Introduction to Lampwork Part One
Published On: 11-09-2011 02:40pm
Comments: 4 - Hits: 98
Category: All About Lampwork Glass
Thanks to the growing popularity of lampwork, most people, especially jewellery artisans, have now heard of lampworking. Also thanks to the jewellery artists out there including lampwork beads in their designs glass beads in general have risen in popularity as an affordable alternative to using gemstones with more scope for colour, texture and patterning.
There are so many different things to consider when looking at lampwork beads, this series of blog posts have been written to help you understand the different terms you are likely to see in a lampwork bead listing, and things to look out for if you are buying beads and want to make sure you are buying artisan beads over imported factory produced lampworks(1).
Firstly let me introduce you to some of the different types of glass and their manufactures that are commonly used in lampworking.
Borosilicate (boro) - Borosilicate is a 'hard glass' it is also known as Pyrex, it has a high melting temperature and requires a dual fuel torch with a high flow of oxygen. Clear borosilicate is known for its clarity, though the colours are incomparable to any other glass in the soft glass range. Most of the borosilicate colours are natural shades but when placed in a light source the glass shows an amazing array of colours.
Creation is Messy (CiM) - Creation is Messy are an American company that wanted to expand on the 104coe soft glass range and add more tone to the colour pallet. While the company is owned and run by an American family their production factory is in China.
Double Helix - Located in the Pacific Northwest, Double helix Glassworks are known for their highly reactive silver loaded glass. Compatible with all other 104coe glass but, dependant on what it is used with, produces many different types of reactions. Double Helix colours can be quite hard to get to work in their intended way and do produce a wide variety of colours when correctly worked.
Effetre - An Italian brand of COE 104 glass, Effetre are the most commonly used brand of glass in lampworking. They supply a large range of standard colours as well as many special colours. Manufactured on the famous bead-making island of Murano. Effetre is also known as Morreti glass.
Reichenbach - A German company producing 104coe and 96coe glass best know for Iris Orange (also known as Raku) and their other reactive glasses such as magic, multi colour and their mystics range.
Vetrofond - Another Italian brand of 104coe soft glass, their clear glass has been regarded the best clear for encasing. They also release their highly coveted odd lots (usually mixed batches of glass pulled into one rod, or colours that haven't mixed properly and not resulted in the desired colour.)
While there are many more brands of glass used for lampworking these are the most common, nearly every lampworker will have their favourite brand of glass, especially when it comes to clear glass which nearly every company manufactures but all have different reactions dependant on the glass used with it or even the torch the artist is working on.
(1) I feel the need to include a footnote here, lampwork beads are always handmade. Factories that produce lampwork beads have many torches and workers creating beads. Conditions in some of these factories are substandard, not allowing for adequate ventilation for the workers. The workers are highly skilled, the business practises are what let down cheap imported lampwork beads, more on this will be mentioned later, probably in more footnotes.
There are so many different things to consider when looking at lampwork beads, this series of blog posts have been written to help you understand the different terms you are likely to see in a lampwork bead listing, and things to look out for if you are buying beads and want to make sure you are buying artisan beads over imported factory produced lampworks(1).
Firstly let me introduce you to some of the different types of glass and their manufactures that are commonly used in lampworking.
Borosilicate (boro) - Borosilicate is a 'hard glass' it is also known as Pyrex, it has a high melting temperature and requires a dual fuel torch with a high flow of oxygen. Clear borosilicate is known for its clarity, though the colours are incomparable to any other glass in the soft glass range. Most of the borosilicate colours are natural shades but when placed in a light source the glass shows an amazing array of colours.
Creation is Messy (CiM) - Creation is Messy are an American company that wanted to expand on the 104coe soft glass range and add more tone to the colour pallet. While the company is owned and run by an American family their production factory is in China.
Double Helix - Located in the Pacific Northwest, Double helix Glassworks are known for their highly reactive silver loaded glass. Compatible with all other 104coe glass but, dependant on what it is used with, produces many different types of reactions. Double Helix colours can be quite hard to get to work in their intended way and do produce a wide variety of colours when correctly worked.
Effetre - An Italian brand of COE 104 glass, Effetre are the most commonly used brand of glass in lampworking. They supply a large range of standard colours as well as many special colours. Manufactured on the famous bead-making island of Murano. Effetre is also known as Morreti glass.
Reichenbach - A German company producing 104coe and 96coe glass best know for Iris Orange (also known as Raku) and their other reactive glasses such as magic, multi colour and their mystics range.
Vetrofond - Another Italian brand of 104coe soft glass, their clear glass has been regarded the best clear for encasing. They also release their highly coveted odd lots (usually mixed batches of glass pulled into one rod, or colours that haven't mixed properly and not resulted in the desired colour.)
While there are many more brands of glass used for lampworking these are the most common, nearly every lampworker will have their favourite brand of glass, especially when it comes to clear glass which nearly every company manufactures but all have different reactions dependant on the glass used with it or even the torch the artist is working on.
(1) I feel the need to include a footnote here, lampwork beads are always handmade. Factories that produce lampwork beads have many torches and workers creating beads. Conditions in some of these factories are substandard, not allowing for adequate ventilation for the workers. The workers are highly skilled, the business practises are what let down cheap imported lampwork beads, more on this will be mentioned later, probably in more footnotes.
Reader's Comments
By daffydill on 11/10/2011 @ 10:10am
Wow super information here! Unfortunate about the ones stuck in poor working conditions....I do prefer to purchase any of these from "hand crafters" that I network with!
By lindab142 on 11/10/2011 @ 05:54am
Very interesting. I can only say I like millefiore, roman and milano glass.
By myfathersgifts on 11/10/2011 @ 04:14am
Great info, didn't know all that about Lampwork beads. Can you write about millefiori glass, roman glass and milano glass? I don't know a lot about those.
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By Scarlet-Impressions on 11/10/2011 @ 11:45am
@myfathersgifts and lindab142.Thanks, This is an ongoing series so there will be more information coming your way soon.
Milleflori (1000 flowers) is a type of cane, constructed to make a floral design and pulled into a rod. (just like caning in polymer clay.) The rod is then cut into little chips and the chips are applied to the bead.
Roman glass isn't actually that different from modern glass there are subtle differences mostly in the chemicals used to pigment the glass but essentially it is the same. Which is a derivative of Hellenistic techniques from before the Roman empire.
I think you mean Murano glass though Milano (Milan) wasn't known for it's glass however Murano is the heart of glass work. Effetre glass is produced there however the term Murano glass is applied to glass works produced in the region not made with glass from Murano.
In a sense lampworking hasn't really changed, just the technology.
@daffydill, glad you found it useful.