Hand Blown Glass Vase
Hand blown glass vases can make a great statement. Glass blowing is an art form that started in the middle of the last century BC. It
To make a hand blown glass vase the artist (glassblower, glassmith, or gaffer) starts with a glass formula mainly consisting of silica sand. The glass is then melted in a furnace until it reaches it’s molten liquid form. The molten form is the consistency of honey at 2100 degrees Fahrenheit. Once the glass has gotten to this optimal temperature the artist collects the glass with a blowpipe. A blowpipe is a long hollow metal pipe that is used to help shape the vases.
Their are two main methods of making blown glass vases. The first is referred to as free-blowing. The artist will use the blowpipe to blow short breathes of air into the molten glass to make a bubble in it, or inflating it. The glass is then shaped by blowing into it, swinging it around, stretching, and rotating the vase.
The second widely used technique is called mold-blowing. The process is similar until the the blowing of the glass. The glass is heated up, placed on the end of a blow pipe and then inflated into a carved mold.
Hand blown glass vases are typically more expensive and desirable because of the difficulty of the process. They make for great collector items, and a antique glass vase can sell for major money and retain their value well.
If you are looking to add some vases to your collection we suggest checking out estate sales, going to flea markets, or making it easy on yourself and purchase on the Internet. A few of my favorite places to get hand blown glass vases online are Amazon Vase Deals
and search their vase section.
