Silver glass
Silver glass is a double-walled, internally silver -plated glass, which is exclusively made by hand. Occasionally it is also called peasant silver , which is a single-walled silvery, occasionally golden shimmering glass . The term farmer's silver stems from the fact that the rural population of the 19th century could not afford silverware and therefore used the cheaper coated glass.
Manufacturing and history
A mouth-blown double-walled glass blank forms the basis. Rinsing with a silver nitrate solution takes place through a hole on the underside (after cooling) . Their silver purity is usually 99.99%. The glass is now only coated with silver on the inside, similar to a glass vacuum jug . Then the object is hermetically sealed on the underside by means of a glass plug. The resulting silver glass product cannot tarnish, as is often the case with silver goods. It is easy to care for and easy to clean because the outside is pure glass.
In the past, the outside of the glass was often decorated with painted decorations, etchings, engravings or glass applications. In the case of vessels, the inside often looks golden yellow when amalgam is applied . It was mainly created in the glass workshops in Bohemia and Moravia (especially Wilhelm Hofmann in Prague, Hugo Wolf in Iglau and Albert Scheinost in Haida ) in the second half of the 19th century, but was also made in England around the same time (first patents were issued it around 1840) and in the USA (first patents around 1855). However, this was Mercury glass. Various components were used, including amalgam containing mercury and single-walled glass - similar to the manufacture of mirrors. Mercury glass is usually made of very thin glass and is easily breakable, whereas silver glass made by hand in European workshops is much more valuable.
use
Originally, religious objects such as cups , confectionery bowls and so-called accessories were made from silver glass. The latter were silver-plated chalices, candlesticks and figures of saints that were set up in the rooms of the dying for the purpose of providence .
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b http://www.beyars.com/kunstlexikon/lexikon_8330.html (accessed on August 31, 2010)
- ↑ http://www.go-star.com/antiquing/mercury_glass.htm (English, accessed on August 31, 2010)
- ↑ http://www.glass.co.nz/mercury.html '(English, accessed on August 31, 2010)