either.
Of course there are other glass makers in Israel who actually make their own. The best known is Andreas Meyer whose Nahariya glass has been going for more than 25 years. He specialises in fused, bent and gilded glass - so no blowing involved.
One well known name in Israeli glass is the painter Reuven Rubin who produced glass ca. 1918-1940; he pioneered lightweight soda glass and acid decoration - but his products are quite delicate and not to be compared to modern day factory glass. Other names to look out for are Ariel Bar-Tal and Rika Eliahu.
And then there is an industry of lampworked tourist glass, with a sgrafo finish to look like dug up.
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One well known name in Israeli glass is the painter Reuven Rubin who produced glass ca. 1918-1940;
Confused as pre-1948 it was Palestine :?:
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Hello,
Oh, My Gosh!!! What a feeling to have all this attention from so many esteemed and respected leaders of this newfound passion of mine! My husband is laughing at me now, because I am very flustered, at figuring out what to say in response to you.
The "splochblotch" pitcher has a paper label that reads Israili Originals, hand painted, Nouveau Art Glass, by Reuven. I write this because of the post by Ivo, naming Reuven as a name, if I understand correctly, to be respected as quality. I kinda like the colors, but the whole thing looks oily or something to me. (I can't imagine what it would look like with the set of glasses.) Of course, I could learn to love it, if it happened to be high-dollar! This picture is of the label, please excuse the bug, I had to take it outside to get it to focus. If there is anything else I need to know, please don't hesitate to tell me, I anxiously await.
http://tinypic.com/9h85dl.jpg
Thank you so much for the leads and links, all of you. You make me feel very welcome, which is really a strange feeling for this old country gal, to be welcomed into such an illustrious group! I better get to work on this....I fully intend to earn your respect in this area!!
Linda