Glassblowing

Glassblowing is an incredibly interesting process; it starts with a mix of sand and typically soda ash or potash (potassium carbonate) that's heated to temperatures exceeding 1,000 degree Celsius. This results in a molten glass that can be cooled, shaped, and reheated until it's fashioned into the desired form.

The process of glassblowing generally starts by heating up the end of a blowing iron which is used to collect a "gather" or "gob" of molten glass. The rod must be rotated constantly and pointed downwards as it is taken to a marver - a flat, polished, slab of steel. The gather is rolled on the plate to make it symmetrical, shape it so it is largely off the end of the iron, and chill the surface to give some resistance when blowing. The glassblower then introduces a bubble of air by puffing into the end of the iron and sealing it with a thumb or finger. As needed, more glass can be added through additional gathers, color can be added on the marver, and the final shape is formed by further heating and blowing.

Colors are introduced through different types of metal, for instance gold and copper result in ruby, iron produces green, cobalt oxide produces blue, and selenium a range of yellows and reds. Artisans in Murano often introduce color and design through the use of millefiori - small mosaic sections of glass made by fusing together regular arrangements of colored glass cane.

Glassmaking has become a complex automated industry; the hand-blown sector has faded rapidly because of the expense and is now largely limited to the production of quality crystal and products made in small quantities. In studios or small workshops, pieces tend to be made individually and are free blown. In larger factories, to enable faster processing and consistency in items such as wine glasses, glassblowing may involve moulds.

The Czech Republic has one of the longest traditions of glassmaking; Czech glass has been found in Corinthian excavations from the 11th and 12th centuries. Czech glassmaking held its dominance through the early 20th century until the Nazi invasion of 1938. Shortly after the end of the war, Czechoslovakia slid behind the iron curtain not to be heard from again until the Revolution in 1989 and subsequent separation from Slovakia. During that time, glassmakers such as Emanuel Beranek had their companies nationalized and taken over by the Center of Arts & Crafts under the direct authority of the Ministry of Culture. After the Revolution, ownership was transferred back and in the case of Beranek, the company remains within the family and has expanded to employ 58 designers.