Glassblower
Teacher note: A number of students contributed
to these pages on Colonial times. Each contributed diffferent information or
a different perspective. You may find that each article adds to your understanding
and research base.
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Jonathon B
The
Craft
The craft I am researching is the craft of glassmaking. Glassmaking
is done for a person or a house. Here are some things glassmakers would make:
windows, tableware, and decorative pieces.
Before you get these items, you have to do the following steps:
- Molten glass is gathered from the melting pot on the end
of a hollow blowing iron rod.
- The blower begins to blow a small bubble inside the glass.
- Then the glass is cooled on a smooth iron slab to chill the
glass bubbles outside. This is known as “marverring”.
- The glass is blown again, this time to a; its rough shape
of a jug is being made.
- The bowl of the jug is shaped with the aid of a tool.
- The base of the jug is shaped against a flat plate.
- The pontil is attached to the base and the blowing iron is
cracked off.
- The top of the jug is sheared off to the correct height.
- The shaping of the bowl of the jug is completed.
- A tool shapes the lip.
- A new piece of glass is added to the side of the jug and
cut off.
- The new piece of glass is shaped to become the handle.
Tools of the trade 
The tools used by the craftsperson were:
- An iron metal blowing rod
- An iron slab to cool the glass
- A plate to shape the glass bubble
- Shears for cutting
- Tongs to help shape and add
- A leer cooling tunnel so the glass didn't cool too fast
- Hook to pull ray through tunnel
Setting
Glassmaking mostly took place in towns. Glassmaking was one
of the first attempts to make money in the colonies.
Required Skills
The skills that are required are known were the several years
to learn the craft of glassmaking. The glassmaker had to know more than how
to run a business. The apprentice had to live with the master of the shop, who
was also his teacher.
In The Community
Society depends on this craft in a way. Glassmaking was a luxury.
Glass was used by all classes of people. Glasswares were used everyday items
or as luxury items.
Today
Glassmaking is still useful today. Today, glassmaking is mostly
done in factories using molds. More expensive pieces are done by hand. The satisfying
thing about this craft is the workmanship that goes into the work and the beauty
of the finished product.
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Article # 2
By Isaac V., Jorge C., and Paula Z. (1998)
- The topic we are researching is glassblowing. It is done
by getting a metal rod with a one inch opening. You dip it in the refactory
pots and get some molten glass out of it. You put the rod on the corner of
the table and begin shaping it with a left and right roll. To make an opening
and the inside, you have to blow into the pipe while you make the motion.
-
- Glassblowers needed the following training and skills to
make glass: eye and hand coordination, knowing how to make glass, having higher
ranking than an apprentice.
-
- Glassblowing was needed to make cups, wine glasses, and glass
pots to hold things. Some one would like doing it because it paid well, was
enjoyable, and because it was fascinating to learn how to make and mold glass.
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This site is created and maintained by Holly
Geddes.
Last updated on
March 11, 2003
