Glass

Most evidence of the first true glass was found in Egypt where glass beads from mid third millennium BC were located. It was around 1500 BC in Phoenicia that glass took on more practical usage being made from sand, limestone and sodium carbonate. Over the centuries techniques and skills evolved with the Romans being the first to use glass for architectural purposes. Ever larger more complex uses of glass developed over time with the centre of glass in France being Limoges and in Italy Murano where they used faced lead crystal. Stained glass production was lost through the ravages of war with the French Revolution in Europe and the Dissolution of Monasteries under Henry V111 and was only rediscovered in 19th century when the catholic revival led to the replacement of plain glass windows used to replace the beautiful stained glass previously lost. Notable American glass artists include John Le Farge, who received a US patent for his discovery of opalescent glass and Louis Comfort Tiffany who also developed many patents and was widely credited with the creation of the copper foil technique to replace lead in his windows and lamps. In Europe Ludwig 1 of Germany in 1827 and Andre Lusson and Henri Gerente of France around 1839 were famous stained glass exponents whilst Rene Lalique really brought glass into everyday home life as an object of beauty. There were also many notable glass making factories across Europe producing exquisite products like the paperweights of Baccarat, Clichy and St Louis in the 19th Century.

Please look through our Glass by clicking on any of the images below which of are interest to you. Don’t hesitate to get in touch if we can be of assistance.