Corning Museum of Glass GLASS VASE. Exhumed at Pompeii, in 1839, and preserved in the Museum at Naples J. R. Jobbins John Strudwich del CURIOSITIES OF GLASS MAKING: WITH DETAILS OF THE PROCESSES AND PRODUCTIONS OF ANCIENT AND MODERN ORNAMENTAL GLASS MANUFACTURE. BY APSLEY PELLATT. A LONDON: DAVID BOGUE, 86, FLEET STREET. MDCCCXLIX. 6 8 73 ADVERTISEMENT. T h e following brief Treatise originated in the “L e c t u r e s u p o n t h e M a n u f a c t u r e of F l in t G l a s s , a n d t h e C u r io ­ s it ie s of G l a s s -M a k i n g ,” -which I have had the honour to deliver at the R oyal Institution. In collecting materials for this Lecture, I found it desirable to examine a variety of evidences of the antiquity of the Art of G l a s s - m a k i n g , -when I at once became impressed with the interest and importance of such memorials in illustrating the history and progress of the invention. Among such treasures I number the exhumed relics in the British Museum, and similar depositories of Art upon the Continent. In the former truly national establishment, and more especially in the private specimens of ancient glass, under the care of Mr. Doubleday, and the curator of the Medal Department of the British Museum, I acquired invaluable aid in my researches. It also affords me much pleasure to acknowledge my obliga­ tion to the Marquis of Northampton, Mrs. Richardson Aldjo and Mr. Aldjo, Mr. Charles Roach Smith, Mr. Hamilton, iv ADVERTISEMENT. and other eminent collectors, for access to their specimens, which has afforded me facilities for arriving at the conclusions, historical, chemical, and manipulatory, now submitted to the Reader. Such Facts and Curiosities in the History of Glass as have come to my knowledge of late years, I have engrafted upon my former Memoir “ On the Origin, Progress, and Improve­ ment of Glass Manufacture,” published many years ago, but long since out of print; and this constitutes the First Section of the present Treatise. The Second Section treats of the Constituents and Manufacture of Glass, or in other words, of Practical Glass-making. And in the Third Section are de­ scribed and illustrated the various Manipulatory Processes of the Art, more in detail than are to be found in any work on Glass-making, ancient or modern, British or foreign. The practical illustrations consist of working diagrams, drawn in the Glass-house; besides a very attractive Series of repre­ sentations in colours, of Antique and Mediaeval Specimens, including some of the Curiosities of Egyptian, Roman, Chinese, and Venetian Glass-making; and unquestionably possessing highly artistic beauty, as well as evidence of in­ genious manufacture. It may be observed that the literature of the ancients and middle ages affords but meagre information upon ADVERTISEMENT. V the chemistry of colours, or other constituents of Glass; and still less upon the modes of blowing, shaping, or mould­ ing, this artistic manufacture. One of the chief objects of the present work is to supply this defect, by concentrating within a practical focus the rays of information to be found in the works of Neri, Merrett, Kunkell, Blancourt, Loisel, Deaudenart, Bontemps, and others; and to blend with their researches certain Curiosities of Glass Manufacture, familiar to those practically engaged in Glass Works, but compara­ tively little known to amateurs of the Art, and those who take interest in its very elaborate details; this portion of the present volume being the result of my own experience and investigation. The value of researches into the skill of by-gone ages in order to benefit the arts of our own time— more especially with the powerful aid of the present state of chemical science — is strikingly illustrated in Glass Manufacture. But for the existence of the Portland and Naples Vases, part of an ancient Vase in the possession of Mrs. Aldjo, and some interesting fragments from the ruins of Thebes, Pompeii, Rome, and Roman London, we should have been unacquainted with the high art of ancient Glass Cameo Engraving; and many Glass colouring constituents and manipulatory processes which now excite our admiration and imitation. Vi ADVERTISEMENT. It is hoped that the present work, besides being acceptable to the Collectors of the Curiosities of Glass-making, may also be welcomed by the Encouragers and Patrons of Art, and Promoters of Science and Manufactures in general, to whom these pages are respectfully dedicated, By their obedient and devoted Servant, APSLEY PELLATT. Falcon Glass Works, Holland Street, Southwark. CONTENTS. PAGE H i s t o r i c a l N o t i c e s .................................................................................................. 1 C onstituents a n d M a n u f a c t u r e .......................................................................3 3 f l i n t g l a s s ........................................................................................................ 3 4 GLASS-HOUSE POTS ..................................................................................................... 5 0 FURNACES .................................................................................................................... 5 6 ANNEALING ............................................................................................................... 6 2 COLOURED G L A SS ..................................................................................................... 7 3 STATE OF THE FURNACE AT THE COMMENCEMENT OF THE w e e k ’s W O R K ...................................................................................... 7 9 M anipulations .................................................................................................................... 8 0 TOOLS FOR MANIPULATION ...............................................................................8 1 M anipulatory P r o c e s s e s :— BLOWING AND MAKING BY HAND ................................................................8 4 WINE-GLASS IN THREE PIECES .......................................................................8 4 WINE-GLASS, GOBLET, OR ALE-GLASS, IN TWO PIECES. 86 MODE OF PAYMENT, DIVISION OF LABOUR, ETC. 87 WASTE OF G LASS ........................................................................................ 9 2 TUMBLER ............................................................................................................................ 9 3 CYLINDRICAL LAM P-GLASS .............................................................................. 9 4 RETORT ............................................................................................................................9 5 BLOWN-OFF D IS H E S ..............................................................................................9 6 SCOLLOPING, OR C U T T IN G .............................................................................. 9 6 HANDLED J U G ............................................................................................................ 9 7 FRENCH LAMP-SHADE ............................................................................................. 9 9 Vlll CONTENTS. PAGE RINGED DECANTER ............................................................................................ 1 0 1 MOULDED BOTTLES ...........................................................................................1 0 2 MOULDED ROMAN P IL L A R ............................................................................1 0 4 CANE AND TUBE DRAW ING ............................................................................1 0 6 VENETIAN FILIGREE G LASS ............................................................................1 0 8 VENETIAN B A L L .................................................................................................. 1 0 9 MILLE-FIORE ................................................................................................................. 1 1 0 MOSAIC W O R K ..........................................................................................................1 1 0 VENETIAN DIAMOND-MOULDED .................................................................... 1 1 2 VENETIAN VITRO DI TRIN O ........................................................................... 1 1 3 CASED G L A S S ..........................................................................................................1 1 4 OLD VENETIAN FROSTED G L A S S ............................................................ 1 1 6 WELDED COLOURED GLASS .................................................................... 1 1 7 CRYSTALLO ENGRAVING ................................................................................... 1 1 8 CAMEO INCRUSTATION ................................................................................... 1 1 9 AMERICAN PRESSED G L A S S ............................................................................1 2 1 DROP PINCHING ..................................................................................................1 2 2 GLASS CUTTING ......................................................................................................... 1 2 3 GLASS ENGRAVING ..................................................................................................1 2 5 GLASS STOPPERING ...................................... 1 2 7 G e n e r a l O bservations ...........................................................................................1 2 8 E x p l a n a t i o n o f t h e C o l o u r e d P l a t e s : — PLATE I. NAPLES VASE