Glass Message Board
Glass Discussion & Research. NO IDENTIFICATION REQUESTS here please. => Murano & Italy Glass => Topic started by: neil53 on March 06, 2020, 12:33:59 PM
-
Hi, the bowl is 13 cm wide and 5 cm high. Any ideas? Neil
Sorry if this post is duplicated but it wouldn't let me post the images first time.
-
:) I think you need to move a little bit south and east - towards Murano.
It's not Isle of Wight Studio Glass. But it is something good. I don't know what though. :)
-
Hello Sue, thank you for that. It just seems to be too heavy for Murano, not that it is my specialised subject. It weighs 560g. (~ 1 lb. 4 oz.) which would suggest it is lead glass considering it's such a small bowl. Best wishes, Neil
-
:) Murano covers a very wide range of makers and the glass can range from incredibly fine to very, very thick and heavy.
I think it would be a good idea to ask a moderator to change your title to attract some Murano folk to read this. I'll do that. :)
-
Hi Sue, OK, if you are sure it is Murano. Do I just click the "Report to Moderator" button and request the move? Best wishes, Neil p.a. thank you for your help to date :)
-
Definitely Murano. Classic style and shape
-
Thank you Christine. I'll ask the moderator to move it to the Murano forum. Best wishes, Neil
-
The moderators will shift it to the Murano forum once it is identified without being asked, and I asked for Murano to be added to the title. Don't worry, Neil!
Like Christine, I think this is a very classic Murano shape, and it's a very nice thing.
At Murano they had the technique for adding silver foil to the outside of glass without burning it, long before Michael Harris invented a special marver, which he did not patent, for adding the very delicate silver and gold foil to the outside, and he and William walker spent some time learning how to add silver foil without it burning and reacting with the glass.
The marver had tiny holes drilled into it, and air was passed underneath that to create a very, very light vacuum which held the foil down flat so it could be picked up, without it flapping around and sticking back to itself everywhere. :)
-
I would have thought the weight came simply from the thickness of the glass - sometimes these things are very thick. Is the foil really on the outside literally? - or is it somehow just below the surface of the outside? :)
-
Hi Paul, thanks for commenting. The foil appears to lay under a layer of clear glass. Best wishes, Neil
-
thanks Neil - so covered by a clear casing then. I meant to say ……… heavy due to thickness, rather than any lead content - and forgot :)
Lead as an ingredient is usually only present in glass that is intended for cutting - apparently it helps with the cutting.
-
Hello Paul, I presume your reference to lead only being used in glass for cutting refers to modern glass or Murano glass only? Certainly late 17th and 18th century English glass was made with lead regardless of whether it was destined for the cutter's wheel. Best wishes, Neil
-
Lead glass is not only easier to cut, it is also easier to work when it is a hot metal.
However, it is more expensive than other sorts.
Casing over silver foil would be very tricky, the hot metal would need to be quite cool to prevent the silver burning and reacting with it.
That gives rise to opaque blues and yellows appearing.
You can see that happening in earlier pieces of IoWSG Azurene.
You don't see that happening in these (earlier) Murano pieces. :)
-
Hi Neil - you're very correct, of course, re the lead content of late C17 and C18 glass, a great deal of which wasn't cut anyway - my slipshod wording was really meant in connection with C19 and C20 glass …………… must learn to be more precise. ;) thanks for putting me right.