GLASS NEWS

from? The nature of the actual colours used in making It is a project that can only be accomplished with
mosaics changed over time: is this simply a question collaboration across disciplines and scholars: no
of changing aesthetics or are there also technical single person has the tremendous breadth of
explanations for these alterations? knowledge that would be required to tackle this field
In discussing questions like these, the workshops will alone. Consequently, the network, which will have to
not only provide answers to central questions about cut across art history, archaeology, chemistry, physics
artistic practices, but will also feed both information and Byzantine studies, will bring together a range of
and analysis into wider debates about the nature of scholars from Europe and America interested in the
trade and exchange within the Mediterranean during chemical and physical analysis of Byzantine glass
this period and into our understanding of political and together with those concerned with the formal and
social changes within the Mediterranean world. From cultural aspects of Byzantine mosaics in order to
a study of the distribution patterns of glass tesserae, reappraise mosaics and mosaic making in this
can we, for example, gain any sense of how the interdisciplinary context. The programme aims to
sourcing of raw materials for glassmaking changed draw together scholars who work on different aspects
over time? One thing we are particularly keen to of glass mosaic production and analysis from the
explore is the possibility of collating evidence about scientific and art historic worlds, but who rarely, if
the chemical make-up of glass tesserae, which might ever, meet and discuss their common concerns.
then make it possible to build up a pattern of both
mosaic and glass manufacture within the If you are at all interested, please do contact Professor
Mediterranean throughout the Middle Ages. Liz James, Department of Art History, University of
Sussex, Falmer, Brighton <E.James @sussex.ac.uk>
The mosaic of the Virgin and Child in the apse of
Hagia Sophia, Istanbul, AD 867 (copyright Elizabeth The Corning Museum of Glass
James)
2007 Research Grants
Glass News July 2007
News of the 2007 Rakow Grants for Glass Research
at Corning Museum of Glass, NY, an annual grant
awarded by a committee of the Museum’s staff and
made possible through the generosity of the late Dr.
and Mrs. Leonard S. Rakow, Fellows of the Museum.

The first grant has been awarded to Italian researchers
Rosa Barovier Mentasti, Cristina Tonini, and Marco
Verità, studying Venetian enamelled glass of the late
15th and 16th centuries. The three intend to make an
iconographic and typological analysis of a wide
variety of enamelled glasses in European museum
collections and that of The Corning Museum of Glass,
with chemical analyses of selected objects. Their
work will include a study of sources in Italian
archives and the Corning Museum's Rakow Research
Library. The results of this research will be published.

The second grant goes to Valentina Varl, curator at
the Pokrajinski Muzej Maribor in Slovenia, who is
investigating the influence of Bohemian, French, and
American pressed glass on pressed glass production in
the Pohorje region of Styria (part of present-day
Slovenia) in the first half of the 19th century. At least
15 glassworks are known to have existed in the region
of Pohorje, dating back to at least 1697 and remaining
a presence in the region until 1909. The most
important glassworks were owned by Benedikt Vivat,

5

whose glass objects were shown at several industrial faced by Islamic glassmakers. Her talk explored the
exhibitions and at two world exhibitions (London, range of Arabic literary sources and European
1851, and Paris, 1855). By comparing objects and travellers’ reports which described the sources and
techniques, and by studying the history and technical supply of glass in the Islamic Middle East, the basic
development of pressed glass in the United States and materials, such as natron and the production centres.
Europe, Dr Varl hopes to produce a scientific article References to guilds involved in glassmaking or
that will be published in Slovenia. selling are few but it may be assumed that the
structure, the initiation ceremony, the responsibilities
www.cmog.org to the craft, to fellow guild members and the public
duties were very similar to others described more
The Blaschkas at fully. Similarly, the hisba (market) regulations so far
The Corning Museum of Glass published, dating from the late 9th century AD
onwards, do not mention the glassmakers specifically
Corning Museum of Glass, NY, has organised a but the continuing concern over quality, working and
variety of activities related to Leopold and son Rudolf selling practices concerning all the occupations,
Blaschka to run from 18th May to 25th November whether bakery, tailoring, perfumery or pottery-
2007. There are exhibitions of their delicate glass making, would have presumably related to glass
flowers and animals and the detailed botanical production. It is clear for instance that Islamic law
drawings they used for their work, tours by the was against the use of animal or human dung for
Director David Whitehouse and many other activities. furnace and kiln firings and this must have affected
Please look at website for up-to-date information: glassmaking practice. However certain Geniza
www.cmog.org documents do outline contracts and working
conditions of medieval glassmakers in medieval
There is a 7 minute video on Blaschka, father and son, Cairo.
which can be viewed in the Corning Museum of Glass
website. The video may be found at: David Whitehouse (Corning Museum of Glass)
<http://cmog.org/index.asp?pageId=1554> and then followed with an account of the controls exercised by
clicking on the Blaschka ‘video’ icon. the Venetian Government over glassmaking between
1200 and 1500. At various times within this period
AHG Study Day Review there were State controls on the raw materials, on the
export of glass from Venice and on the movements of
‘THE GLASS INDUSTRY: the glassmakers themselves. In view of the many
CONSTRAINTS AND CONTROLS FROM THE secrets known to them, severe controls over the
MEDIEVAL WORLD TO THE 20TH CENTURY’ glassmakers were vital to the important Venetian
glass trade. In 1281 all the glass furnaces were
Study Day held by The Association for the History of relocated to the island of Murano, supposedly to
Glass at The Royal Asiatic Society on Wednesday diminish the risk of fires in the City but the move also
22nd March 2007 enabled the movements of glassmakers to be more
easily controlled. Glassmakers were forbidden to
Morning Presentations: leave Murano on pain of death but some did leave and
Patricia Baker - Rules & Restrictions Faced by the there is a report of Venetian assassins following one
Islamic Glassmaker miscreant ‘even to the gates of Prague’. The best raw
David Whitehouse - Venetian Glassmakers & the materials for glassmaking were imported and could
Venetian Government 1200-1500 most easily be controlled at the point of entry.
Brian Rawles - The Worshipful Company of Glass Materials were often transported over long distances
Sellers of London - is it Relevant to the Twentieth e.g. sand from the Levant and plant ash and cullet
Century? from Alexandria. Nearer to home quartz pebbles were
brought from the beds of the rivers Ticino and Adigo
The morning session chaired by Ian Freestone in an area outside Venetian jurisdiction. In 1285 and
(Cardiff) began with an account by Patricia Baker again in 1315 the export of plant ash, cullet and glass
(independent researcher) of the rules and restrictions from Venice was banned. Possibly the greatest
hardship for glassmakers was the State imposed and
Glass News July 2007 highly contentious cavata under which the
glasshouses were shut down annually between 5th
August and 5th January. The reason for the closure is

6

unclear: it may have been a measure to control over Royal Charter of 1664. The GSC then petitioned the
production of glass and so increase prices, or possibly Court of Aldermen for a livery in 1712. The Industrial
to force glassmakers to repair the furnaces and renew Revolution destroyed the power base of the Livery
pots. The only concession was given to glasshouses Companies and by the latter part of the 19th century
producing measuring glasses for the oil and wine they had become prestigious dining clubs. Some were
industry, and those completing exceptional products extremely wealthy and in the 1880s the Government
for the Government. Between 1271 and 1315 various set up a commission to investigate their wealth. This
edicts restricted glassmakers from taking seasonal resulted in a vigorous regeneration and the
jobs on the mainland during the ‘recess’ without fear establishment of schools and institutes such as the
of punishment, or from working abroad without being City and Guilds. In 1955 the GSC set up the first glass
fined and risking imprisonment. However department at Sheffield University under Professor
Government rules were inconsistent and were Turner and later gave financial assistance to the
conveniently rescinded when there was a shortage of setting up of the Society of Glass Technology. Today
glassmakers. By 1469 only Muranese glassmakers the Company still patronizes the art, craft, science and
were allowed to make cristallo; however French technology of glass by means of various awards. In
glassmakers began arriving in Venice to teach the art addition to the traditional use of their own funds the
of mirror-making in exchange for the secret of Livery Companies of London have broadened their
making cristallo. In the 16th century financial giving into many other areas of modern life both at
inducements lead to glassmakers leaving Venice by home and abroad. Brian kindly arranged for members
stealth and this resulted in Venetian maestri to receive complimentary copies of the History and
manufacturing glass in the façon de Venise style Activities of the City of London Livery Companies
throughout Europe. In 1612 Antonio Neri published which also included explanations of the origins of the
Dell ‘Arte Vetraria containing the glassmaking offices of Lord Mayor and Sheriffs and customs such
secrets that had circulated privately for 200 years and as ‘swan upping’.
the secrets of Venetian glassmaking were in the
public domain. During the lunch break a short silent film was shown,
courtesy of Roger Dodsworth (Broadfield House
To end the morning session, Brian Rawles Museum) featuring the work of the artist Maurice
(Worshipful Company of Glass Sellers) gave a lively Marinot (1882-1962). Marinot was a painter
account of the history of the medieval livery associated with the Fauves but began to work in glass
companies of London - of which 107 have survived in in 1911 at Troyes. His works are ornamental rather
London to this day - and of the Glass Sellers than practical and consist mainly of bowls and flasks,
Company (GSC) in particular. Owing to a lack of modelled with a feeling for solid sculptural form. He
money the GSC had no hall of its own and as a used either clear or coloured glass (he had a trick of
consequence the Company’s documents, records and sandwiching a core of coloured glass between two
artefacts have been lost. In the late 1500s glass sellers transparent layers) sometimes enamelled but more
appear to have banded together to buy and sell glasses often, and more satisfactorily, etched with freely
and mirrors. A Charter was formed in 1635 but not drawn figures. He made much decorative use of
presented to King Charles I because of his ‘imperfections’ as air bubbles and crackling. Ill health
unpopularity. However in 1644 a Royal Charter forced him to give up glassmaking in 1937.
issued by King Charles II established the Court for the
Ordnance of the GSC. This could seek out and Afternoon presentations:
destroy inferior glass within its area of jurisdiction Peter Wren Howard - Furnaces, the Perennial
and punish the perpetrators. Charles II needed to raise Problem
a loan and the Lord Mayor of London stated that the Richard Golding - Coloured Glass in the Workshop:
GSC should contribute £310 - a sum that was repaid Problems and Headaches
with 6% interest in 1666. In the 17th century the Alex Werner - The Impact of Glass Excise Duty
Company’s activities resulted in the invention of Roger Dodsworth - The Impact of World War II on
English lead crystal glass. Although there is no the West Midlands Crystal Industry
surviving documentary evidence, the GSC apparently
agreed to purchase all George Ravenscroft’s (actually The afternoon session chaired by David Crossley
Hawley Bishop’s) clear glass output. In 1683 the King (Sheffield) began with an account by Peter Wren
brought a writ of quo warranto against the GSC to Howard of the perennial problem with glass furnaces,
investigate how its powers were exercised and why it namely the cost of firing. In 1976 Peter began his
had a livery, since that was not mentioned in the association with glass furnaces when, as a glass

Glass News July 2007 7

designer, he found that the designs he was interested After tea Alex Werner (Museum of London) talked
in exploring could not be made with the furnace of the Impact of various excise duties levied on the
technology available at the time. Peter attended the British glass industry between 1745 and 1785. In the
Glass Training Centre (now the International Glass mid 18th century excise men were sent around the
Centre) in Stourbridge where he was taught by Fred country to impose duties on manufactured goods. A
Bridges, and where he famously built a working glass duty had been imposed on manufactured goods in the
kiln with five bricks! Peter eventually became a 17th century but hadn’t lasted. Its removal must have
contract researcher into coloured glass and in 1986 helped the nascent lead glass industry in which
helped Richard Golding relocate his recuperative approximately eight hundred men were employed. A
glass furnace to the outskirts of Stourbridge. Since third of the production was exported. Glassmakers
then Peter has built many furnaces, always with an were encouraged to look for overseas markets on
eye to cost saving. Following a brief history of the which the excise duty could be reclaimed. The
technology of glassmaking Peter emphasized the fact English developed great skill in lead glassmaking but
that, although the basic technology had not changed foreign glass cutters were often employed. From 1745
since Roman times, it was the scale of glass to 1819 increased excise duty became payable on
production that had greatly expanded over the finished glass objects and during this period there
centuries due to changes in furnace design. Furnace were complicated changes in the levy of duties. In the
designs had become increasingly efficient, 1780s the glass was measured by weight, not by the
recuperative and regenerative and he suggested that, article, and so, for example, cullet was sold by weight.
in the future, they might be solar powered. Even so glass objects tended not to be made smaller
and lighter as was previously thought. Irish glass was
Peter was followed by Richard Golding (Okra Glass) not taxed; so much of the glass attributed to Ireland in
who explained the technical difficulties of working the period 1770-1790 was in fact English.
with coloured glasses and in particular the problem of Glassmakers had to give notice before changing their
matching the working properties of coloured glasses pots and the amount of excise payable was calculated
to a clear glass base. Richard began making colourless by measuring from the top of the pots to the surface of
glass after experiencing problems with cords and the glass in order to calculate the amount of molten
stones in bought glass. The first decolourant he used glass. Cullet and finished glass broken in the
was antimony oxide followed by cerium although the glasshouse were also subject to excise duty.
latter made the clear glass technically more difficult Dispensation was given for highly specialised glass
to match to the coloured glass. Richard has developed and scientific glass for export. The glass industry
his own clear glass base that includes 1.5% lithium expanded by the 1830/1840s and the freeing of glass
which is known to cause devitrification. However this from excise duty led to changes of colour and design
is avoided by melting the glass at lower than normal especially since the technology of glassmaking was
temperatures. When applying white glass to clear being better understood. From the 1930s new types of
glass, e.g. in the form of canes, the temperature coloured glass, such as uranium glass, were being
viscosity curves of the two glasses must match so that experimented with on the Continent. The invention of
on blowing the vessel shape is even. Fluoride white pressed glass led to mass production.
opal glass is very different from clear glass; it
includes 5% zinc and alumina that successfully holds The final speaker of the day was Roger Dodsworth
the white droplets in suspension to produce the opal (Broadfield House Museum) who talked about the
effect. A network modifier is added to glass to impact of World War II on the West Midlands Crystal
produce the right viscosity for blowing. The addition Glass Industry. During World War I the glass industry
of calcium and 1% barium caused the glass to become focused on the production of light bulbs and lamp
as hard as concrete; however the addition of 1% chimneys, but during the Second World War the glass
potassium or sodium to the glass did not cause such a industry was specifically devoted to the war effort.
dramatic change in viscosity. Commercial Webbs of Stourbridge had begun to experiment with
competition to produce better coloured glasses borosilicate glass for manufacturing radar valves
resulted in products that can be added to a clear base before the war and made more than 80% of the
of sodium or low- or full-lead glass. The mixing of output. There were large Government orders for
particularly difficult colours, for example in the utilitarian glass, such as canteen ware, and an
production of aurene glass, is aided by the use of enforced limitation of supplies ordering, renewable
stirrers in the batch. Richard’s talk ended with a every six months, became increasingly severe. In
discussion prompted by a member of the audience on 1942 there was a complete ban on the production of
the difficulties of making ruby glass. decorative glass for the home market and even

Glass News July 2007 8

utilitarian glass took second place to work for the Vigato, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Padua
Government. Later, exports enjoyed a boom backed and Università degli Studi di Siena). The study was
by the Government for the sake of the Nation’s based on an interdisciplinary research project carried
prosperity and at the same time imports from the out by archaeologists, chemists and petrologists at
Continent decreased. However in 1943 experts were three glass production sites in the Elsa Valley (central
banned and so glassmaking again reverted to the Tuscany). They gathered information on various
production of light bulbs and chimney lamps, glass aspects of the evolution of glass technology at the
for medical use such as X-ray lamps, cathode ray sites between the 14th and 16th centuries, with
tubes, aircraft landing lights and heat resisting radar particular reference to raw materials, kiln
lamps. temperatures, chemical composition and glass
colouring.
Sandy Davison
Fascinating glass finds from the Gnalić Wreck, a
Contemporary glass jug, detail (image J. Navarro) merchant ship that sailed from Venice in 1583, were
revealed in a paper submitted by I. Lazar (Pokrajinski
AIHV 17th Triennial muzej Celje, Slovenia) and H. Willmott (University of
Congress, Antwerp - Sheffield). The ship was found and partially
excavated between 1967 and 1996 and is now the
Review, Part 2 subject of an international research project. Although
a considerable amount of the merchandise remains to
ANTWERP, 4TH-8TH SEPTEMBER 2006 be excavated, several thousand glasses have been
retrieved, including the largest assemblage of
Part 1 of the congress review was published in Glass diamond-point engraved glass ever found. High
News 21, January 2007. Part 2 is a review of papers quality glassware was probably the main cargo,
from sessions on: predominantly made up of drinking vessels, vases,
- 15th- and 16th-century glass flasks, bottles, sprinklers, sandglasses, window panes
- 16th- and 17th-century glass and mirror plates. Glass samples will be analysed as
- Glass decoration and enamels part of the project.

15th- and 16th-century glass Danielle Caluwé (Vrije Universiteit, Brussels)
This session comprised ten papers covering a wide presented findings from her doctoral research (part of
range of subjects from excavations to forgeries, and a collaborative project between the Free University of
was given in two sets. Brussels and the University of Antwerp) on vessel
Set 1 glass in the Duchy of Brabant in the late Middle Ages
The keynote lecture discussed the importance of the and early modern times. Scientific, archaeological and
study of production indicators for the technology of historical evidence has been brought together for
medieval and Renaissance glass in Tuscany and how study of the production, distribution and use of vessel
they can be identified (F. Fenzi, M. Mendera, P. A. glass from a range of sites in Brabant. Further aims
are to establish a typo-chronological tool for the study
Glass News July 2007 of finds, to set the glass finds within the context of
contemporary material culture and to see how this
illustrates the interaction of the main glass production
centres and the mediating role of the Low Countries,
especially Brabant, in the transfer of technology,
production practices and distribution. Caluwé’s paper
focused on information gleaned from a detailed study
of the glass produced and/or distributed in Antwerp,
Brussels, s’Hertogenbosch, Breda and Mechelen in
the 16th and 17th centuries. A paper given in the
second session (‘A cupboard and a basket with some
glasses….a glass without a foot’) presented the results
of another aspect of this research project, the use and
meaning of vessel glass as gleaned through the
analysis of entries for glass in several hundred
inventories dated between 1500 and 1697.

9

C. Moretti (San Vito al Tagliamento, Italy) compared to arrange the results from the study, which could be
the chemical practice, dressing and treatment of raw used by other archaeologists working with glass finds.
materials for glassmaking as revealed in a range of
Renaissance recipes. The recipes have been listed J. Lefrancq’s communication on Raymond Chambon
according to material so that comparisons between the was a fascinating exposé of this now notorious art
methods described for obtaining them can be historian whose monograph on Belgian glass was
compared. Moretti pointed out that words could be until recently the ‘bible’ on the subject. The so-called
used by different writers to mean different things, Colinet catalogue was exposed as a forgery in 1999,
further complicating a complex subject. but Lefrancq’s paper extended the range of his
falsifications, to include the simulation of
Set 2 archaeological discoveries and the production of fake
In the keynote lecture David Whitehouse (Corning vessels.
Museum of Glass) considered an early 16th-century
letter in the Biblioteca de Menéndez Pelayo in A study of the chemical composition and deterioration
Santander, Spain, that discusses the respective of glass excavated in the 15th and 16th-century
qualities of common, christallina and physica (the fishing town of Raversijde, Belgium, was the result of
best) glass. The writer, who was probably an teamwork by researchers, including K. Janssens from
interested observer rather than a glassmaker, discusses the University of Antwerp, D. Caluwé from the Free
the methods used for making each of these types. The Universtity of Brussels and H. Wouters from the
manuscript appears to be incomplete. It throws new Institute for the Archaeological Heritage of the
light on glassmaking in Renaissance Spain; two other Flemish Community, Zellik, Belgium. The
manuscripts on this subject known to Whitehouse date composition of about 100 excavated fragments was
from 1494 and 1600. analysed. The site is unusual in providing information
on the daily life of a small but affluent community.
G. Egan (Museum of London) presented a paper on Most of the glass is utilitarian and was made with
two aspects of the London glass trade: a glass bead wood ash. The few soda glass items were probably
factory operating on Sir Nicholas Crispe’s imported from Venice or Antwerp.
Hammersmith estate in the 1630s and inscribed milled
window leads. Similarity between the beads produced 16th and 17th-century glass
in Hammersmith and those made at a slightly earlier The section was chaired by J. Kunicki-Goldfinger
bead-making site in Amsterdam indicate that workers (Institute of Nuclear Chemistry and Technology,
from the latter may have moved to London. Speo and Warsaw) and included studies of glass from England,
ferracia methods are being used and Egan hopes to Spain, the Netherlands and Portugal.
discover the beads’ intended market. The second part
of the paper concerned the recording of over 100 The keynote lecture, given by B. Velde (Ecole
different marks on window leads from sites in the Normale Supérieure, Paris), considered some potassic
colonies and in England, with about 80 from finds in glass compositions in the Low Countries, setting his
the London area. Marked leads tend to be found in discussion of 16th and 17th-century glass within a
association with high class sites and dates between c. broader historic context. He described the results of
1618 and the early 18th century are known. Egan the quantitative analysis of potassium-rich glass from
hopes that a national register of lead marks will be Low Countries sites and a comparison of major and
created. minor element content with glass excavated in France
and Germany. The study is particularly concerned
S. G. Lerma (ISCUM, Genoa) discussed the with the use of purified wood ashes used to extract
development of a standard methodology for the potassium as a clean source of alkali fusing agent,
classification of glass making and glass working alongside lead as a fusing agent. The Netherlands may
indicators, based on the study of material from the predate England in this use of refined materials.
medieval (14th and 15th century) glass factory at
Monte Lecco, Genoa, where excavations were carried With their paper, ‘Late 17th-century English and Irish
out between 1967 and 1974. About 20 glassmaking crystal glass’, C. Brain (Salisbury, UK) and D.
sites operated in Liguria between the 13th and 15th Dungworth (English Heritage) presented a recently
centuries. Monte Lecco is the most important because completed English Heritage study aimed at providing
the whole production cycle was carried out there. a better picture of how glass technology changed
About 3000 fragments found at the site probably between 1660 and 1690. The first interim results were
represent about 300 objects. A form has been created published in the 16th AIHV Annales; this paper

Glass News July 2007 10

presented the results of the full programme. This is been created based on the non-destructive analysis of
the first comprehensive analysis of early flint glass in the elements present in about 200 Limoges enamels
the UK and the results do not support some well- dating from the 15th to the 19th centuries. This has
established theories. The study has highlighted areas enabled key periods of change in composition to be
for further research, such as the relationship between identified. The identification of colourants that were
the United Kingdom and continental Europe, new in the 19th century can confirm the identification
especially the Netherlands, in the 17th century. of later ‘Renaissance style’ enamels. Two methods of
analysis can be used, one of them portable.
The Shaw House project, presented by D. Dungworth
(English Heritage), provided an excellent case study The question of developing scientific methods for
for an investigation of the composition of late 16th- distinguishing 19th-century imitations from genuine
century to early 19th-century window glass in Renaissance works of art was also discussed by D.
England. Documentary sources suggest that between von Kerssenbrock-Krosigk (Corning Museum of
c.1680 and c.1830 several fluxes were used to Glass) in his paper, ‘Venetian enamelled glass: a
produce colourless window glass. Shaw House in survey of tasks for future research’. Securely datable
Berkshire, built c.1580 with several additional phases archaeological examples could provide a database of
in the 18th and 19th centuries, retains many of its authentic pieces for a project. Sources of funding and
original windows. Glass samples from various phases potential vested interests have so far presented
of its development have been analysed, leading to the problems with setting up a project to find scientific
proposal of a model for changes in window glass methods of distinguishing periods of production, but
technology during this period. such a project could yield important results.

Suzanne Higgott discussed three crizzled vases C. S. Salerno (Istituto Centrale del Restauro, Rome)
(British Museum and Wallace Collection) with some and C. Moretti (San Vito al Tagliamento, Italy),
shared characteristics. They include the British presented a paper on the supply of “smalti” and other
Museum’s so-called ‘Amiens Chalice’, which has materials for the mosaics of the Vatican’s vaults and
been variously attributed to the 5th, 17th and 19th altarpieces by the “Fabbrica di San Pietro” from the
centuries. Based on stylistic, scientific and 16th to the 18th century. The continuous use of the
provenance comparisons, Higgott argued for a 17th- Fabbrica for the production of mosaics for St. Peter’s
century French origin for the three glasses. and the existence of the Fabbrica’s archive, with
recipe books, suppliers’ names and stock information,
The two other presentations in this session covered have enabled researchers to study the evolution of
the analysis of a Catalan façon de Venise glass in the mosaic work there. The archive also provided
Musée du Verre, Liège (C. Fontaine and H. Wouters, information about the technological and commercial
I. R. P. A., Brussels) and of a wide-ranging group of relationship between the Fabbrica and Venetian
objects for storing liquids from an excavation (1996- glassmakers.
2002) carried out at the Monastery of Sta. Clara-a-
Velha t Coimbra, Portugal (T. Medici et al., New M. T. Wypyski and L. Pilosi (Metropolitan Museum,
University of Lisbon and Nuclear and Technological New York) presented the results from ‘A technical
Institute, Sacavém, Portugal). study of Renaissance Venetian enamelled glass’. This
linked up well with D. von Kerssenbrock-Krosigk’s
Glass decoration and enamels paper, outlined above. Very little technical analysis
This fascinating session covered a wide range of has been carried out on this type of glass. The results
techniques and periods, from 16th-century Limoges of compositional analyses were presented and these
painted enamels to reverse painting on glass from the were compared with results for earlier Islamic
1300s to the early 19th century. enamelled glasses and results from the so-called
‘Aldrevandin’ group. There are no securely dated
The keynote lecture was presented by Isabelle Biron 16th-century glasses in the Metropolitan’s collections,
(S. Röehrs and I. Biron, Laboratoire du Centre de so the study needs to be extended to include some
Recherche et de Restauration des Musées de France, securely dated examples.
Paris; H. Stege, Doerner Institut, Munich) on the
chronological evolution of the chemical composition Still in the 16th century, H. Cabart (Saint-Memmie,
of coloured glasses used in the production of Limoges France) turned the spotlight on ‘Les nouveaux verres
painted enamels of the Renaissance. A database for émaillés de Troyes (Aube)’. Excavations carried out
the evolution of the composition of the enamels has in Troyes in 2002 revealed a quantity of mid-16th-
century drinking glass fragments, several with
Glass News July 2007
11

enamelled decoration, ranging from threads to a few possible to see the craftsmen at work. After a visit to
examples with figures and animals accompanied by the Ethnography Museum and the Agora, the day
inscriptions. finished with a visit to Hüsein Hüsnü Alp’s incredible
bead shop in the bazaar, with millions of beads for
F. Binnington (London) concluded the session with a sale.
wide-ranging survey, ‘On techniques, reverse painting
and gilding: techniques used in Europe from late Glass bead factory at Görece Köyü, near Izmir ©J.
1300’s-1820’. A treatise from c.1400 provides an Navarro
early description of the technique. From c.1570 - The next day the delegates visited the ancient city of
c.1650, mass-produced reverse painting had a variety Ephesus with its impressive hillside terraced houses
of applications in Central Europe. In the late 18th for the wealthy and enormous open-air theatre. On
century, silvered glass was exported from England to route to Bodrum, the day’s visits ended at the
China to be painted and then returned for sale. In Museum of Ephesus, containing finds including a
early 19th-century England and America, panels using large, rare, cast, black glass tray from the 2nd century
a variety of techniques were mass-produced for AD.
insertion in furniture. As reverse painting and gilding The final visits were in Bodrum where Professor
on glass is a cold decorative technique, there are emeritus George Bass gave a tour of the Bodrum
various conservation problems associated with it. Museum of Underwater Archaeology. The museum
houses two important Turkish shipwrecks: the Ulu
As is evident from the above survey, the Congress Burun Shipwreck from the late 14th century BC,
provided an excellent opportunity for researchers to containing glass ingots for glass production, and the
report on a wealth of current projects. It has not been Serçe Limani shipwreck from 1025 A.D., which was
possible to review the sessions on post-Roman or carrying a variety of cargoes, including 3 tons of glass
18th-21st-century glass in Glass News, but the cullet in the form of raw glass and broken glassware.
forthcoming volume of the Annales will contain a
selection of papers from all the sessions held at the ABSTRACTS
Congress. Conservators Lisa Ellis and Amandina Anastassiades,
The Conservation of Glass Ingots from the Ulu Burun
Suzanne Higgott Shipwreck, presented an overview of the conservation
of a collection of Bronze Age waterlogged glass
ICOM GLASS Committee ingots from the Ulu Burun shipwreck, excavated by
the Institute of Nautical Archaeology between 1984
Annual Meeting: Review
12
ICOM GLASS COMMITTEE MEETING
“EAST AND WEST – 2000 YEARS OF GLASS”

ISTANBUL, IZMIR AND BODRUM, TURKEY
15TH – 20TH OCTOBER 2006

After the initial programme of presentations (see
abstracts below), the visits in Istanbul included the
Hagia Eirene Church (the first Byzantine Church in
Istanbul), Hagia Sophia and Chora Church (both now
museums and containing magnificent glass mosaics),
the Topkapi Palace, the Dolmabahçe Palace (with its
sumptuous glass furnishings) and the neighbouring
Storage Museum. Other places visited were the Blue
Mosque, the Museum of Turkish Art (located in
Ibrahim Paşa Palace), the 6th-century Basilica Cistern
and the Archaeological Museum.

The group continued to Izmir, where on the outskirts
is the village of Görece Köyü, location of a traditional
glass bead factory (see the image below). Here it was

Glass News July 2007

and 1994. Different treatments were developed over from one ton of chandelier prisms, measuring l5
many years by site conservators and a survey was feet high by 8 across and still in the palace as well.
undertaken to determine their effects.
Jan Cock gave two presentations: When it was
Conservator Simona Violeta Gheorghe, The Fashion - Stained Glass Windows from the
Restoration of a Piece of Archaeological Glass, spoke Renaissance in Private Houses described the
about the conservation of a light violet Roman glass Northern European 16th Century fashion of giving
vessel from the collection of the Museum of Oltenia, small enamelled painted window panes as a gift. The
which is now on display in the museum. designs on the panes included something about the
recipient, the theme of prosperity, a name and a date.
Hannelore Marschner, Irisierende Glasoberflächen -
Iridescent Glass Surface, discussed aspects of Jan’s other presentation, A Renaissance Glasshouse in
iridescent glass, focusing on the surface corrosion of Ireland – Urgent, was an urgent appeal to ICOM to
glass finds excavated in dry warm climates with only lobby the Irish authorities for the preservation of the
occasional precipitation, and contrasting it with remains of a rare glass furnace from the beginning of
intentional, man-made iridisation effects through the 17th century. The bottom part of the furnace, a
chemical application. part of the upper covering and part of the dome in
sandstone remain.
Torben Sode, Traditional Glass Bead Makers in
Turkey - History and Technology, explained Clementine Schack von Wittenau, Recent German
handmade bead production in the Izmir area of Glass Art at the Coburg Glass Prize, discussed
Turkey, from the 19th century until today, focusing innovative glass art in Germany, the ideas, motivation
on the villages of Görece Köyü and Kurudere. This and context for the new glass art being produced and
was a useful introduction for the visit to a bead- asked whether glass objects have transcended from a
making factory at Görece later that week. craft limitation and have become “part of the totality
of art”.
Irena Lazar, The 'Islamic' Glass from the Late 16th
Century Shipwreck from Gnalić, talked about this Jutta Page, The New Glass Pavilion at the Toledo
shipwreck and its cargo of glass, which may have Museum of Art, presented the newest building at the
been the most important part of the ship’s cargo. The Toledo Museum of Art, the 76,000 square foot Glass
remains of the ship were discovered in 1967 and Pavilion. Designed by the Tokyo-based architects
underwater campaigns were organised in 1967, 1972, Sejima and Nishizawa and Associates, the Pavilion
1972 and 1996. The quantity of excavated objects so features innovative glass construction in its exterior
far probably totals in excess of 5,000 pieces. All of and interior walls, which are made almost entirely of
these vessels cannot be paralleled by examples from curved glass. The Pavilion houses the Museum's
known centres of Western European glass production, extensive glass collection, as well as hot shops,
and at this stage it seems most likely that they are classroom and studio spaces.
Islamic in origin or made for the Islamic market,
confirming that the cargo consisted of a more Juanita Navarro
complex mixture of vessels than originally thought.
Jane Schadel Spillman, English Glass Furnishings Acquisition of
and Lighting in Dolmabahçe Palace, Istanbul,
described the furnishings provided by English Capronnier Archives
glassmakers to the Dolmabahçe Palace, Istanbul,
which was built by Sultan Abdülmecid of Turkey After intensive lobbying by members of the Flemish
between 1853 and 1856. Identification of the Royal Commission on Monuments and Sites, the
makers is possible not least because two London Flemish government has finally acquired the
companies registered their designs with the Design surviving archives of the stained glass workshops of
Registry Office at Kew: Hancock, Rixon and Dunt, Jean-Baptiste Capronnier (1814-1891), and of his
as well as Jonas Defries and Sons. The objects successors François-Ambroise Comère (1855-?) and
made for the Sultan are still in place and include a Jules-Adrien Capronnier (1838-1914). These archives
four and a half ton chandelier, two glass fireplaces, had been in a private collection and will be stored and
glass banisters for a staircase, and other prepared for consultation by the public in KADOC
chandeliers. Another English firm which is known (Catholic Documentation Centre) in Leuven.
to have supplied the palace is Defries, which
supplied eight "Prismatic Mirrors", each made 13

Glass News July 2007

Another part of the Capronnier archives had been in demonstrating this technique. Enamelling, gilding,
the hands of Arthur Wybo (1868-1914) and later his facetting and engraving with the diamond point, as on
brother Camiel Wybo (1878-1937) both stained glass the famous so-called ‘Amen’ glass decorated with
artists. This part of the archives was acquired by the verses from the Jacobite Anthem, and on the wheel
city council of Veurne and will be conserved in the are discussed and illustrated. Other ‘Jacobite’ glass is
City Archive of Veurne, hometown of the Wybo something of a feature of the Turnbull Collection, as
brothers. is glass wheel-engraved with subjects connected with
William III. Many of these are fakes and these and
Both archives contain sketches, drawings, full-scale some other doubtful examples are carefully analysed
cartoons, original photographs, etc. relating to by the author. A bibliography guides the beginner to
windows in Belgium, but also France, Italy, Holland, the literature on English glass.
Germany and the UK.
Aileen Dawson, Department of Prehistory and
Book and Article Reviews Europe, British Museum

The Turnbull Collection of English Percival, Vickers & Co. Ltd: The
18th-century Drinking Glasses Archaeology of a 19th-century
Manchester Flint Glass Works
Martine Newby
Ian Miller
Price: £5.99
Industrial Archaeology Review XXIX, 1:2007, 13-29
The National Trust, 2006
ISBN 1-903394-02-3 The article is also available online on IngentaConnect:

Available from Mompesson House http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/maney/iar/20
<[email protected]> 07/00000029/00000001;jsessionid=3lovedtuu2bp6.he
and from the National Trust shop in Salisbury. nrietta

The collection of English 18th-century drinking In 2003, Oxford Archaeology North excavated the
glasses bequeathed to Mompesson House, Salisbury, site of the Percival, Vickers & Co. Ltd glass works in
by Captain Oswald Graham Noel Turnbull MC in Manchester. The results of that excavation have now
1970 is the finest in any National Trust House, and been published in the journal Industrial Archaeology
indeed one of the finest anywhere. Consisting of no Review (see details above) and the following is a brief
less than 370 pieces, it has at long last been published extract from the publication with the kind permission
at least in part (the entire collection is on view at of the author, Ian Miller, and the article publisher.
Mompesson House until 28 October 2008, property
closed on Thursdays and Fridays) by Martine Newby The Percival, Vickers & Co. Ltd glass works was
in a highly accessible format. The generosity of amongst the largest glass manufactories in
several sponsors has made possible a pleasing and Manchester, and formed one of a regionally
well-illustrated booklet. This gives the history of the significant group of 19th-century glass works in the
collection and a brief history of glass in England from Ancoats district of the city. All of these works have
the 16th to the 18th century. Different types of since been demolished, but the Percival, Vickers site
drinking glasses were used for ale, champagne was recently subjected to a detailed archaeological
glasses, cider, cordials and ratafias (types of liqueur) investigation ahead of redevelopment. Variation in the
and these are all clearly discussed. An astonishing design of the furnaces provided evidence for the
variety of stem forms and different kinds of stem technological development of the later 19th century,
decoration, some incorporating white or coloured which has not otherwise been documented. Some
threads of glass in complex patterns, is found in the 110kg of glass fragments recovered from the site
collection. The illustrations are helpful in furnished important evidence for the composition of
19th-century glass, although the results are beyond
the scope of the present paper.

Glass News July 2007 14

The Percival, Vickers glassworks from the north-east, David Crossley writes a review of the article:
in a 1902 trade catalogue (provided by Ian Miller).
Percival, Vickers manufactured a wide range of high-
Considerable remains of the glass works were quality tablewares between 1844 and 1914. Their
exposed, enabling a comprehensive record to be made works, on Jersey Street, Ancoats, Manchester,
of the three furnaces, annealing chambers, and contained originally two, and from the 1880s three,
workshop structures in advance of their ultimate furnaces, which were all demolished to ground level
destruction. Each of the furnaces were contained c.1914. The office and warehouse block on the Jersey
centrally within a rectangular-shaped building, which Street frontage survives. The site was identified
represented a new tradition of glasshouse that came to during the English Heritage Monuments Protection
replace the traditional glass cone, characteristic of the Programme survey of the glass industry, and as a
17th and 18th centuries. As with their 18th-century result was investigated in 2003 prior to
counterparts, the excavated furnaces were redevelopment. This paper publishes the results of the
reverberatory. It seems that the Manchester excavation of the three furnaces, showing how
manufacturers persisted with the pot-type furnace, melting-furnace design was developing during the
regardless that these became increasingly outdated by second half of the 19th century, although Vickers did
the 1880s, reflecting fierce resistance from the skilled not go as far as installing a full Siemens regenerative
flint glass workers to technological development. system. The annealing furnace was identified, enough
Nevertheless, Furnace 3 at Percival, Vickers evidently detail surviving to show how glass was conveyed
incorporated design improvements. The installation of through the furnace. This publication does not deal
ceramic pipes in the siege may have allowed some of with the scientific examination of the glass residues,
the combustion air to have been preheated. This was concentrating on the structures and on the archive and
coupled with another innovation, the Frisbie feeder, map evidence for the Percival Vickers works.
which allowed a deeper and consistently-packed coal
bed. Publications

The excavated remains of Furnace 3 at the Percival, François Décorchemont
Vickers glassworks (provided by Ian Miller).
Maître de la pâte de verre
Glass News July 2007
Véronique Ayroles

François Décorchemont (1880-1971) is an important
figure in the rediscovery of the pâte de verre
technique in the 19th century. Ayroles has used the
exceptional archives held in the Musée des Arts
Décoratifs de Paris to give a picture of this artist’s
contribution as well as making a technical and
aesthetic analysis of his oeuvre. The author describes
Décorchemont’s artistic environment and includes
hundreds of pâte de verre models made between 1903
and 1968, including details on the techniques, marks,
seals, biography, bibliography and index.

Hardcover, 351 pages, approximately 950 colour and
black and white illustrations.
Text in French.
Price: 85 euros

Norma, Paris (2006)
ISBN 2-915542-02-3

15

Apsley Pellat on Ancient Art Books
Glass making
David Giles at Ancient Art Books offers a 10%
Publications by Apsley Pellat senior and discount to AHG members and has special offers on
Apsley Pellat junior 1807-1849 selected books. Please contact David for details:

Edited by Michael Cable Ancient Art Books,
34, East Sheen Avenue,
This volume is the fourth in the chronological series
and includes all known publications by Apsley Pellat London SW14 8AS.
and by his father, who has until now been ignored in www.gilesancientart.com
the literature. Pellat junior had a keen interest in all
aspects of glass making and was active in the THE ASSOCIATION FOR THE
development of new techniques, including the HISTORY OF GLASS
encapsulation of ceramic medallions in glass. He
took over the London family business in 1826 on the Board of Management
death of his father and remained active as a highly
skilled maker and writer and eventually as a Member President: Ian Freestone
of Parliament. Hon Secretary: Sandy Davison
Hon Treasurer: Andrew Shortland
Hardback, 312 pages, with colour plates and black
and white illustrations. Members of Board
Price £25.00 (£20.00 SGT members)
Justine Bayley Sarah Jennings
Society of Glass Technology (2006)
ISBN 0-900682-54-X Colin Brain David Martlew

www.societyofglasstechnology.org.uk John Clark Juanita Navarro
Email: [email protected]
David Crossley Martine Newby
Schitterend Glas
Aileen Dawson Julia Poole
(Brilliant Glass)
Suzanne Higgott Jennifer Price
Ruurd Halbertsma
Caroline Jackson Rachel Russell
This publication is the catalogue for an exhibition of
ancient glass entitled "Schittereng Glas" (Brilliant St John Simpson
glass) held at the Rijksmuseum van Oudheden,
Leiden between October 2006 and March 2007. It Please send your contributions for
features hundreds of items of ancient Egyptian, Greek Glass News No. 22
and Roman glass illustrated in fine colour
photographs. by 30th November 2007 to either of the

Text in Dutch, paperback, 64 pages, 65 colour photos editors:
Price: 17.95 euros
Sarah Paynter
Waanders Uitgevers, Zwolle, 2007 Fort Cumberland, Fort Cumberland Road,
ISBN 90 400 8316 9
Eastney, Portsmouth PO4 9LD
[email protected]

Juanita Navarro
Ceramics and Glass Conservation,

Victoria and Albert Museum
South Kensington, London SW7 2RL

[email protected]

Glass News July 2007 16

Glass Introducing the new
News AHG President:

Number 23 December 2007 Caroline Jackson

Published by I would like to take this opportunity, as new President
of the Association for the History of Glass, to write a
THE ASSOCIATION FOR THE HISTORY OF GLASS LIMITED few words of thanks to Ian Freestone for his
contribution both as a Board member and as the
Reg’d Charity: 275236 ISSN 1362-5195 Association’s President for the last four years. I would
also like to use this occasion to outline some of Ian’s
www.historyofglass.org.uk contributions to the Association and to look back at
some of the achievements of the AHG over the last
IN THIS ISSUE decade.

Page 1 - Introducing the new president Ian joined the Board of the AHG more than 12 years
ago. At that point the Board was already an active
Page 2 - AHG study day: Buying and selling glass group comprising a number of illustrious members
in Britain 1600-1950 who had interests in the archaeology, art history and
science of glasses, which reflected its membership.
Page 3 - AHG business: spring 2009 study day, Ian brought to the Board a wide knowledge from
website contributions and bursaries research at the British Museum Scientific Section into
not only the analysis of glasses, but also ceramics,
- Verre et Histoire 2009 Colloque metals and related materials from a wide geographical
and temporal area. He was also familiar with
Page 4 - GLASSAC-08 Congress administration as deputy director of the scientific
- 8th International GeoRaman conference section, a useful skill for any organisation!
- The International Festival of Glass and
the British Glass Biennale The activities of the AHG and its role in the world of
ancient and historical glasses became more visible to
Page 5 - BSMGP Conference: Aspects of 20th its members and to the outside world with the
Century Stained Glass publication of the first ‘Glass News’ in spring 1996.
- British Museum Meeting: Holding it all This excellent publication contained news not only
together about the society and its events, but other events
relating to glass, publications, summaries of meetings
Page 6 - Exhibition: German Renaissance Stained and conferences and published its own articles and
Glass notes. It provided a forum to report new work and to
- Musée du Verre, Belgium ask questions relating to current research. Ian
Freestone became a regular contributor, writing on
Page 7 - Article: The early days of chemical such diverse topics as the use of cobalt pigments in
analysis at The Corning Museum of Glass glasses (1996), reviewing scientific research in glass
(1996) and early glass production in Egypt (2003),
Page 8 - Scottish Stained Glass Symposium discussing specific research problems such as the
- Scottish Church Heritage Research Portland Vase (2003), announcing new displays or
activities at his then place of employment, the British
Page 9 - Meeting and study day review: Museum (2004) and reviewing numerous new
Byzantine Glass Mosaic Tesserae publications on glass.

Page 10 - Review: SGT Annual Conference By November 2003, when Ian took over as President
Page 11 - Review : AHG Study Day of the AHG, the activities of the Board were
Page 14 - Book and article reviews flourishing. In September 2003 the AHG had already
Page 16 - Editors’ details held the 16th Congress of the Association
Internationale pour l’Histoire du Verre (AIHV) in
Glass News December 2007
1

London, which was a very great success. The AHG meetings is one of the strengths of the AHG. Its
also held two further meetings that year on Islamic evolution is evident from the range of activities and
glass and on experimental work relating to interests seen through the 10 years of the newsletter.
archaeological glasses. Since 2003 two meetings have Its present successes do not mean that we should
been held each year, with a good response from stand still and as ever we will be looking to the future.
members. This included the two-day meeting in I look forward to taking on the role of president and
honour of Jenny Price on Glass of the Roman Empire, watching the Association flourish.
which was organised and coordinated by Ian and
Justine Bayley. The diversity and range of meetings Forthcoming AHG study day:
since then has continued to grow and inspire
audiences in such areas as ethnographic studies, glass Buying and selling glass in
in architecture, lighting and topics ranging from early Britain 1600-1950
Egyptian, through Roman and Medieval to the 20th
century, from wide geographic areas and different Tuesday 18th March
disciplines. Ian Freestone actively organised a number The Wallace Collection, Hertford House, Manchester
of these meetings, presented papers at many of them,
and often found himself chairing sessions, sometimes Square, London, W1U 3BN
at short notice! (Please note that the venue will be London and not

Although the Association has always supported Cambridge as previously advertised).
research projects through donation, from 2006 regular
monies were put aside to provide bursaries to Programme
contribute towards educational or research activities 10.00 Arrive and coffee
consistent with the Association’s charitable aims. To 10.20 Introduction
date these have helped to support such activities as the 10.30 Colin Brain, From Chair to Table: evolution
retention of the Jack Harden glass archive at
Broadfield House, publication grants for the of glass distribution, sales and marketing in
Catalogue of Saxon glass in the British Museum, a 17th century Britain
research visit to study the early beads in Boston, an 11.05 Peter Lole, Lessons from Glass Sellers’ bills
experimental reconstruction of a Roman glass furnace 1600-1818
by the Roman Glassmakers and grants for research 11.40 Julia Poole, Glass purchased for the
students to present their work at the 2006 AIHV households of the 4th Duke of Bedford (1710
congress in Antwerp. Ian’s support for all these -1771): vendors and prices
projects, especially those involving new researchers, Discussion
was always enthusiastic. 12.30-1.30 Lunch (not provided)
1.30 Alex Werner, The glass industry in London
Thus in coming years we need to make sure Glass 1750-1850, an overview
News is buoyant and has a wide circulation, that 2.10 Anna Moran, Buying and selling Irish glass
future meetings and the website attract a wide-ranging in the 19th century
audience and that new dynamic members of the glass Discussion
community, including those just starting out in the 3 -3.15 Tea
field are encouraged. The newsletter, website and the 3.15 Jill Turnbull, ‘The home trade is but a flea
meetings are such a valuable resource, not only in bite to us’ - selling glass from the Scottish
disseminating new work, but also in the case of the perspective
study days, as a forum for new and experienced 3.50 Roger Dodsworth, The Stourbridge glass
researchers to meet and discuss exciting ideas. In trade in the 20th century
working alongside an experienced and enthusiastic Discussion
board, Ian Freestone has proved a very successful and
popular President who has contributed to and Finish 4.45
strengthened all these areas of the Association for the
History of Glass. I am sure we will see Ian at future The cost of the Study Day is £25, or £20 (AHG
meetings and hope he will join us afterwards for a members), £10 (students). If you wish to book please
drink or two. contact Martine Newby, preferably by e-mail at
[email protected], or by post, 1 Barlby
The diversity of the Board, its members and its Road, London, W10 6AN.

Glass News December 2007 2

Call for papers: past? If you would like a worldwide audience for all
that hard work, please email (or post) your posters to
AHG Spring Study Day 2009 the webmaster for publication on the web. If you are
aware of any events or publications, which would be
The topic for the 2009 Spring Study Day will of interest, and the information is not already on the
be: Recent archaeological research into the website, get in touch and we’ll put it in. Do you have
manufacture of glass - of all periods. some views to exchange? Please let us know (making
Intending contributors should contact David it clear what part of the content you wish to make
Crossley <[email protected]> public). Tell us how to make the site the best resource
for your requirements.
History never changes – or does it?
It’s your website – please support it!
Call for contributions to the
AHG Bursaries
AHG website
In 2006 The Association for the History of Glass
CALL FOR POSTERS, NEWS AND VIEWS inaugurated a bursary scheme. Its purpose is to
contribute towards educational or research activities
FOR THE AHG WEBSITE consistent with the Association’s charitable aims.
These aims include, for example, attendance at a
www.historyofglass.org.uk conference to present a lecture or poster, a study visit,
fieldwork or publication of scholarly works. There are
from the webmaster David Martlew no restrictions on who may apply or on the topics of
[email protected] applications, which will be judged on merit. Multiple
applications in different years will be considered.
The history of glass is a long story of how
craftspeople managed to make this fascinating The total amount available for bursaries in 2008 is
material, shaped and fashioned it, and how in turn £2000 with individual awards up to £500. If not all of
glassy materials changed and transformed human this is awarded in the spring, a further call for
society. Our perception of (and appreciation of) the applications will be made later in the year; see the
history of glass is always changing, and so must our AGH website for details (www.historyofglass.org.uk).
website if it is to satisfy your needs. The AHG
website aims to keep our members and subscribers Applications for a bursary application form should be
informed. Together with Glass News it gives updates made to the AHG Secretary, Sandy Davison, by 17th
about relevant meetings, exhibitions, events and March 2008.
publications which serve the community interested in
this most fascinating field. Do visit the website at Sandy Davison
www.historyofglass.org.uk for a look. AHG Hon Secretary
68 East Street, Thame, Oxfordshire OX9 3JS
Before you can say “Why did the Romans have Email: [email protected]
double glazing?” our home page will burst into view
on your screen. A few items are there to whet your 2009 Colloque:
appetite, but this is but the lid of a treasure chest of
information. Clicking on the various titles, images, or Verre et Histoire
highlighted sections of text, will provide you with
further details about that item. Alternatively, the Verre et Histoire will be holding their next
headings on the vertical bar on the left hand side of colloquium over several days in either January or
the screen will direct you to more relevant content. March 2009, in Nancy. The title is "Innovations in
glass making and their evolution from antiquity to the
We want to make the website an effective means of 21st century". More information can be found on their
sharing information, and the more informative content website: http://www.verre-histoire.org
we can include the better the site will be. Do you have
a poster that you have presented at conferences in the 3

Glass News December 2007

GLASSAC-08 Congress: The International Festival of

Glass Science in Art and Glass and the
Conservation
British Glass Biennale
5-7 March 2008
Valencia University, Valencia (Spain) INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF GLASS 2008
18-25 August 2008
The aim of the II International Congress GLASSAC- Stourbridge
08 congress is to create a focus on the applications of
glass science in art and conservation. This event will Previous festivals have included workshops and
include all aspects and periods of glass studies, demonstrations with visiting international artists and a
including history, science, contemporary glass and packed programme of lectures, entertainment and
conservation. Topics include: fascinating glass-related events, plus heritage and
local interest activities and tasty food and drink. The
Bronze Age glass • Hellenistic glass • Islamic glass • International Festival of Glass celebrates both the
Roman glass • Mould-blown glass • Glass decoration unique glassmaking heritage of the area and the
and enamel • Medieval stained glass window • Façon- sparkling emergence of this whole new era of
de-Venise glass • Glass in the 18th and 19th century • glassmaking. Please see the website for further
Contemporary glass • Glass technology production • details: www.ifg.org.uk
Raw materials • Dating and provenance of glass •
Restoration and conservation of glass • Glass The website states that the organisers are “developing
corrosion and weathering • Archaeometry of glass the schedule for the 2008 Festival and would love to
hear from you if you would like to provide something
Coinciding with the GLASSAC Congress, there will that might add an extra dimension to what has already
be an exhibition of glass work by contemporary become an essential fixture on the glassmaker's
Spanish artist Carlos Muñoz de Pablos ‘The Language calendar. Please get in touch initially by email with
of Glass’. Further information about the meeting, your proposal.”
including a registration form, is now available at the
conference web site <<www.uv.es/glassac>>. Please BRITISH GLASS BIENNALE 2008
note that a reduced early registration fee is available in association with the
until January 15th.
Worshipful Company of Glass Sellers
Conference:
CALL FOR ENTRIES
8th International GeoRaman
Entry deadline: 5.00pm 28 March 2008
2nd–6th June, 2008 Awards of £8000, £5000 and £1000
Ghent, Belgium
The British Glass Biennale is the foremost exhibition
This conference on “Raman Spectroscopy Applied to of excellence in contemporary glass by artists,
the Earth Sciences” covers all scientific aspects on the designers and craftspeople currently working in
border where Raman spectroscopy and geology meet. Britain. Taking place every two years at the Ruskin
Topics include: mineralogy, petrology, inclusions, Glass Centre, it is the highlight of the International
fossils, gemstones, archaeometry and instrumentation. Festival of Glass. At least 150 major new glass works
from British artists are selected. The emphasis is on
For further details, please contact: new work demonstrating excellence in design and
Peter Vandenabeele, technical skill. To download an application form, visit
Proeftuinstraat 86, 9000 Ghent, Belgium the website at: www.biennale.org.uk
Email: [email protected] Or contact: British Glass Biennale,
Website: http://www.GeoRaman.UGent.be Ruskin Glass Centre, Wollaston Road, Amblecote,
Stourbridge, West Midlands. DY8 4HF
Tel: 01384 399410

Glass News December 2007 4

BSMGP Conference: There will be an
evening lecture
Aspects of 20th Century Stained on the 31st,
Glass included in the
conference fee,
31st July – 1st August 2008 followed by a
Glaziers’ Hall, 9 Montague Close, London SE1 9DD Glaziers supper.
This major two day non-residential conference is Conference goers
organised by The British Society of Master Glass will be notified
Painters with The Worshipful Company of Glaziers. and invited to
book for the
The conference will present an historically considered supper with the
overview of the far-reaching developments in stained Company.
glass which took place throughout the 20th Century, in
particular the first three quarters of that century from Full non-residential conference fee – BSMGP
which we have enough distance to examine with some Members £140. Join the BSMGP to attend at this rate.
objectivity. Speakers from the UK, Europe and the Single day, student and non-member rates also
USA to include: available. For further information, please e-mail
• Peter Cormack – Arts and Crafts stained glass in <[email protected]>

the UK Meeting:
• Dr Iris Nestler – The influence of Modern Art on
Holding it all together
the first half of 20th-century glass in Germany
• Julie L Sloan – F L Wright and C.R. Mackintosh 21st and 22nd Feb 2008
• Martin Harrison – Post-war stained glass in the
The British Museum is holding a two day meeting
UK and beyond entitled “Holding it all together; ancient and modern
• Wilhelm Derix – Modern German stained glass: approaches to joining, repair and consolidation”,
which aims to bring together conservators, scientists
Schreiter, Schafrath, Poensgen, Klos and curators with an interest in the methods by which
• Patrick Reyntiens, OBE – The influence of artefacts have been manufactured, repaired (both in
antiquity and modern times) and conserved by joining
painting in 20th C Stained Glass together a series of components, using such
• Alex Beleschenko – Influences and context of his techniques as adhering, casting, soldering, luting, etc.
The conference will include both oral and poster
training in the 1970s and his development presentations. It is intended to publish the conference
proceedings (subject to referees’ reviews).
The broad programme will cover most materials and
will include ancient and ethnographic examples of
manufacture, repair and re-use of multi-component
artefacts, methods for recognising and making
potential joins, modern conservation and repair
methods and materials, and methods of display,
including the ethics of revealing/concealing joins and
repairs. Sessions are planned on: ceramics and glass,
metal objects, sculpture and stone, painted and
finished surfaces, glues, adhesives and conservation
materials, wood, paper and textiles, display methods
and ethical considerations.

Glass News December 2007 5

The conference fee will be £150 (£80 students and Musée du Verre
BM Friends) and includes refreshments, lunches, an
evening reception, a private view of the Museum Charleroi, Belgium
exhibition “The First Emperor: China's Terracotta
Army” and a copy of the conference proceedings. The Museum of Glass in Charleroi, Belgium, was re-
opened, on its new site, in February 2007. It occupies
A registration form is available on the website: buildings within the complex of the former coal-mine
http://www.thebritishmuseum.ac.uk/research/research at Bois du Cazier, south of the city.
_news/conference_call_for_papers.aspx.
The original museum, in the city-centre, was based on
Or please write to: the collection of glass gathered by the late Raymond
Conference 2008, Department of Conservation, Chambon, whose knowledge of the medieval and
Documentation and Science, The British Museum, post-medieval glass industry of the forests of the
Great Russell St, London, UK, WC1B 3DG present Belgian-French borderlands was, and is,
Fax: + 44 (0)20 7323 8276 unrivalled. Chambon's field-work was recorded in an
archive of surveys and field-books, which have
Islamic glass, detail: fish become separated from the glass fragments which he
collected. This written material is now in the Corning
Exhibition: Museum of Glass, Corning, N.Y.

German Renaissance Stained The new Charleroi museum is housed in a modern
Glass building with excellent space for cases. The exhibits
are in course of development, but already provide an
The National Gallery has a small exhibition ‘Art of outstanding overview of glass production in former
Light: German Renaissance Stained Glass’, until 17 Flanders and modern Belgium, from the medieval
Feb 2008. The exhibition brings together some of the material collected by Chambon through to wares of
finest examples of German stained glass from this the 19th and early 20th centuries, when Charleroi was
period and puts them next to a selection of National one of the largest centres of glass production in
Gallery paintings from the same period and regions of Europe. Glass from elsewhere in Europe places this
Germany. Also featured are some surviving examples material in its wider context. There is a large area for
of designs for stained glass and an explanatory section temporary exhibitions in the colliery winding and
on the making of stained glass, with tools and glass ventilation house, which is itself of interest,
fragments on loan from the Victoria and Albert containing restored colliery machinery, in use until
Museum and the Stained Glass Museum at Ely 1956, the year in which disaster struck the
Cathedral. colliery. The mine never re-opened, but has been
developed as a cultural resource and as a memorial to
For more information visit the website at: lives lost in 1956.
http://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/
The museum is well worth a visit. Information can be
found on www.charleroi-museum.org. [Editor’s note:
English translations may be found by clicking the
small ‘EN’ on the lower left side on the pages.] This
has a link to Google-Map but, even so, care is needed
to spot the Bois du Cazier museum signs on the
Charleroi outer ring-road (R3). Beware of out-of-date
references to the former city-centre museum on the
Charleroi tourist website.

David Crossley

Detail from Egyptian glass bottle 6
Glass News December 2007

The early days of chemical analysis Congress. Schuler worked mainly with fragments of
at Islamic glasses from Nishapur and its surroundings,
but also appears to have run some of the same
The Corning Museum of Glass samples that Ray Smith later passed on to Ed Sayre
after Schuler resigned from the Museum. Evidently,
The Corning Museum of Glass has long been a leader Schuler was mainly interested in art glass and in glass
in the scientific analysis of early glass and a few design - more on a production level than in a studio
years ago published Robert Brill’s 2-volume environment. However, he did do some experiments
compilation of analyses carried out at the Museum. in reproducing early casting techniques.
Ian Freestone asked Dr Brill about how Corning
came to carry out this type of work, and how he I met Schuler only once - and then only very briefly -
became involved. Here is his reply: at the 1962 Glass Congress in Washington where he
presented two papers. During the discussion following
While I would never wish to undervalue anyone's one of his papers, he stated flat out to the audience
contributions to glass studies, in my mind, the person that there was ".. nothing more to be learned from the
who really got everything going in the right direction analysis of ancient glasses."
was W.E.S. Turner. Although his work is often cited,
I am not sure it is fully appreciated. In retrospect, Ray Smith and Ed Sayre apparently connected after
although he didn't always get it right (who does?), Schuler left The CMG. Ed did spectrographic and
Turner did anticipate many of the fundamental neutron activation analyses at Brookhaven, working
contributions all the rest of us have made. He was on glass samples provided by Ray. After those initial
admittedly a controversial figure. Nonetheless, we analyses, Ed didn't do much more with glass. Instead,
became really good friends. We corresponded when I he specialized in teaching, conservation science, and
first started out in Corning (1960) and met on analytical research on a wide-ranging variety of other
September 13, 1961 in Sheffield. Turner was archaeological materials, especially ceramics and
generous, considerate, and very encouraging to me. metals. Ray Smith continued collecting and later
became interested in the application of computer
The first chemical analysis that I could find that was technology for reassembling scattered building blocks
performed for The Corning Museum of Glass was a from the Temple of Akhenaten.
qualitative spectrographic analysis of a Roman cup. It
was run by Harrison Hood, a highly respected I joined The CMG on Feb. 1, 1960. I had been
scientist who worked with what was then called teaching chemistry at Upsala College (in East Orange,
Corning Glass Works. That analysis was run in 1953 NJ, not Uppsala in Sweden.) Sometime early in 1959,
or 1954. I wrote Teddy Hall, who sent me a copy of vol. 1, no.
1 of Archaeometry. His cordial reply led me to
Frederic W. Schuler (formerly a Corning Glass Works believe there was a living to be made in what he
scientist) was employed by The CMG from June 1956 called Archaeometry. I wrote again, asking him if
until April, 1958. He was hired by Thomas S. there might be a post-doc available at his laboratory in
Buechner, the first Director of the Museum, possibly Oxford. I did not receive his reply. Then in
at the urging of Ray W. Smith, a private collector November, 1959, I accepted the job at The Corning
from whom we acquired much of our ancient Museum of Glass. In December 1959, I finally
collection. If Ray Smith was the instigator, Tom received Teddy's reply. His letter had been lost in the
Buechner was the implementer. mailroom of Upsala College for months!
Consequently, I never made it to Oxford. (There was
Schuler worked with CGW chemists using a no post-doc available anyway). Teddy Hall (and
"quantometer" (probably an emission spectrographic Martin Aitken) and I became good friends in the years
instrument) and qualitative XRF. Some of the that followed.
laboratory work was done by Robert Close. As I
recall, Schuler's notebooks don't reveal much beyond In 1962 Corning published Earle Caley’s book
raw data and (as far as I know) the results were never Analyses of Ancient Glasses 1790 - 1957. It is a nifty
published. He appears to have regarded the analyses little book, the best - and possibly still the only -
as inconclusive and not useful, judging from remarks treatment of the subject. I remember the book well
in his notebooks and remarks he later made at a Glass because I proofread it in 1961 and talked at length
with Caley about it. Caley was a capable scientist, a
Glass News December 2007 very nice man, and a pioneer in archaeometry - before

7

anyone called it by that name. He used the term place to store or research this in Scotland. Other
"archaeological chemistry" which, in fact, I still use issues discussed include the need for training in
myself, in part out of my respect for Caley. He and conservation of stained glass and locating the stained
Marie Farnsworth and Fred Matson were of the same glass. One particularly valuable outcome of the SSGS
generation. All had connections with the American meetings has been the increased awareness of this
School in Athens and the Agora. Norman Tennent medium and improved interest by congregations and
knew Caley from the time he spent at Ohio State churches about the glass in their buildings.
University, where Caley taught.
For information contact:
References Hon. Secretary: Alison Robertson MA BMus
3, Ross Gardens, Edinburgh EH9 3BS
Brill R. H. (1999) Chemical Analyses of Early [email protected]
Glasses, New York: The Corning Museum of Glass.
Earle R. Caley. (1962) Analyses of Ancient Glasses Scottish Church Heritage
1790 - 1957, New York: The Corning Museum of Research
Glass.
Sayre E. V. and Smith R. W. (1961) Compositional SCHR is an organisation set up to encourage research
categories of ancient glass. Science 133, 1824-1826. on all aspects of churches in Scotland, especially their
Sayre, E.V. (1965) Summary of the Brookhaven archaeology. A Gazetteer was developed over a
program of analysis of ancient glass, Application of number of years, listing all churches and church sites
Science in the Examination of Works of Art, Boston: in Scotland – over 10,000. Improved computer
Museum of Fine Arts, 145-154. capabilities have made it possible to develop this
database as a website, with expanded information and
Scottish Stained Glass with illustrations. At present we have funding (HLF,
Symposium Leader+, Church of Scotland, donations) to run a one-
year pilot project in Fife, to record all places of
The SSGS (founded in 2003) is an open, independent worship – all faiths, and including archaeological
committee chaired by Prof. John Hume OBE, sites, demolished, listed/scheduled and unlisted
Chairman of the Church of Scotland’s Committee on buildings. This is run by a Project Manager, Sarah
Church Art and Architecture. Its membership includes Kettles and two Field Officers, assisted by Project
stained glass artists, recorders, inventorists, Scotland and other volunteers.
conservators and stained glass historians. SSGS is A second project is being run jointly with SSGS and
open to anyone with an interest in stained glass. At in conjunction with Fife NADFAS, to record Stained
present the focus has been mainly on church glass, but Glass in Threatened Churches in Fife – and later
we are aware of the huge amount of commercial and throughout Scotland. NADFAS members and other
domestic stained glass that also needs to be recorded. volunteers in different parts of Scotland have started
recording stained glass, but there is much to be done
In April 2007 SSGS and Scottish Church Heritage before the project runs throughout Scotland.
Research (SCHR) held a joint conference on Stained
Glass Who Cares?, which was very well-attended and Ten volunteers from Fife NADFAS, including some
has done a great deal to raise awareness of this national members, have been learning about stained
significant, but neglected, aspect of church heritage. glass recording, at first in local churches to provide
There is stained glass in Scottish churches (and other training, but the first two threatened churches have
buildings) by artists from Scotland, England, now been recorded as well. This project is separate
Germany and other countries. SSGS is running a from the detailed work of the NADFAS Church
project to record stained glass in threatened churches, Recorders in Scotland, since the reports to be
jointly with SCHR and NADFAS (see below). compiled refer only to stained glass windows. We
have developed a tabulated form which will accept
SSGS meets three times a year, to discuss issues images and with fields derived from a report form
about stained glass. One major debate has been on the designed in conjunction with NADFAS.
urgent need for a repository for important glass,
which cannot remain in situ, as there is no suitable For the present these reports and all the images are
stored on the SCHR computer and on CDs. Priority
Glass News December 2007
8

has to be given to ensuring the project will be simple Arising from this work, we decided that our core
and clear for general use. Ultimately all the records projects would focus on constructing basic research
will be deposited at RCAHMS (Royal Commission on tools. These include a database and bibliography of
the Ancient & Historical Monuments of Scotland). research and analysis of Byzantine glass mosaic
tesserae, a database of sites from which glass mosaics
For information contact: are known or recorded, and a glossary of key terms
Edwina Proudfoot, Tel 01334 473 293 used by scientists, archaeologists and art historians.
Chairman, Scottish Church Heritage Research, or The meeting also included a study day. Speakers and
Secretary: Derek Hall, Tel 01738 622 393 delegates, including Marie-Dominique Nenna, Marco
Registered Office: 12 Wardlaw Gardens, St Andrews, Verità, Ian Freestone, Julian Henderson, Mariangela
Fife KY16 9DW, Scotland Vandini and Fatma Marii, discussed their research in
www.scottishchurchheritage.org.uk the field and raised further research questions. These
included whether a ‘best practice’ document could be
Meeting and study day review: devised, and whether it was possible to define a
common colour vocabulary for the study of glass and
Byzantine Glass Mosaic tesserae.
Tesserae
We are grateful to all who attended and contributed
THE COMPOSITION OF BYZANTINE GLASS with such enthusiasm to the debates, proving that the
MOSAIC TESSERAE topic is less esoteric than we had originally feared.
For a fuller report of the meeting, see our website:
Leverhulme Trust International http://www.sussex.ac.uk/arthistory/1-4-13-4.html
Network Grant If you have an interest in, or views on, any of these
themes, have other research questions, can contribute
The Network has been established to bring together to the databases of research and analysis or sites or
scholars interested in the production and composition would like to be added to our mailing list, please
of glass for Byzantine mosaics. Our first meeting was don’t hesitate to get involved. The Network welcomes
held over two days in September. Below, we have set contributions from all interested parties.
out what we see as the five key research issues to be Contact: Liz James <[email protected]> or
considered during the project: Bente Bjornholt <[email protected]>

• What are the colorants in mosaic tesserae?
(sources of colorants, patterns and changes of
colour use in mosaics – technical or aesthetic?)

• Where does the glass for tesserae come from?
• What does a comparison with window and

vessel glass reveal?
• What can be said about the making of mosaics?

(making tesserae, gold and silver, volume of
production, regional questions, issues of supply;
what would a Byzantine mosaicist look for in a
glass factory? Why are there no mosaics in
Egypt? What is happening in Rome in the
middle ages? Is it possible to develop a
production model for tesserae?)
• What can be said about re-use and restoration of
Byzantine mosaic glass? (both relative to the
medieval world, for example are Roman glass
and tesserae such glass re-used? What of the
spread of tesserae and their use in other areas
such as Scandinavian beads, what conservation
issues need to be considered?)

Glass News December 2007 9

Review: engineer. His presentation drew parallels with the
similar sized furnaces in use for studio glassmaking
SGT Annual Conference today.

History & Heritage of A History of Glassmaking in Lemington was John
Glass Seminar Henderson’s topic. He was technical manager of a
small glassworks before becoming an independent
Held at the University glass technology consultant, so has taken a special
of Derby on interest in the decline of industrial glassmaking in the
area. Lemington is a part of Newcastle near to the
Wednesday 5th better known Blaydon, where Sir Robert Mansell
September 2007 chose to exercise his Royal Patent regarding the use
as part of the Society of of coal to fire glassmaking furnaces in 1619. The area
Glass Technology had coal together with lime, sand and soda for raw
Annual Conference materials - and of course the river provided
transportation capability. By the late Victorian period
The Society of Glass Technology has wide ranging glassmaking was flourishing in the area and John used
objectives set in 1917 by its founder, amongst which early photographs to illustrate the various hand-made
is a duty to foster the study of the history and techniques used in the factory. Lemington glassworks
archaeology of glass and explore how glass science itself celebrated its 200th Anniversary in 1987, but the
studies can contribute. At the SGT Annual works finally closed at Christmas 1995. End of an era.
Conference, the History and Heritage Seminar was
seen in this context, and it succeeded in creating a The joint paper by glass technologist David Martlew
mixed audience of artists, historians and scientists. and curator Jo Hayward used the case of the
The eight papers stimulated interesting questions and nineteenth century flat glass furnace at the World of
subsequent discussions. Glass in St Helens to discuss the Interpretation and
Presentation of Industrial Archaeology. Clearly the
Tim Willey of Derby University spoke about Raw presentation of such relics rests on how well the
galena as a viable glaze coating for contemporary, archaeology is understood: the first part of the
non-food-use, studio ceramics. The starting point was process was to apply scientific techniques used in the
the use of galena as a lead source for glazes in the design and trouble-shooting of today’s industrial
mediaeval period, and examples of the variety of furnaces to the furnace of 1887. Important
glaze effects obtained by potters half a millennium information came from the archaeology:
ago were shown. By contrast the drab uniformity of documentary sources were sparse and incomplete.
contemporary glazes limits creativity. Mediaeval Once the site’s importance had been recognised, it
potters used organic binders, which were significant was built into the design for the heritage centre as an
in generating the desirable effects. A wide range of archaeology park, landscaped and prepared so that the
glaze / binder formulations was tested on Stourbridge visitor could explore the furnace building and its
clay test slips, and an optimum ratio identified. surroundings. A rather ambitious audio visual
Methods of application were also studied and slides of presentation was used to put across the significance of
the resulting interesting glazes were shown. Today’s this furnace and why it was so special when first built.
artist can learn from history! It introduces the visitor to key people whose drive and
acumen made a significant technical achievement
Peter Wren Howard, an independent furnace builder possible. Thus informed, the visitor could explore the
from Stourbridge had as his title Furnace Philosophy archaeology and understand what he or she was
from Rome to Stourbridge. The laws of physics and seeing, aided by carefully placed humble text panels
chemistry remain unchanged since the Romans made and by full size figures showing how the window
glass in England, so Peter’s starting point was the glass was made. A high proportion of visitors, when
fascinating experiments made by Mark Taylor and interviewed afterwards, declare themselves well
David Hill in the reconstruction of Roman pleased with the visit.
glassmaking furnaces. As expert glassmakers, Mark
and David operated these replica furnaces for several Jon and Ruth Cooke, stained glass conservators
weeks (see Glass News issues 18 and 20). Peter based in Ilkley, spoke about Art and Ethics in Stained
looked at these from the viewpoint of a furnace Glass Restoration. Restoration of damaged
architectural glass presents technical challenges and
Glass News December 2007
10

ethical dilemmas for the conservator, not least as Alun Adams at the Swansea Institute is labouring to
materials used by the original artist are often no create such highly skilled folk - at least in respect of
longer commercially available. Moreover, our rich stained glass making and conservation. Phoenix from
heritage of stained and painted architectural glass of the ashes – the Margam Project was a significant
all dates is most commonly found in churches. With paper presented in a style that involved the audience.
falling membership, many church communities find Margam Castle, built during the second and third
difficulty in meeting rising day to day costs, let alone decades of the nineteenth century, had stained glass
budget for large capital projects. In these installed circa. 1834. This glazing was damaged and
circumstances, when damage occurs a compromise restored in 1904, and following the closure of the
has to be reached between what is practical and Castle after the Second World War suffered badly
affordable; what is technically possible and ethically from neglect, vandalism and finally fire in the 1970’s.
acceptable. Jonathan presented a number of examples The windows were removed to the safe keeping of the
illustrating some of the dilemmas facing the stained Stained Glass Department of Swansea Institute of
glass conservator or restorer. The paper was richly Higher Education in the late 70’s and finally restored
illustrated with slides of stained and painted glass. and installed in their original location in 2006. Alun
took his audience through the issues surrounding the
Looking at colour from a different perspective, John restoration of an heraldic window, touching on
Parker of Sheffield University spoke to the title What problems of securing finance, authorisation to do the
is happening when we stain glass? In his paper John work and using Swansea Institute and its students as
reviewed the science behind the staining of glass the restorers. For the community, the clear benefit
surfaces using silver or copper salts. When silver stain (picked up by the BBC news teams at the time) was
was developed in the early fourteenth century the the familiar window destroyed by fire and rising like
understanding of what was happening in terms of phoenix from the ashes: the less visible end product is
atoms and ionic species was far in the future. The a group of young people who have learned the
paints used for the staining process, the diffusion of traditional skills and have experienced applying those
silver and copper ions into the glass surface and their skills in the restoration of a real historic building.
chemical reduction within the glass were all
discussed. Then John explained the processes All involved in this seminar agreed that it was
involved in the formation of silver or gold colloids successful in achieving its objectives. More details are
within the glass, clouds of tiny particles that are the available through the web site of the Society of Glass
source of the strong colours observed. Today’s Technology (at << www.sgt.org >>). Next year the
science even sheds light on the relationship between Annual Conference will be in Cambridge, and it is
particle size and colour, explaining how the same anticipated that there will be a similar History and
substance can give different colour effects, depending Heritage Seminar there.
on the technique used by the artist.
David Martlew
Alan Gardner’s interest in glass is in the context of
architecture, thus his title Jack of all trades ... some Review:
observations from a specifier in the repair of historic
buildings on glass and glazing issues underlines his November AHG Study Day
distinctive viewpoint. As a consultant in “Historic
Building and Traditional Materials” Alan sees the GLASS IN ARCHITECTURE
glazing as an essential part of the original architect’s
vision of the structure. Only today does the float This well attended meeting was held on Thursday
process give us window glass that is substantially flat 22nd November 2007 at the Wallace Collection. The
and perfect; post-mediaeval buildings exploited the day started with an Introduction by Ian Freestone to
varied lively reflections from far-from-perfect panes the subject.
produced by earlier manufacturing processes.
Conservation of historic buildings needs to be Jenny Price – Glass in Roman Buildings
sensitive to this and seek appropriate glass for use in This was a comprehensive overview of the way glass
restoration. The snag is the difficulty in securing was used in Roman buildings covering window glass,
today the correct kind of glass and (perhaps more mosaics, and insets in walls, the examples quoted
importantly) the right craftsmanship to effect the were mainly from Italy or England. Window glass
restoration using the traditional techniques. Where are
we to find replacement artisans? 11

Glass News December 2007

first began to be used sometime in the early years of suggested these were ventilation grills.
the 1st century AD, there is no evidence of the use of
window glass during the reign of Augustus (up to Two categories of windows were seen as
AD14) but it is found in Pompeii, Ostia and contemporary - wooden frames and leaded - but were
Herculaneum by AD79. Its main use was for keeping they possibly used for different purposes? Could leads
heat in and letting light in and window glass became windows have been used in screens in the church as
increasingly common in both public and domestic no other evidence of screens survives? The question
buildings. Window glass was set in iron grills and in was also raised as to whether polychrome glazing was
removable wooden frames, the latter particularly in used to illuminate interiors in different ways and it
bath houses where it was used as a type of double may have had a message, or been used to light up
glazing. By AD60 window glass was in use at both painted walls with different colours.
Colchester and Verulamium.
Liz James – Glass & the Byzantine Church
Early window glass was cast and the flat dull surface The interaction of glass, architecture and light was
was oiled to improve its transparency. Another form very important in Byzantine churches, they all work
of cast glass current from the 1st to 3rd centuries AD together to illuminate interiors as without light
were domed circular panes around 0.5m in diameter. buildings and images cannot be seen. There are two
Cast glass was eventually completely replaced by main issues - what glass and where was it used, and
cylinder glass while crown glass, the latest of the how glass was used in buildings. Byzantine churches
three methods of manufacture and more generally were planned with use of natural light in mind and the
associated with post-Roman sites, has been found sizing and placement of windows was important; this
from a late Roman site at Aquileria.Glass tesserae obviously varied in the two basic designs of classic
were used in both wall and floor mosaics and use of basilicas, either long and thin-looking towards an
these increased over time. Glass wall mosaics have apsidal end, or with a crossing square and a central
been found in burial vaults in Ravenna and Tarragona. space under a dome. Window glass in basilicas was
Glass was also used in opus sectile panels and as wall usually colourless, crown discs were found in 9th
decoration. century Amorium and these had become standard in
Middle Byzantine churches. The use of coloured
The great gap between the surviving evidence for glass was very rare probably because it effectively
glass and what must have been used in ancient times darkened the interiors of the buildings.
is demonstrated by the work of Janet DeLaine who
estimated that the Baths of Caracalla had 3,400 square Glass was a very important part of Byzantine mosaics
metres of window glass which would have required and was a standard element from the earliest times; it
50 tonnes of glass to make, and up to 380 tonnes of results in a bright images because of the light
glass were used for the mosaics. reflecting properties. Mosaics work best on either
uneven or curved surfaces like an apse. Each tessera
John Mitchell – Glass in the early medieval church is inserted by hand on a wall mosaic and some were
at San Vincenzo deliberately tilted to reflect light downwards. They
San Vincenzo was founded around AD700 and by were designed to be viewed from a distance and the
AD800 was a very big establishment. In AD810 there interaction of the dynamic forces of light and glass
was a fire in the refectory and glass from the windows were used as a skin to illuminate buildings. It is
was found in what had been a garden. This was soda, estimated that there were 400 tonnes of glass in the
lime, silica glass mostly made by the cylinder method mosaics of Santa Sofia but we still have little idea of
with only 2% of crown glass. The evidence of at least where all this glass comes from.
two workshops suggest that glass was worked at San
Vincenzo in very large quantise. Window glass was Vanessa Simeoni – Medieval decorative inlays in
found in a variety of colours as well as shaped panes Westminster Abbey
including triangular, rectangular and trapezoid shapes. It had been thought that there were not many
These were probably set in wooden frames in round- examples of decorative inlays before the 13th century.
headed windows 1.8m tall and 0.8m wide. Carefully Henry III redecorated the interior of Westminster
shaped pieces with curved grozed edges and a series Abbey after he had seen St Chapelle in 1254 which
of cames were found in both public and guests areas acted as a strong influence and affected the decoration
in used in the early 9th century. Some of the lead and both the painting and glass. This included a lot of
cames had small perforated/pierced lead sheets imitation painting of stone and the installation of the
attached and discussion at the end of the paper Cosmati pavement in 1268. Most of the glass is

Glass News December 2007 12

found in this area and around the shrine of Edward the was poured over a sheet of thin tin foil placed on the
Confessor. Inlays of both opaque and translucent back surface. In the 1670s a new invention for making
glass tesserae were used on the Tomb of Henry III flat glass evolved where molten glass was poured
and the Tomb of the Children and included the onto an iron table and rolled. Bevelled-edge mirrors
following colours – opaque red, turquoise, blue and a first occurred between 1690-1710 and in 1773
paler blue, flashed ruby, and white cloisonné enamels. Ravenshead started making plate glass mirrors. The
The Retable (a devotional painting for the High Alter, 19th century saw several further improvements in the
or a divider of the High Alter from the Chancel), ways mirrors were made and they started being held
dated to 1260-70, has glass decoration and imitation in place by glue blocks and protected by paper and
enamel. Many of the original inlays are now missing, wooden panel backings. Mirrors were used to reflect
particularly those within easy reach of pilgrims both natural and candle light and in Castle Coole,
looking for souvenirs. Enniskillen, Ireland, they were hung on shutters and
doors as a means of introducing light and views of the
David Dungworth – Composition of post-medieval parkland in rooms.
window glass
This paper reported recent research into historic Dennis Hadley – Glass tiles and opus sectile
window glass with a view to developing a memorials etc.
methodology for dating extant windows glass through In the 1860s prefabricated mosaics became popular.
its chemical composition. Samples have been Prefabricated mosaics were ordered for Christ’s
collected from historic buildings and from the College, Cambridge, and Windsor Castle at the cost
archaeological excavations of glasshouses. The of £3 per square foot. Those ordered for the Victorian
compositions of the samples have been compared and Albert Museum in the 1870s were more
against historical evidence for changes in glass expensive at £3 to £4 per square foot. A type of
technology and indicate that particular glass opaque stain glaze was developed as an alternative
compositions were popular for distinct historical method of colouring the larger fragments.
periods. The first phase covers the whole medieval
period up to the latter part of the 16th century, in It wasn’t until 1887 that this type of decoration
which potash-rich forest glass was virtually the only became known as opus sectile, using flat, shaped
glass type used for windows in England. The second pieces of glass to build up a decorative or figurative
phase, which sees the widespread use of high-lime panel often of some size and complexity. The
low-alkali glass, starts with the arrival of immigrant individual pieces had to have smooth well-finished
glassworkers from 1567 and lasts until the end of the edges that fitted closely together as came or leading
17th century. The 18th century saw the dominance of was not used in this style of panel. The slabs forming
mixed alkali glass in the manufacture of windows. the pictures or designs were ¼ inch thick with a thin
Historical sources suggest that the very highest coloured surface and were fired in a kiln. The
quality window glass of the 18th century would have individual slabs were then painted with enamels and
been manufactured using specialist imported fluxes, re-fired at a lower temperature. Opus sectile was used
such as barilla, but no archaeological evidence for this for tiles and panels on walls and also by the Arts and
has yet come to light. A major change in glass Craft movement for floor tiles in the early 20th
manufacture in Britain took place in the 1830s with century. Between 1890 and 1915 the principal opus
the widespread adoption of synthetic soda (i.e. sodium sectile maker Harry Powell was producing between
carbonate manufacture from ordinary salt using 20 to 30 figurative panels a year, but this style of
sulphuric acid). glass decoration went out of fashion with the slump of
the 1920s.
Sandy Davison – Mirrors
The mid-16th century was the start of the common Sarah Jennings and David Dungworth
use of mirrors and until the 20th century a tin-mercury
amalgam was used as the coating on the back. There Mirror mosaic, Amber Fort, India
were several questions and comments in the
discussion on the Health & Safety aspects of handling 13
and restoring mirrors of this date. In Murano in 1517
a patent was granted for making mirrors and the
mirror makers’ guild was formed in Venice in 1564.
At this time mirrors were made from cylinder glass
that was flattened, ground, and polished, and mercury

Glass News December 2007

Book and Article Reviews Reflecting Antiquity - Modern Glass
Inspired By Ancient Rome
Brilliant Things for Akhenaten:
David Whitehouse
The production of glass, vitreous materials and
pottery at Amarna site O45.1 This catalogue is the companion to a current
exhibition organized by The Corning Museum of
Paul T Nicholson Glass and The J. Paul Getty Museum entitled
"Reflecting Antiquity", focusing on the influence of
This book examines the coming of glass to Egypt and ancient Roman styles on glassmakers of the 19th
its relationship to the production of faience and century. The author discusses several styles of ancient
pottery, particularly at Amarna site O45.1. The text glass including: cameo glass, gold glass, cage cups,
combines excavated evidence with experimental and mosaic glass. The catalogue includes essays by
archaeology and laboratory analyses to give a historians Dunja Zobel-Klein and Michael J. Klein,
reconstruction of the production of glass and other and glassmakers William Gudenrath, Mark Taylor
materials at Amarna, both in terms of technology and and David Hill, exploring the manufacture of ancient
social context. The excavations carried out by glass and the history of modern imitations.
Flinders Petrie at Amarna (18912) are reassessed in
the light of the new work and finds from that time put 234 pages with 163 colour and 8 b/w photos.
into a broader perspective. Published by The Corning Museum of Glass,
Excavation Memoirs 80 Corning NY (2007)
394 pages, b/w illus, tabs, DVD with colour images Available from Corning Museum’s website
London: The Egypt Exploration Society (2007) www.cmog.org
Price: $29.95 (USD).
ISBN-13: 978-0-85698-178-4 Also available elsewhere e.g. David Giles Ancient Art
Hardback. Books, price £19 http://www.gilesancientart.com
Price £65.00
Available from Oxbow Books, Oxford THE ASSOCIATION FOR THE
(www.oxbowbooks.com) HISTORY OF GLASS

Historic Glass... from Collections in the Board of Management
North West of England
President: Caroline Jackson
In 1979 the then Merseyside County Museums held Hon Secretary: Sandy Davison
an exhibition with this title. To accompany the Hon Treasurer: Andrew Shortland
exhibition a publication was issued, containing black
and white photos of glass from the collections of Members of Board
many North West museums. The Museum is seeking
to remainder the last few copies of this publication, Denise Allen David Martlew
which is soft backed and has 128 pages. Justine Bayley Juanita Navarro
Martine Newby
Please contact Alyson Pollard on 0151 478 4263 or by Colin Brain
email: [email protected] John Clark Julia Poole
David Crossley Jennifer Price
Price: £3.99 (this includes 2nd class postage). Aileen Dawson Rachel Russell
Cheques should be made payable to National Suzanne Higgott St John Simpson
Museums Liverpool. Sarah Jennings Angela Wardle

Glass News December 2007 14

Vessel glass from Beirut identified, illustrated and examined critically to set it
(Bey 006, 007 and 045) in its local and regional context. This work has
demonstrated that the most comprehensive
Archaeology of the Beirut Souks 2 Berytus vols assemblages, belonging to the late Hellenistic/early
XLVIII-XLIX (2004-5) Roman and late Roman/early Byzantine periods, have
survived largely because of comprehensive building
Sarah Jennings and rebuilding projects and an earthquake in AD 551.
The text has been well planned and is easy to follow,
American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon, 2006 providing a comprehensive and coherent survey of the
ISBN 0067-6105 range of glass in use in this district of the city over
326 pages more than a millennium. This shows clearly that
Price $30, plus $10.00 postage, payable by credit card virtually all of the vessels in use there at all times
or bank draft. were quite ordinary items with everyday functions,
Available from Berytus, Department of History and which were probably produced fairly close to where
Archaeology, College Hall, American University of they were used. Very few highly decorated or
Beirut, PO Box 11-0236, Riad El-Solh, particularly high quality pieces were identified and
Beirut, 1107 2020, Lebanon. long-distance imports appear to have been rare.
Or contact David Giles Ancient Art Books about
availability. Email: [email protected] The discussion is thoughtful and thought provoking,
Website: http://www.gilesancientart.com exploring many issues worthy of further research,
although I have noted one or two points for comment.
Excavation on three sites (006, 007 and 045) in the The first is general: since it is argued that much of the
Souks area of Beirut was undertaken by the American glass found was produced nearby and evidence for a
University in Beirut (AUB) and the Archaeological late Roman glassblowing episode was found, there
Collaboration of Research and Excavation team might have been more discussion about the influence
(ACRE) between 1994 and 1996 in advance of of recycling on the survival of glass fragments at
redevelopment of the war-damaged district. The area different periods. The others are more specific: the
was occupied from around 500BC to AD 1975, and comment on page 122 that cracked off rims involved
the excavations found numerous structures and other a ‘single stage of manufacture that would have been
features including a Hellenistic cemetery, various quicker than finishing off on a pontil iron’ is difficult
buildings in the Classical-early Byzantine city, a to accept as the former involves allowing the vessel to
monumental Roman bath-house, evidence of Fatimid cool completely before finishing the rim as a separate
and Crusader occupation and a late Ayyubid or early process whereas the latter, a hot process, was
Mamluk glass workshop. This volume is a study of completed at the time the vessel was formed. Finally,
more than 20,000 fragments of vessel glass from the the almost complete absence of fragments of early
excavations, dating from the 5th/4th century BC to Roman decorated mould blown glass, traditionally
15th/16th century AD; the glass objects and accepted as being produced at nearby Sidon, is
architectural elements and the glass workshop will be mentioned on several occasions and is a very
published in later volumes. interesting issue, but the name of the city of Sidon
does not, so far as I know, occur on any of the name-
The book has 12 chapters. The first introduces the panels on early Roman decorated mould-blown
study of the glass and the classification, recording and vessels, contrary to a suggestion on page 290.
dating (dealt with in more detail in Appendices 1-2),
and the last presents the conclusions. Chapters 2-10 These are, however, very minor points that do not
catalogue, illustrate and discuss the groups of vessels detract from the overall value of the volume. This is
by broad period divisions, producing a typology for groundbreaking, as it makes a most important
the Hellenistic, early, mid- and late Roman, early contribution to the study of the use of glass in
Byzantine, early and mid-Islamic periods and chapter Hellenistic, Roman and early Byzantine urban
11 presents 22 glass groups dating from 1st-13th contexts in the Levant, whereas more emphasis has
centuries AD that came from single contexts or single frequently been given to glass from burials in this
events. There are also three appendices: 1 and 2 (by region. It will be welcomed and widely used, now and
Paul Reynolds who presents the ceramic phasing by future generations of students of archaeological
supporting this work from 5th century BC to AD 700- glass, and the author is to be congratulated on
50) are mentioned above, and 3 (by Sarah Paynter) bringing this complex project to fruition.
gives the results of analysis of two groups of glass Jennifer Price
from site 006. The glass of each period has been
15
Glass News December 2007

Silver Stained Roundels and Unipartite The King’s Glass
Panels Before the French Revolution
A story of Tudor Power and Secret Art
Flanders, Volume 1:
The Province of Antwerp Carola Hicks

C J Berserik and J M A Caen Each year more than 250,000 people visit the Chapel
of King's College, Cambridge. This book tells the
This is the first in a series of volumes describing the story of the Chapel's stained glass windows, and of
silver-stained glass roundels and unipartite panels the people who created them - the triumphant
from the 15th to the 18th centuries to be found in culmination of a project completed despite wars, the
public buildings, museums and private collections in death of kings and violent religious conflict. Planned
the present five provinces of Flanders (Belgium); as by Henry VII and continued by Henry VIII, the
well as documented roundels and unipartite panels windows are dynastic propaganda, simultaneously
whose whereabouts are presently unknown or which blatant and subtle, boasting the ancient lineage of an
have been moved to other locations or collections in upstart monarchy. Their unfolding scenes honoured
the past. The checklist also mentions all known the Catholic faith that Henry VIII was challenging in
related material, and where possible, photographs of the 1530s, when he made himself head of the church
this material have been added. The related material to marry Anne Boleyn. The windows show how
includes direct designs, like drawings or engravings, Henry commemorated his wives in art, then
and drawings and roundels which belong to either the airbrushed them out when they fell from favour, and
same series or which are copies of these series; the how he recruited leading artists to make this
relevant publications are also mentioned. England's response to the Sistine Chapel. The great
'King's Glass' also flaunts the skills of its makers,
Hardback, 436 pages, 470 colour and 510 b/w many of them innovative immigrants. It is a tale of
illustrations, 230 x 315 mm (2007) guilds and artisans as well as of the court. Exploring
ISBN 978-1-905375-25-7 the stories behind these luminous treasures, this
Price: € 95 fascinating book uncovers the power struggles behind
Available from: the beauty of the past. Read Peter Ackroyd’s review
Brepols Publishers, Begijnhof 67, in the Times at:
2300 Turnhout, Belgium <<http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and
Tel +32 14 448030. Fax +32 14 428919 _entertainment/books/article2791954.ece>>
Orders: [email protected]
Website: www.brepols.net ISBN: 0701179929
Hardback, 256 pages, 8 colour plates, 8 b/w
Publisher: Chatto and Windus
Widely available, price: £18.99

Please send your contributions for Glass News No. 24

by 6th June 2008 to either of the editors:

Juanita Navarro Sarah Paynter
Ceramics and Glass Conservation, Fort Cumberland,
Fort Cumberland Road,
Victoria and Albert Museum Eastney, Portsmouth PO4 9LD
South Kensington, London SW7 2RL [email protected]

[email protected]

Glass News December 2007 16

Subscription matters articles in this issue (see pages 8 onwards), two as a
result of grants awarded by AHG. We are always
Glass pleased to receive contributions of this kind, and we
News also welcome feedback from readers on the sorts of
articles and information that they would find most
Number 24 July 2008 useful or informative for future issues of Glass News.
As usual, our contact details are at the back of this
Published by issue of the newsletter and we look forward to hearing
from you.
THE ASSOCIATION FOR THE HISTORY OF GLASS LIMITED
With best wishes from Sarah and Juanita
Reg’d Charity: 275236 ISSN 1362-5195
SUBSCRIPTION REMINDER!
Registered Office:
c/o The Society of Antiquaries of London Your subscription will soon be due for renewal - this
is the last Glass News that you will receive under
Burlington House, Piccadilly, your present subscription.
London W1V 0HS, United Kingdom Please see the enclosed renewal form.
We are maintaining our current subscription rates,
Company Registration Number 1348828 and you can subscribe again for 2009 for £5.00,
either as a Member of the Association or simply to
www.historyofglass.org.uk receive Glass News without membership.

IN THIS ISSUE THE ASSOCIATION FOR THE
HISTORY OF GLASS
Page 1 - Subscription Reminder
- Board of Management Board of Management
- AHG Study Day 2009 President: Caroline Jackson
Hon Secretary: Sandy Davison
Page 2 - AHG Study Day 2008 and AGM Hon Treasurer: Andrew Shortland
- Forthcoming Events
Members of Board
Page 5 - AHG Grant Information
Page 5 - New MA Courses Denise Allen Suzanne Higgott Julia Poole

- 37th Archaeometry Symposium Review Justine Bayley Sarah Jennings Jennifer Price
Page 6 - AHG Study Day Review: Buying
Colin Brain David Martlew Rachel Russell
and Selling Glass in Britain
Page 8 - The French Connection John Clark Juanita Navarro St John Simpson
Page 10 - AHG Grant Report: Susanna Kirk
Page 12 - AHG Grant Report: Jack Haden Glass David Crossley Martine Newby Angela Wardle

Archives Aileen Dawson
Page 14 - Books, Reviews and Publications
Page 16 - Editors’ details AHG Spring Study Day 2009

Welcome to issue 24 of Glass News. ‘RECENT ARCHAEOLOGICAL RESEARCH INTO THE
MANUFACTURE OF GLASS - OF ALL PERIODS’
In the past, readers have commented that they
particularly like to hear about current research, recent The AHG Spring Study Day will take place on Friday
discoveries and interesting finds, as a means of 20th March 2009 at The Wallace Collection, London.
staying up to date with developments in the world of Potential contributors should contact David Crossley:
glass world. We are fortunate to have three such [email protected]

Glass News 24 July 2008 1

AHG Autumn Study Day 2008 There will be a book display and a 10% discount on
and AGM all BM Publications titles purchased on the day.

‘GLASS AT THE BRITISH MUSEUM: The cost of the study day is £25 (full); £20
CURRENT RESEARCH, SCIENCE AND CONSERVATION’ (concessions to AHG members* and BM Friends);
£10 (full-time students). Please make cheques payable
Saturday 25 October 2008 to The Association for the History of Glass and send
Stevenson Lecture Theatre, The Clore Centre, your booking to: Sandra Davison, Hon. Sec. AHG at
[email protected] or by post to: S. Davison, 68,
The British Museum (BM) East Street, Thame, Oxon OX9 3JS.

PROVISIONAL PROGRAMME *Members of the AHG who wish to attend only the
09:00 Registration AGM may do so at no cost
10:00 C Jackson, AHG President, Introductory
International Festival of Glass
remarks
10:10 P Roberts, Roman cameo glass in the BM and British Glass Biennale
10:40 J Price, Romano-British glass in the BM
11:10 Coffee and poster viewing 18 - 25 August 2008
11:40 D Howells, Late Antique Gold Glass in the Stourbridge

BM Activities for enquiring minds of all ages, from the
12:10 N Meeks, I Freestone, M Sax and C Higgitt, Master Glass Blower in the family to the youngest
members: that’s the August Bank Holiday weekend
The Lycurgus Cup revisited sorted! Masterclasses this year include: Egyptian
12:40 Lunch and poster viewing Furnace Building, Sandcasting, and Neon Sculpture,
as well as the more usual activities such as
Poster presentations on glass in the BM and other glassblowing. Masterclasses fill up very quickly and
collections to include: early registration is recommended. Not all classes
- N Erb-Satullo, Sr and Nd isotopes in second require previous experience.

millennium BC glass More information is available from the websites at:
- S Kirk, Glass in Harvard Semitic Museum www.ifg.org.uk or www.biennale.org.uk
- M Newby, A Late Roman cameo in the BM Or contact: British Glass Biennale, Ruskin Glass
- B Scott, 17th century glass from Christ Church Centre, Wollaston Road, Amblecote, Stourbridge,
West Midlands, DY8 4HF. Tel: 01384 399410
Oxford
- S Tanimoto, To what extent does the artisan’s SGT Annual Conference 2008

choice affect the homogeneity of chemical SOCIETY OF GLASS TECHNOLOGY
compositions of LBA glass? Human behaviour vs
technical constraints 10 - 12 September 2008
New Hall College, University of Cambridge
14:00 Annual General Meeting of the Association
for the History of Glass * The annual conference of the SGT will include one
day dedicated to the History and Heritage of Glass,
14:30 I Freestone, S J Simpson and T Ishida, which will take place on Friday 10th September. The
Beyond Rome: new light on composition and cost for the H&H study day is £35, which includes
15:00 cutting techniques of Sasanian glass refreshments and lunch. University accommodation is
S Roehrs and S J Simpson, Analysing available. A preliminary programme, further
15:30 Sasanian-Islamic beads from a BM-supported information and a booking form may be found on the
16:00 research project at Kush in the Persian Gulf website at: www.sgt.org
16:30 Tea and poster viewing
17:00 D Ling, Conservation of glass in the BM
17:30 D Thornton and S Naidorf, A document-
ary Renaissance tazza in the BM
A Dawson, Post-Renaissance French glass in
the BM
Close

Glass News 24 July 2008 2

BSMGP Conference - 18th-century English drinking glasses.
- Fakes and reproductions of early American glass.
‘ASPECTS OF 20TH CENTURY STAINED GLASS’ - Louis Comfort Tiffany and glassmaker Arthur Nash
as collaborators.
31 July – 1 August 2008 Participants will also have opportunities to make their
Glaziers’ Hall, 9 Montague Close, London SE1 9DD own glass and observe glassmaking demonstrations.

This conference, organised by The British Society of For more information, please contact Louise Maio:
Master Glass Painters with The Worshipful Company [email protected], or visit www.cmog.org
of Glaziers, will present an historically considered
overview of the far-reaching developments in stained International Colloquium:
glass which took place throughout the 20th Century, in
particular the first three quarters of that century from 23rd Meeting of AFAV 2008
which we have enough distance to examine with some
objectivity. Speakers will include Patrick Reyntiens ‘FROM ENNION TO VAL SAINT-LAMBERT
OBE, Peter Cormack, Wilhelm Derix from Germany MOULD-BLOWN GLASS’
and Julie L. Sloan from America.
17 – 19 October 2008
Full non-residential conference fee - BSMGP Brussels and Namur, Belgium
members £140. Join the BSMGP to attend at this rate.
Single day, student and non-member rates also The 23rd international colloquium of AFAV will be
available. held at venues in Brussels and Namur:
Further information is available from the website at:
ww.bsmgp.org.uk - Friday 17th at the Musées Royaux d’Art et
or e-mail: [email protected] d’Histoire, Brussels.

47th Annual Corning Museum - Saturday 18th at the Moulins de Beez, Namur.
Glass Seminar - Sunday 19th visits to Charleroi and Cristalleries

‘TRANSFORMATIONS IN GLASS’ du Val Saint-Lambert. There may be other visits
on this day.
16 - 18 October 2008
The Corning Museum of Glass, Corning, New York The 2008 meeting hopes to reopen discussions on a
particular category of glass: blown glass made with a
Inspired by the major exhibition, Glass of the mould. The theme is wide-reaching, originating in the
Alchemists, and the 400th anniversary of glassmaking 1st century AD and continuing through more recent
in America, this year’s Seminar looks at scientific periods. It will be approached from historic, technical,
transformations and historic milestones in glass. The decorative and typological viewpoints.
Seminar will feature expert lecturers on glass,
including Martin Eidelberg, Paul Engle, Gay LeCleire The colloquium is being jointly organised by The
Taylor and Beverly A (Bly) Straube. French Association for Glass Archaeology, the Royal
Institute for Cultural Heritage (IRPA), the Royal
Topics will include: Museums of Art and History of Brussels and the
- Antonio Neri, the Florentine priest famous for his heads of archaeology in the Walloon and Brussels
1612 manual on glassmaking L'Arte Vetraria. regions. The Acts of the colloquium will be published
- Baroque crystal and gold ruby glass. in the Scientia Artis series of the IRPA.
- Archaeological evidence of the first glass made and
used in Jamestown. Registration form and additional information is
available from the website at: www.afaverre.fr
Or contact: [email protected]

Glass News 24 July 2008 3

Forthcoming colloquium: Conservation Forum:

Association Verre & Histoire American Corpus Vitrearum

‘LES INNOVATIONS VERRIERES ET LEUR DEVENIR FORUM FOR THE CONSERVATION AND RESTORATION
EPOQUE ANTIQUE - XXE SIECLE’ OF STAINED-GLASS WINDOWS

26 -28 March 2009 ‘THE ART OF COLLABORATION: STAINED GLASS
Nancy, France CONSERVATION IN THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY’

The next international colloquium of the Association 1-3 June 2009
Verre and Histoire will take place at Nancy in March New York
2009. The subject will be "Innovations in glass
making and their evolution from antiquity to the 21st The Forum is being held under the auspices of the
century”. There will be four main themes: American Corpus Vitrearum and the International
- Recognition of innovations Committee of the Corpus Vitrearum for the
- Types of innovations Conservation of Stained Glass. Two days of oral
- Innovations and markets presentations and poster sessions at The Metropolitan
- Directions of innovation Museum of Art will be followed by a viewing of
More information is available from the website at: stained glass in five Manhattan churches with local
www.verre-histoire.org experts. The conference will end with a reception at
the National Arts Club, a landmarked building with
[The postprints from the first international colloquium significant installations of stained glass.
‘Verre et Fenêtre’, which took place in Paris-La Papers will be offered in English, French or German
Défense and Versailles, 13-15 October 2005, are and will be published in the original language.
going to be made available online soon, via the Simultaneous translation will be provided at the
website <www.verre-histoire.org>. At the time of conference.
writing, a review was available in the section ‘La vie
de l'association’ ! Compte-rendu ! Colloque 2005.] Further information may be obtained from:
Lisa Pilosi [email protected]
Conference:
AIHV Triennial Meeting
Icon Stained Glass Group
The next Triennial Meeting of the Association
‘A REFLECTION ON STAINED GLASS CONSERVATION Internationale pour l’Histoire du Verre, AIHV 18, will
TECHNIQUES BOTH PAST AND PRESENT’ take place in September 2009, in Thessaloniki,
Greece.
Saturday 25 October 2008
Freemasons Hall, Manchester Further information will appear on the website in due
course: www.aihv.org.
The Institute of Conservation (Icon) Stained Glass
Group is pleased to announce details of their Close-up view of vetro a retorti
forthcoming conference. The conference will address
issues presented by techniques used in the past to 4
conserve stained glass, and will seek to establish best
practice in relation to previous interventions. The
keynote speaker will be Ulrike Brinkmann, Head of
Cologne Cathedral Stained Glass Studio.

Further information is available from the website at:
www.icon.org.uk ! Events ! 25 October 2009

Glass News 24 July 2008

Information and News Further details are available from: www.york.ac.uk/
depts/histart/postgraduatemastainedglass
AHG Bursaries
Address enquiries to: Dr Tim Ayers, Director, Stained
Two AHG Grants have been made recently: Glass Research School, University of York
1. For colour plates in the Catalogue of Anglo- E-email: [email protected]

Saxon Glass in the British Museum by Vera Review:
Evison, published as Research Publication No.
167 (2008). (See New Publications, page 15) 3S37i7ethntIahn,t1eA2rnthraMtcioahnyaatloSe1yo7mthmpMoseaiuytm2r0oy0n8ASrychmaeopmoetsryiu(ISmA)
2. For the production of short films based on
experimental work by Mark Taylor and David The 37th International Symposium on Archaeometry
Hill (www.romanglassmakers.co.uk) in 2005 and (ISA) was held in the beautiful city of Siena in the
2006 on The Roman Furnace Project, which will week beginning May 12th. Although delegates
be made available on DVDs for the use of inevitably spent a fair amount of time relaxing in the
students and others interested in this work (see Piazza Del Campo, intermittent drizzle helped to
Glass News issues 18 and 20). ensure that the conference was well attended too. The
symposium covered many different types of
Note: See also AHG Grant Reports on pages 10-13. archaeometric investigation and so there was only a
brief oral session on glass, but the numerous posters
New MA: on the subject helped compensate for this. It was a
good opportunity to find out which topics are being
Universidade de Lisboa and studied at the moment and to exchange ideas with
Universidade Nova de Lisboa other researchers. The full oral and poster
programmes are available on the conference website
A new degree program leading to a Master of Glass (see below).
Art and Science is being offered by the Faculty of
Sciences and Technology (Universidade Nova de Isotopes and trace elements were a common theme as
Lisboa) and the Faculty of Fine Arts (Universidade de means of investigating the origins of glass. This group
Lisboa) beginning in October 2008. The main aim of included Degryse et al, with ‘Pliny the Elder and Sr-
this course is the application of science to glass art Nd radiogenic isotopes: provenance determination of
and the conservation of glass artefacts. the mineral raw materials for Roman glass
production’, van Os et al, on ‘Sr and Pb isotopes,
Please see the following link for more information: trace metal and major element compositional
http://www.apvidro.org/VICARTE.htm variation in Roman colourless glass from the Bocholtz
burial, the Netherlands’, Meek et al, discussing ‘The
New MA: isotopic analysis of north-western European forest
glass: working towards an independent means of
University of York provenancing’ and finally Henderson et al, presenting
on ‘The roots of provenance: radiogenic isotopes and
MA IN STAINED GLASS CONSERVATION AND glass production in the Islamic Middle East’.
HERITAGE MANAGEMENT
Medieval glass presentations and posters included
This new MA programme meets a widely recognized Paynter and Dungworth, on ‘The production of post-
need for training and a qualification in this field; medieval plant ash glass – recognising frit’, Jackson
internationally, it is the only one to be conducted in and Smedley with ‘Plant ashes and seasonality. The
English. Teaching is based at the historic King's implications for our understanding of compositional
Manor, in central York, five minutes walk from York patterns in archaeological glasses’, and also posters
Minster. The programme lasts two years and by Gimeno et al, and Riccardi et al, on the medieval
substantial scholarships are available. rose window of the Siena Duomo.

There were a number of papers and posters on glass
from the Near East and Egypt, including presentations
by Smirniou and Mirti et al, respectively on ‘Amarna

Glass News 24 July 2008 5

revisited; Investigation of primary glass production in sixty years between 1608 and 1668. The glass vessels
New Kingdom, Egypt’ and ‘Change and continuity in were probably distributed by travelling glassmen.
glass composition from Early Sassanian to Islamic
times in central Iraq’. There were also posters by Kato Many glasshouses opened up between the 1660s and
et al, on ‘New investigation of trace elements for 1670s, when the Bristol glass industry began Although
Islamic glass weights and stamps using a highly the only recorded glass shop in London, as well as the
sensitive XRF method - compared with excavated London glasshouses, were destroyed by the Great Fire
glass vessels in Raya, Egypt’ and Kirk et al, on in 1666. The Glass Sellers Company was established
‘Technological and compositional differences in 1664 as a result of the increasing availability of
between Late Bronze Age Egyptian and Near Eastern glassware or possibly to take advantage of the
glasses: further analytical work from Nuzi’. marketing situation. The English glassmaking industry
concentrated on making and marketing high value
Mosaics featured strongly. Gedzevičiūt÷ et al, glass. During the second half of the seventeenth
presented results on ‘Fragments of Roman mosaic and century there were increasing changes in the fashion of
millefiori glass of the Martin von Wagner Museum in glasses and from 1674 glassware began to be designed
Würzburg, Germany’, Lentini and Tappa focused on in a glass shop rather than in the glasshouses. As
the ‘Analysis of ancient Roman glass mosaic fashion changed much glassware remained unsold in
tesserae‘, Boschetti et al, discussed ‘Where did they the glasshouses and had to be discounted for sale.
come from? A new strategy for the study of
Hellenistic emblemata mosaics from Italy’ and The theme was taken up by glass collector Peter Lole,
Tonietto et al, were working on ‘The disrupted paleo- Lessons from Glass Sellers’ bills 1600-1818, who had
Christian glass mosaic of St. Prosdocimus (Padua, studied 230 bills of sale concerning 20,000 pieces of
Italy): archeometric characterisation of colourless glass, as newspaper advertisements for glassware
“gold” and transparent tesserae’. didn’t mention prices. Information was obtained from
glass books and household records (the V&A Museum
This is only a selection of the subjects on offer: there and Broadfield House Glass Museum hold
were also presentations and posters on Bronze Age photocopies of house bills) and from Arley Hall and
and Iron Age glass, various types of Roman and Blair Atholl Archives. These records from the
medieval glass artefacts, some post-medieval glass households of the gentry present a partial picture of the
and one study of weathering processes. It is intended availability of glassware confined to the top of the
that the proceedings be published online; more market. There is little known about the green wine
information on this and the event generally, can be bottles and small cheap glasses used in the taverns or
obtained from the website at: vessels used by the middle classes who owned very
http://www.unisi.it/eventi/isa2008/index.htm little glass. Between 1650 and 1755, however,
substantially more bottles than glasses were made as
Review: wine supplied in bottles replaced wine in the cask. In
the 17th century the bills were not usually direct from
AHG Study Day the glasshouses but from Glass Sellers. In the first
quarter of the 18th century there was a significant fall
‘BUYING AND SELLING GLASS IN BRITAIN in glass mentioned in bills of purchase. This may be a
1600 TO 1950’ statistical aberration or possibly reflect the unstable
political position at the time. By the last quarter of the
18 March 2008 17th century glass had replaced silver for the serving of
The Wallace Collection, London desserts.

The morning session, chaired by Julia Poole Joan Unwin (archivist of the Company of Cutlers in
(Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge), began with Colin Hallamshire, Sheffield), To hire or to buy? – How to
Brain (independent researcher), From Chair to Table: provide enough glasses for the Cutlers’ feast,
evolution of glass distribution, sales and marketing in described the arrangements for hosting the annual
17th century Britain. Colin discussed 17th century glass Cutler’s Feast (for craftsmen who made cutting
monopolies such as the one held by Sir Robert Mansell implements: knives, scissors, sickles and scythes). In
from 1624 to 1639. Glass designs were determined in 1791 there were 250 guests and a second hall was built
the glasshouses and there is no evidence for major between 1825 and 1832. As the size of the Feast
changes of style in English glass production for the increased glasses, linen and cutlery were probably
hired for the occasion. Lists of purchases including
Glass News 24 July 2008
6

glassware exist, although from the 18th century Jill Turnbull (University of Edinburgh), ‘The home
onwards payments were made per bill and thus it isn’t trade is but a flea bite to us’ - selling glass from the
known what was being bought. There were inventories Scottish perspective, focused on several Scottish
of drinking glasses, desert glasses (especially jelly glasshouses and stated that the evidence for the
glasses), and other glassware including salts, salvers, marketing of their products is fragmentary. Glassware
glass stands with branches and three pier mirrors. Joan was originally sold direct from glasshouses, such as
also described the surviving glassware in the Cutlers’ The Edinburgh Glass House (later known as the
Hall. At the end of the morning session, the speakers Edinburgh & Leith Glassworks and finally Edinburgh
discussed how table glass was a rare luxury item in the Crystal before finally closing in 2006). The output of
seventeenth century and that little written evidence William Ford’s Caledonian Glasshouse, which had an
survives. elegant showroom, included glass musical instruments.
Jill discussed the export trade, for example the
After lunch, Alex Werner (Museum of London), Holyrood Flint Glass Works, which exported all over
Glass retailing in London 1720-1850, described a time the world. Others exported to the Low Countries,
when London was the world’s greatest city and as such France and the Baltic Region. William Ford sent
was an important glass retailing centre; however, samples of his glassware to the Sydney International
records from this period are very fragmentary. Glass Exhibition and to Melbourne. None of the Scottish
was not only supplied as glassware but also to the glasshouses operated for very long and would not have
mercantile community living and working in London, survived without the export trade. By the end of the
and included exterior light fittings, glass for opticians, 19th century publicity became important, such as
for mathematic and scientific telescopes, glass cakes participation in the 1886 Edinburgh Exhibition.
for jewellers and thousands of bottles for apothecaries.
Alex talked about the relationship between the selling The final speaker was Roger Dodsworth (Broadfield
of glass and ceramics, as illustrated by the Phillips House Glass Museum), The Stourbridge Glass Trade
glass and china retail shop in Bond Street and the in the 20th century. The glass industry had been
Wiley family, who were glass and china sellers established some 400 years ago in an area rich in clay
supplying inns, taverns and street hawkers who for making glass-melting pots and coal for firing
exchanged glass for other goods and whose shop still furnaces. In the 19th century Stourbridge specialized in
survives. table glassware but during the Second World War
Stourbridge had to halt decorative glassmaking and
Anna Moran (PhD candidate in the Department of concentrate on glass for the war effort. There are few
History at the University of Warwick), Shopping for written records except for the archives researched by
Glass in Ireland C.1750-1850, also said that evidence David Williams Thomas (Brierley glassworks) and
for buying Georgian glass in Ireland in the late 18th / Roger Portray (Stuart Crystal and the Pottery & Glass
early 19th century, is sparse. However, participation in Trade Review). There were markets at home and in
polite society entailed having the appropriate luxury Australia, New Zealand, Canada and South Africa.
items such as glass and ceramics. Using sources such European business was marginal. Sales were achieved
as household account books, bills and inventories, a through agents or representatives (who arranged the
number of cases were considered from a consumer’s purchase and shipping of goods), glass showrooms,
perspective, including Jeremiah Silver, a glass cutter biannual displays in London and trade fairs, at home
originally from Staffordshire who in 1798 moved to or abroad. Advertisements began to appear in
work at Richard Williams Glasshouse in Potter’s magazines and trade reviews from 1932. In the first
Alley, Dublin. At some point in the 1800s, Jeremiah half of the 20th century there were many retail outlets,
Silver acquired four tumblers to the value of 2s and 6d chains of specialist shops and departmental stores. The
from Williams’ glasshouse, which he took without first public participation event was held in 1954 at
paying for them. At his trial, Silver was found guilty Heal & Son Ltd, London, to gain feedback on design –
and sentenced to transportation to Australia for a an experiment in market research. In the 1960s and
period of seven years. Jeremiah Silver was one of 70s the first concession shops were established in
many people recorded in the transportation registers as department stores. At about the same time factory
being deported for stealing glass, providing an insight shops began to be set up. In the 1970s and 80s Japan
into the contemporary perception of glass objects as became an important market for Brierley Glass.
luxury goods.
Sandy Davison

Glass News 24 July 2008 7

Article: begs Your Highness if you deign to grant him, is able
to save by living with this family in this city. While
The French Connection there, with the oven, would make and exercise his art,
himself to truly do specialities with beauty above all,
Thanks to Don Tyzack, a Glass News reader, for also items of great tables of truly transparent red
contributing the following article. colour, and other items one by one making figurines
and arms, that are samples of the sort not done here,
I was most interested to read the Glass News report of nor ever was, neither is there any person who knows
the talk by David Whitehouse on Venetian what to do, not in this land nor in Italy. And will not
Glassmakers. In it he spoke of the French glassmakers damage or be prejudicial to the glassmakers of
who began to arrive in Venice after 1469 to teach the Murano, because, (although) unemployment is often
art of mirror making. These were persons whom I foretold, (it is) not true that those out of work knew
have come across in my genealogical work (dare I say how to do it; and so keep out praiseworthy skill
ancestors?), so I can probably add a little. It seems without need, and deprive the illustrious Prince and
that maybe red coloured glass was their most well High Lordship and above all, this city. And if
known transfer. The glass makers appear to have been recommended, I ask the scribe to give thanks, to the
from the family of Tyzack, from Darney, in Lorraine. Serene Highness, at the feet of whom I will always
be."
The transparent red, described as rosechiero, was a
colour produced by copper oxide. Benvenuto Cellini By asking to come to Venice to make "true
(Trattato dell’Oreficeria) wrote that its recipe had specialities" and plates "of true transparent red
been found by chance by an alchemist jeweller. colour", Roberto "franzoso" confirmed that there was
According to Luigi Zecchin [1] on page 228 of his no such activity there, not only in Italy, but even in
vol. III: at the end of the XIVth century Mastro the territories of the Serene One, "outside Murano".
Antonio da Pisa made extraordinary red glass that he
admitted not knowing "how it was produced". At the When they suspended the common external tariff on
end of the 1300s then, to all intents and purposes, it April 11th 1321, the Senate of the Republic also listed
was only made in Italy by chance - thus it was not the "true mirrors" among export items, liable for duty.
glassworkers of Murano who invented it. It was This probably followed from the failed attempt to
named in Venetian documents for the first time in launch mirrors there by the German d’Alemagna, who
1493 [2]. This was confirmed by a 1493 document in knew how to “far lastra”. But after that year, there is
which there was a dispensation for the Muranese no document referring to a Venetian production of
glassworker Giorgio Ballarin to employ in his furnace mirrors of glass until 1507.
a young Lorrainer, “franzoso", who was recognized as
particularly experienced to make up window glasses It is possible therefore that "maistro Roberto
of every colour but above all in red "that still was not franzoso" was correct when he affirmed that the
yet invented in Murano".[3] Muranese were ignorant of the particular red colour
that he knew how to make, and of the stained glasses,
Giorgio Ballarin was manager of a furnace in 1492 suitable "to make figures and coats of arms" and also
but when the elections were held for the guild of even of the manufacture of glass mirrors or of the
glassworkers, he was elected to take supreme method of making glass "in big plates". So Roberto
responsibility for maintaining the art; he became the had something to offer. But the Muranese were
gastaldo. The podium meeting of that year records the convinced they knew how to make glass as well as
part he had in an appeal introduced to the Venetian anybody, and better. Furthermore, they didn't accept
government for a foreign glassworker, sent to them at gladly the arrival of a foreign glassworker who, if
Murano on April 10th 1492. The text of the appeal initially carrying out a type of work they had
was as follows, (my translation): neglected, would be able after to sneak into
"crystalline glass". When His Serene Highness sought
"To the illustrious Prince and High Lordship, the man their opinion they were frosty.
to make plentiful honourable works, in this your
enclosed city and best new things uncommon in these "The advice in response to Your Serenity’s letter,
lands and at your location, which are not (presently) from we true patrons of the art who have read the
at Murano, Master Roberto “franzoso” (i.e. French) supplication, is that we would regret strongly such a
thing. If allowed, the Mariegola dei marceri, with its
Glass News 24 July 2008 regulations, would be departed from and we do not

8

favour it at all. If granted to supplicant aforesaid, it essence of what Robert disclosed was the coloured
will be total ruin to this your land of Murano and said glass, rather than the mirrors. He did however pass his
patrons.” Lorraine technique for making the large panes by the
muff method. His exchange of technology was against
An opinion of this kind invited a rejection of his the codes of secrecy at both places and caused
appeal; but "franzoso" was not about to be defeated, François to be ostracised by his family.
and a few months later he reorganized his application,
and turned toward the same glassworkers of Murano Recently I have come across the record of another
for support. He turned particularly to Giorgio Lorrainer who went to Murano, this time Jacques de
Ballarin, whose election to the highest position of the Hennezel [6] of the Sybille glassworks. Arriving in
art was made on the 9 December 1492. So it was that Murano, Jacques showed mirrors to the brothers del
in February of 1493 a letter left the ducal building Gallo, as the report says, which left them aghast.
from the ruling body of Murano, with the order to They asked the Grand Council of Venice for the
conform to the Mariegola, which was now interpreted privilege of the manufacture of the mirrors. “We now
as being made for protecting the art and not to hinder know the secret to make good and perfect mirrors in
its development. It granted that "the young man called glass crystalline, a thing unknown in the entire
Lorrainer the Franzoso son of Joannnis de Tisano," world.” Jacques returned around 1503 and is recorded
could come simply to work at Murano for some time, at the Court of François the First, distributing his
if this could give also a way of learning anything from coveted mirrors to the “beautiful Ladies”! According
him on the manufacture of the coloured plates. He to Luigi Zecchin the first record of crystalline mirrors
would come to teach and reveal an important in Murano was in 1507.
achievement not made here, if aforesaid Lorrainer
teaches as he works”. When François returned to Lorraine he was clearly
treated gently by Duke René II. “All be aware that
Then, or shortly after, the Muranese learned how to Francoys de Tizal has overcome adversity but is for
make the glass "colour rosechiero", a term which the present very needy and with his possessions of this
remained in the vocabulary of Italian glassmaking to world tied up; he can construct and build his
designate transparent red [4] from copper. Shortly glassworks, ovens, houses and necessary dwellings
after that, they learned how to copy the glass made in but we now make something pleasing and new for his
the form of big cylinders and to draw plates bigger art and mastery. He has of our ample grace; we
than the usual ones, thus providing the technical basis especially forgo and quit the supposed three small
for the attainment of the famous "Venetian mirrors." florins until our good pleasure that one can see how
he is working.[7]” The annual rent was otherwise the
There is a mystery about some of this. In Murano sum of three small florins, ten gros pièce money of
history only Robert Tyzack is referred to but in our Duchy of Lorraine.
Lorraine there is well-documented evidence that
François Tyzack returned from Murano with the skill Now François held the secret of Venetian glass. He
to make crystalline glasses, Venetian fashion, in even had his own glassworks, but for betraying the
colours. On his return he told the Duke that he was a code of secrecy his kin held him in isolation. This
native of the Big Glassworks close to Darney, but master glassworker of la Frizon could not recruit
went to Venice just to learn the art of making within Lorraine. He was forced to teach this new skill
crystalline. He now felt the need to return to his roots. to a stranger. The action of bringing in an outsider
The duke was so impressed by François’ samples that was totally provocative to the corporate rules of the
he granted him land at la Frizon in Lorraine to build glassworkers. They served François de Thysac with a
his glassworks in 1505. Was it one and the same swingeing lawsuit but Jacques Ardenay (later
person - or more likely a small family group? Two Dardenet), the new apprentice, succeeded in driving
authors [5] refer to Robert obtaining permission to an agreement with the glassworkers of Darney, giving
leave Lorraine and claim that the original permission him the right of training.
document is in the Departmental Archive at Nancy,
but so far I have been unable to find it. Reading this However even though François made all the news
permission might clarify whether it was a Tyzack back home in Lorraine, today it is still Roberto who is
family party who went to Murano or just Robert, who, credited with teaching the Muranese how to make
because in Italy he was always referred to as beautiful bright red glass, as I found on my recent
“franzoso”, just used François as his nickname on his visit to Murano in a little book I bought there called
return. Certainly in the Murano documents the “Murano, A History of Glass.” [8] Published in 2002!

Glass News 24 July 2008 9

[1] “Vetro e Vetrai di Murano” Arsenale Editrice Decorated, core-formed vessel fragments
Venezia 1989
[2] But a recipe for red glass from copper is also This study is part of a major international project
present in the Ms Bolognese (recipe no. 268) with the consisting of a holistic re-examination of the city of
title: “Affare vetrio rosso" (to produce red glass) Nuzi, in the light of both modern archaeological
[3] Ricette Vetrarie del Rinascimento, C.Moretti, theory and advances in analytical techniques. The
T.Toninato, Marsilio editori Venezia 2001 (translation current study is reassessing the glass assemblage from
from page 40-41) this site in terms of the preservation and alteration,
[4] “In a reducing environment the copper is reduced alongside its composition and technology, of the glass
to Cu+ (Cu2O) or even to metal that precipitates in the and other vitreous material. The glass assemblage
glass in a microcristalline or colloidal form, which from Nuzi is the largest known from the 2nd
develops the red colour. The transparent reds are millennium BC and contains many thousands of glass
denominated as copper-ruby or “Rosechiero", those and faience beads alongside decorated glass vessel
opaque" Hematinone"," Blood of ox"," Sealing wax" fragments, moulded glass pendants and glazed
or, in Venetian slang, "Rosso coppo". With a more ceramic objects.
powerful reduction and a thermal treatment of slow
cooling, can be obtained the precipitation in the glass While at the Semitic Museum I had an opportunity to
mass of metallic copper crystals as happens in the reassess the entire corpus of vitreous material held in
case of the glass "avventurina"” Extract from “Ricette the collection, which includes decorated core-formed
Vetrarie del Rinascimento”, C.Moretti- T.Toninato – glass vessels, glass and faience beads, moulded glass
Marsilio editori Venezia 2001 (translation from page objects (for example, small figurines) and glazed
40-41) ceramics, in addition to examining the finds
[5] Germain Rose-Villequey and Michael Philippes notebooks from the original excavation. With this
[6] “Nobles et Verriers” by René d’Hennezel information it proved possible to link many of the
[7] Archives Departmentales de Meurthe-et-Moselle, objects to locations on the site; it also highlighted the
B 643, acte n° 14, copie collationnée à l'original. fact that much of the glass was not recognised as such
[8] “ Murano, A History of Glass” by Gianfranco during the excavations and there are many examples
Toso, Arsenale Editrice page 55 of glass objects being recorded as stone or
‘composition’ in the finds books.
AHG Grant report:

Susanna Kirk

‘THE PRESERVATION AND ALTERATION OF BRONZE
AGE VITREOUS MATERIALS FROM THE 2ND
MILLENNIUM BC CITY OF NUZI’

Susanna Kirk
Centre for Archaeological and Forensic Analysis,

Cranfield University
Supervisor: Dr Shortland

The grant from the AHG contributed towards the cost
of research at the Semitic Museum at Harvard
University, Boston, USA from 21 May to 3 June
2007. The purpose of this visit was to collect samples
of glass and other vitreous materials in order to
examine the deterioration of Bronze Age glasses from
the mid 2nd millennium BC Hurrian city of Nuzi, in
modern Iraq, which forms the major part of my PhD
project.

Glass News 24 July 2008 10

Amber ‘colorant-free’ glass Early results have suggested that it is possible to
identify the original glass colour, from the presence of
In order to examine the preservation and alteration of colorants such as lead and copper, even where this has
the glass and vitreous objects a wide range of samples not survived on an object’s surface.
of blue (which was the most common colour) glass The grant has allowed a significant sample set to be
beads and vessel fragments were taken during my collected from one of the most important glass
visit to the museum. In addition several samples of assemblages of the 2nd millennium BC and therefore
different colours and materials such as faience, inlays the continuing study of the preservation and
and glazes were taken to look at the composition and technology of these glasses.
technology of the assemblage as well as the alteration
and preservation of the various colours and materials. Design for a Regency style jug and goblet, probably
In total over 100 samples of glass, faience and glazed by Hingley's of Wordsley, early 20th century.
ceramic were collected. From the Jack Hayden Glass Archives (see next page)

The sampling process itself produced some 11
unexpected results including a small number of
yellow and white glass beads, which had appeared to
be chalky and non-vitreous prior to sampling. There
were also several examples of colorant-free amber
glass, including a single fragment of a decorated
vessel and a possible moulded pendant fragment.
This colour of glass in any form other than beads had
not been previously noted from Nuzi as the heavily
altered nature of the surface of these fragments had
hidden the original colour.

The analytical work on the composition and alteration
of these samples is currently ongoing and initial
results are proving to be extremely interesting. SEM
has revealed highly complex, and variable,
microstructures within the alteration layers of the
glass samples, particularly in heavily altered samples,
such as those shown opposite.

Considerable future work utilising several analytical
techniques, such as EMPA and LA-ICPMS to analyse
the bulk and trace element composition of the glasses,
is also planned. This work will also include the
analysis of objects that it was not possible to sample
for conservation reasons using portable XRF
equipment.

Glass News 24 July 2008

AHG Grant Report: in Stourbridge before becoming an apprentice reporter
on the local paper, the County Express. After wartime
Jack Haden Glass Archives service with the Royal Army Medical Corps and the
59th Staffordshire Infantry Division, he returned to the
On 8th September 2007 Broadfield House Glass County Express, eventually becoming the paper’s
Museum, in Kingswinford near Stourbridge, was senior reporter. Jack’s work as a reporter provided
successful in purchasing the Jack Haden Collection of him with a wide range of contacts, and when
Glass Archives at a local auction. The collection was businesses were closing or moving premises and
sold in three lots and the hammer price came to getting rid of paperwork, Jack was always the first
£17,180. Grants and donations were received from person to know and was on the spot to ‘re-home’ any
various sources including the Victoria and Albert unwanted material! Retirement in 1981 gave Jack
Museum Purchase Grant Fund, the Friends of more time to pursue his local history interests, and he
Broadfield Glass Museum, the Friends of Dudley continued to collect, research and write articles right
Archives, a private benefactor, various local history up until his death in 2005.
societies and last but not least the Association for the
History of Glass. Roger Dodsworth, Keeper of Glass Jack’s interest in glass stemmed from his family
at Broadfield House, paints a picture of the man who connection with Zachariah Haden’s Premier
formed the collection and describes some of the star Glassworks in Brettell Lane, and he had memories of
items. visiting the glassworks before it closed c. 1930. Jack
was a member of the Glass Circle and the Glass
Jack Haden with his wife Joan Association and served on the Glass Advisory
Committee when Broadfield House was set up in
A newspaper man by profession but a historian and 1980. He published various booklets including
archivist by inclination, Jack Haden was a familiar “Notes on the Stourbridge Glass Trade”, “The
figure in Stourbridge as he rode round the town on his Stourbridge Glass Industry in the 19th Century” and
ancient bicycle, clad in long mackintosh and wearing “Artists in Cameo Glass” incorporating Thomas
his distinctive beret. Jack was passionate about local Woodall’s Memoirs. He wrote a series of articles on
history and devoted his life to preserving records the Heath Glassworks for Glass Circle News in 2001
about his beloved Stourbridge and the surrounding and had articles published in the Glass Cone, notably
area. His particular interest was the local glass a rather risqué one on the origin of the word Frigger!
industry, of which he was immensely proud, and he
gathered together every scrap of information he could Jack was always quite secretive about his glass
find in order to try and piece together the complex archive collection, and nobody really knew just how
history of all the different glassmaking sites and the much material he had until it was all laid out for
myriad changes of ownership they went through. viewing at Fieldings auction house in Stourbridge.
On the odd occasion when I visited Jack at his large
Born in Wordsley, the heart of glassmaking country, Victorian house in South Road, I rarely got beyond
in 1916, Jack Haden attended King Edward VI School his front room and the only thing he was ever keen to
show me was his large collection of 20th century glass
Glass News 24 July 2008 bottles and containers, which were stored in the
basement!

The archive was sold in three lots. Lot 459 consisted
chiefly of 20th century Stourbridge material including
numerous black and white photos, mounted and
unmounted, of cut glass as well as catalogues, price
lists and loose printed sheets from Tudor, Stuart,
Webb Corbett and Royal Brierley Crystal. There were
also some Webb Corbett glass negatives and printing
blocks, a large quantity of mid 20th century Royal
Brierley publicity leaflets for different ranges, several
Woodall photos, copies of American Pottery Gazette
and an interesting Sherdley (St Helens) catalogue c.
1960.

12

The bulk of lot 460 consisted of Jack’s own research profound influence on the way etched and engraved
and notes, stuffed into numerous manila files, folders glass developed in the second half of the 19th century.
and envelopes, usually with some title on the outside.
Most of these focused on local people, places and Other important items in this lot included recipe
topics, for example Platts Glassworks, Wordsley books by Solomon Davies of the Dial Glassworks and
pictures, Picnics and Social History, Richardson, to Joseph Fleming of the Platts and Holloway End
name but a few. However, Jack’s glass interests Glassworks and a copy of the recipes used at the
stretched well beyond Stourbridge, and he also had Haden Glassworks in Brettell Lane. There were also
files on subjects such as Bristol Glass, Waterford and two Minute Books of the Midlands Association of
the Vauxhall and Ratcliffe glasshouses. Buried among Flint Glass Manufacturers, one of which covers the
all these files was quite a lot of primary source period of the great Lock-Out in 1859 when the
material including a Thomas Woodall certificate from manufacturers were involved in a dispute with the
Stourbridge School of Art, Sale Particulars for the glassmakers union and closed their doors in an
Albert Glassworks, Wordsley 1948, Stuart and Mills attempt to force the union to back down. There were
letterheads from the 1870s and much more besides. no original pattern books in the collection, but the lot
One small item that particularly caught my eye was a included some very interesting loose designs for
promotional leaflet advertising Thomas Webb’s reproduction Regency style cut glass. These probably
Cameo Fleur, an attractive range of cameo which originate from the Hingley factory in Wordsley and
Webb’s introduced in 1929 and which used to be date from the early 20th century.
called, rather disparagingly, pseudo-cameo. In fact
there were several of these leaflets, none of which I The bulk of the lot consisted of legal type documents
had ever seen before. such as wills, deeds, leases, conveyances, rentals,
bankruptcy documents and sales particulars etc
Lot 461 contained the main part of the collection, ranging in date from the 18th century (or possibly
including most of the rarities. The star item in my earlier) to the end of the Victorian period and
opinion was the “Register of Stourbridge Government featuring most of the well known Stourbridge glass
School of Art”, which contained a list of student families such as Rogers, Pidcock, Honeybourne,
attendances, fees and examinations for the period Ensell, Grazebrook, Wheeley, Webb, and Hodgetts
1864 – 1874, subdivided into General Evening Class, etc. While these documents may not shed much light
Morning Class and Boys of Oldswinford Hospital. on the actual products of the Stourbridge glass
The students listed under General Evening Class industry, they provide invaluable information about
include some of the great names in Stourbridge glass the development of the different glassmaking sites in
such as Woodall, Northwood and Kny, but there are Stourbridge and without them it would be impossible
many other engravers, etchers and cutters listed, to piece together the story of Stourbridge glass. Jack
whom we know little or nothing about. The Art had a particular interest in the Heath Glassworks –
School followed the government curriculum as far as one of the few factories to be situated in Stourbridge
art education was concerned and provided students itself – and wrote a series of articles for Glass Circle
with a thorough grounding in skills such as drawing News, so not surprisingly there is a large amount of
and design. Students also learned about historical information in the collection about this factory, both
styles of ornament using reference books such as primary source material and Jack’s own notes.
Owen Jones’s Grammar of Ornament, and this had a
The collection is now housed at Dudley Archives and
Local History Service in Coseley, between Dudley
and Wolverhampton. Since it was purchased it has
been re-boxed and a rough contents list has been
drawn up. The next stage will be to examine the
documents in more detail and get them into a logical
order so that they can be properly catalogued. This is
a huge task which cannot be achieved within existing
resources, so we are planning to apply for outside
funding from a body such as The Arts and Humanities
Research Council so that a dedicated researcher /
cataloguer can be appointed.

Glass News 24 July 2008 13

Books, Reviews and The discussion, particularly of glass in the Roman
Publications world (pages 16-22), is confident and wide-ranging,
providing interesting insights into this enormous
Ancient Glass in National Museums topic, although the author is not always as aware of
Scotland discoveries in the western provinces as he is of those
in the eastern Mediterranean region. For example, in
C S Lightfoot the discussion of Manufacture and Trade (pages 20-
22), the raw glass, glass vessels and other glass
Trustees of National Museums of Scotland, 2007. objects found in various Roman shipwrecks in the
Price £29.99. western Mediterranean from 3rd century BC to 5th
ISBN 978-1-901663-28-0. century AD (discussed in Foy D and Nenna M-D
2001 Tout feu, tout sable. Mille ans de verre antique
Available from the National Museums of Scotland at: dans le Midi de la France. Musées de Marseille-
http://www.nms.ac.uk/ancientglass.aspx Edisud) would amplify the information from the Ulu
Burun and Serçe Limani shipwrecks. Other minor
The publication of a catalogue of ancient glass is points to amend are that work in the past 30 years has
always a keenly anticipated event, and this volume, shown that glass production took place in London and
which studies the extensive collections of ancient in numerous towns and forts elsewhere in Britain
glass formerly in the Royal Scottish Museum (but not from around AD70 until the 4th century (contra ftn
the glass finds from Iron Age, Roman and later 82), and that in the same period glassworking sites
Scotland), is particularly welcome since little of the have become relatively frequent finds in the western
material is currently displayed in the National provinces (contra ftn 93), more than 70 now being
Museums of Scotland. known in France. In addition, No. 201 in the
catalogue is very probably an early to mid 2nd century
The work contains 507 catalogue entries and is a drinking vessel made in the north western provinces.
study of a wide variety of glass ranging in date from
the 14th century BC to 14th-15th century AD, with The text is a valuable addition to our knowledge of
strong emphasis on glass collected from the eastern this collection, nearly all of which were previously
Mediterranean region or from Rome. The largest part unpublished, but the lack of illustrations for 286 of
consists of vessels and fragments from the Roman the 586 items included in the catalogue entries (i.e.
world, but there are also smaller groups of Classical more than 48 per cent of the total) detracts seriously
and Hellenistic core-formed vessels, Hellenistic cast from the overall usefulness of the work. It is
vessels, Roman and other objects, Egyptian vessel particularly regrettable that many of the most
fragments and objects, post Roman glass and vessels important pieces have not been illustrated. Perhaps
of uncertain date. the most striking is the collection of Roman cast
fragments (Nos 52-136). These were principally
The introductory sections contain information about collected in Rome and the author describes them as a
the formation of the collections, followed by a brief rich and varied assemblage representing many of the
but wide-ranging history of ancient glassmaking up to different types of luxury glass produced in the first
the Roman period. The catalogue, which is carefully decades of the first century AD and compares them
drafted with informative descriptions, also follows the with similar collections of fragments in many of the
main developments in production in the ancient major museums in the UK and USA. In all, 95 early
world, the Roman glass being sub-divided by method Roman polychrome vessel fragments and 59 pieces
of production and by status and perceived function, from plaques and architectural elements are described,
but the core-formed pieces from Egypt and Ptolemaic but not one has been illustrated.
finds (Nos 486-94) and a group of blown vessels from
a mummy burial of Roman date (No. 456) are Another group meriting illustration is the 18th Dynasty
separated from the main sequence. Most of the core-formed glass (Nos 486-91) described as the most
illustrations are black and white photographs, with important pieces of Egyptian glass in the collection.
some line drawings and eight pages of colour The decision to illustrate (with a line drawing and
photographs. both black and white and colour photographs) only
one of the six vessels in a tomb from Hawara in Egypt
Glass News 24 July 2008 (No. 456) is a lost opportunity to publish this group in
full. There could also have been advantages to
providing illustrations for vessels such as No. 200,

14

said to come from China and discussed as either a Proceedings of the Dublin
piece traded a long distance or a local product, and the Blaschka Congress
group of vessels of uncertain date (Nos 503-7), as
someone might have recognised them. Edited by Julia D. Sigwart

Much scholarly work has gone into the compilation of The 'Dublin Blaschka Congress' was conceived to
this catalogue and the volume is attractively produced bring together the diverse disciplines joined in the
and full of good things, but the restricted number of study of scientific glass models. Leopold and Rudolf
illustrations constitutes a lost opportunity to make this Blaschka are best known for the 'Glass Flowers' of
an outstanding and influential publication. Harvard but in the nineteenth century they also
invented techniques to sculpt anatomically accurate
Jennifer Price marine invertebrates in glass. In the course of
preparing the Congress and a coordinated temporary
Catalogue of Anglo-Saxon Glass in the exhibition, much new information was uncovered
British Museum about the collections of Blaschka objects in Ireland,
including a total of nearly 800 surviving models. The
Vera I Evison history of the artists shows a clever business model
Edited by Sonia Marzinzik, with contributions that was designed to tap a niche market in the
from IC Freestone, MJ Hughes, CP Stapleton and contemporary fascination with natural history, and
improved through the course of several decades with
DR Hook input from clients and their own passion for
understanding their biological subjects. From a
British Museum Research Publication No. 167 (2008) modern perspective, a single Blaschka glass model of
184 pages, colour and B/W illustrations a marine invertebrate can embody biology, the history
ISBN 0978 0 86159 167 1. of science, craftsmanship, glass chemistry, aesthetics
ISSN 1747-3640. and art. This ability to cross interdisciplinary bridges
Price £35 is a singular strength of the Blaschka works, and is
evident in the published proceedings of the Congress.
This definitive book on Anglo-Saxon glass by major
scholars in the field is the first monograph to be For more information visit the website at:
published on the subject. It focuses not only on the www.ucd.ie/blaschka/registrationandprogramme.html
British Museum collection but provides a detailed
discussion of the various types of early Anglo-Saxon Historical Biology Volume 20 Issue 1 (2008)
glass (vessels, plus gems, beads and window glass), ISSN: 1029-2381 (online) or 0891-2963 (print)
placing it in its English context, but also drawing Publisher: Taylor & Francis
widely on Continental and Scandinavian early Price: £15
medieval glass. This is complemented by new E-mail: [email protected]
scientific and technological research on early- Or write to: Taylor and Francis Customer Services,
medieval glass making in England, on the Continent T and F Informa UK Ltd, Sheepen Place,
and in the Mediterranean. The illustrated catalogue Colchester, Essex. CO3 3LP.
also provides information on provenances, collectors
and excavators, plus distribution maps and a gazetteer
of Anglo-Saxon glass.

Available from:
Customer Services, The British Museum Press,
46 Bloomsbury Street, London WC1B 3QQ.

Tel: 020 7637 1292 or freephone 0800 0850 864.
E-mail: [email protected].

(Review in the next issue of Glass News).

Glass News 24 July 2008 15

Continental and Mediterranean The Glass from the Gnalić Wreck
Imports to Atlantic Britain and Ireland,
Irene Lazar and Hugh Willmott
AD 400-800
With contributions by
Ewan Campbell Smiljan Gluščević and Caroline Jackson

From the 5th to 8th centuries AD there was a This book is the result of an Anglo-Slovene
flourishing trade network linking the Atlantic coasts collaborative project to study the glass cargo from the
of Britain and Ireland to the Mediterranean and north- Gnalić Wreck. The ship, probably a Venetian galley,
west Europe, importing pottery and glass as well as had sunk a few miles south of Biograd, Croatia, in the
new ideas from these areas. This comprehensive last decades of the 16th century. First discovered in
account of the imported material is linked to an online 1967, six underwater campaigns were organised to
database. retrieve material from the seabed, with the last of
these taking place in 1996. Whilst the vessel was
Around 1000 vessels from 150 sites are described, carrying a wide variety of goods, by far the largest
including fine tablewares, drinking vessels and component of its cargo consisted of glass. Over 5,500
transport containers for luxuries such as dyestuffs, items were recovered, and this is probably only a
nuts, wine and olive oil. Finds from some of the most small proportion of that originally on board. The
significant sites from this era, including Tintagel, authors outline and illustrate the range of glass goods
Dinas Powys, Whithorn and Dunadd, are discussed. found, including Italianate tablewares as well as more
The imports reveal aspects of early medieval society, ordinary drinking glasses probably manufactured in
which are otherwise dealt with sparsely in the Dalmatia. Other forms include window glass panes,
historical record, including contacts with the finished and half-made mirror plates and an intriguing
Byzantine Empire and Merovingian France. collection of glass of possible Eastern origin. The
book discusses the glass typologically, but also
Research Report 157, Council for British explores wider issues raised by the mixed cargo
Archaeology, 2007. concerning the nature of trade in the Eastern Adriatic
ISBN 978 1 902771 731, 200pp, 85 figs, 56 col plates during the 16th century.
Price: £30
Arheološki Musej Zadar & Zavičajni Muzej Biograd
Available from most booksellers and also Na Moru (Annales Mediterranea), Založba Annales,
Council for British Archaeology Koper, 2006
St Mary's House, 66 Bootham, Publisher: Univerza na Primorskem
York, YO30 7BZ Paperback: 150 pages, ISBN: 9616328425

Tel: 01904 671417. Fax: 01904 671384 Price: 28 Euros plus shipping.
Available from: [email protected]

Please send your contributions
for Glass News No. 25

by 28th November 2008

to either of the editors:

Juanita Navarro Sarah Paynter
Ceramics and Glass Conservation Fort Cumberland
Fort Cumberland Road
Victoria and Albert Museum Eastney, Portsmouth PO4 9LD
Cromwell Road, London SW7 2RL

[email protected] [email protected]

Glass News 24 July 2008 16

Glass THE ASSOCIATION FOR THE
News HISTORY OF GLASS

Board of Management

President: Caroline Jackson
Hon Secretary: Sandy Davison
Hon Treasurer: Jim Smedley

Members of Board

Number 25 January 2009 Denise Allen Aileen Dawson Julia Poole
Justine Bayley Sarah Jennings Jennifer Price
Published by David Martlew St John Simpson
Colin Brain Martine Newby Angela Wardle
THE ASSOCIATION FOR THE HISTORY OF GLASS LIMITED John Clark Sarah Paynter
David Crossley
Reg’d Charity: 275236 ISSN 1362-5195

Registered Office: The recent AGM saw a number of changes. Rachel
c/o The Society of Antiquaries of London Russell stood down, after 8 years on the AHG board.
During that time she was an active member of the
Burlington House, Piccadilly, board, and was part of the committee who planned
London W1V 0HS, United Kingdom and organised the very successful 16th AIHV congress
in London in 2003, Rachel taking on the very
Company Registration Number 1348828 dynamic and vital role of fundraising for the congress.
Needless to say the congress was extremely well
www.historyofglass.org.uk supported because of Rachel’s hard work.

IN THIS ISSUE Juanita Navarro, co-editor and sometimes sole editor
of Glass News, and board member for the last 7 years,
Page 1 - Board members and changes also stood down at the AGM. Juanita has put a great
deal of effort into the production of Glass News,
Page 2 - AHG Spring and Autumn Study Days particularly in seeking out contributions and then
following them up. She brought many wonderful
Page 3 - Forum: Conservation and Restoration of qualities to the role, including her sense of humour,
Stained Glass Windows patience and organisational skills. The board would
-18th International Congress like to thank her for all her hard work on GN. For the
time being, Sarah will be editing GN solo; Juanita's
- Applying for AHG Grants shoes will be hard to fill.

Page 4 - 2009 SGT Annual Conference Suzanne Higgott (neé Gaynor) also stood down at the
AGM, after serving on the board for 24 years. During
- AFAV Annual Meeting 2009 her time on the board, Suzanne took on the very time
consuming, and instrumental, role as Secretary of the
- Verre et Histoire: forthcoming events Association from 1984–1990.

- Roman Glass: Exhibition and There were also some additions to the board and AHG
Experimental Archaeology would like to extend a warm welcome to Jim
Smedley, who joined the board as Treasurer at the
Page 5 - AHG Grant Reports AGM, taking over the role from Andrew Shortland.
Jim is based at the University of Sheffield and has a
Page 6 - Leverhulme International Network on wealth of experience in the technology of both
Byzantine Glass Mosaic Tesserae modern and ancient glasses, as well as the

Page 7 - BSMGP Conference review 1

Page 8 - SGT Annual Conference 2008: review

Page 10 - AHG Autumn Study Day 2008: Review

Page 11 - AHG – 30 years on

Page 13 - Norwich Castle Museum and Art Gallery

Page 14 - Roman Glassmakers Tuition

- Obituary: Paddy Baker

Page 15 - Obituary: Ralph Pinder-Wilson

Page 16 - Book and publications

Page 19 - Websites

Page 20 -Editors’ details

Glass News 25 January 2009

practicalities of managing university resources. AHG Autumn Study Day 2009

There have also been some recent changes to the Announcement
website, which we hope will make it easy to navigate.
Please do visit the website at: ‘INTERPRETING FINDS FROM GLASSHOUSE
<http://www.historyofglass.org.uk> and let us know EXCAVATIONS’
your thoughts – the website is there to serve you.
Please send copy for the website to Caroline Jackson 09:30 to 16:30 on Saturday 7 November 2009
[[email protected]] or Sandy Davison
[[email protected]]. The AHG Autumn study and AGM will be held at the
London Archaeological Archive and Research Centre
AHG Spring Study Day 2009 (LAARC) based at Mortimer Wheeler House in
Hackney. This study day will have a large practical
Friday 20 March component, with the opportunity to handle
The Wallace Collection, London glassworking finds, ranging from Roman to 17th
century in date, as well as introductory presentations
‘RECENT ARCHAEOLOGICAL RESEARCH INTO THE on glassworking structures, materials, tools and
MANUFACTURE OF GLASS - OF ALL PERIODS’ practices for each period.

The programme will comprise papers on recent More details will follow in the next issue of Glass
excavations, and work on finds and residues. These News.
will include coverage of work on finds from Roman
sites in London, of excavations on glass-works sites in Forum:
Birmingham, Bristol, Castleford and Manchester, and
on finds from glass-works excavations in Dublin. Conservation and Restoration
There will be a contribution on the new programme of of Stained Glass Windows
fieldwork on the glass-furnace sites of the
Weald. Further contributions will be added, to 1-3 June 2009
ensure an up-to-the-minute coverage of current work. New York

If you would like to attend, please send your full The next Forum for the Conservation and Restoration
contact details and a cheque for £25.00 (non of Stained-Glass Windows is being held under the
members), £20 (AHG members), or £10.00 (students - auspices of the American Corpus Vitrearum and the
proof required) payable to The Association for the International Committee of the Corpus Vitrearum for
History of Glass Ltd to: the Conservation of Stained Glass. The theme of the
Forum will be "The Art of Collaboration: Stained
Sandra Davison (Hon. Sec) 68, Glass Conservation in the Twenty-First Century".
East Street,
Thame, There will be two days of oral presentations and
Oxon OX9 3JS. poster sessions at The Metropolitan Museum of Art.
The third day will be spent viewing stained glass in
Receipt sent by email or with an SAE. Participants five Manhattan churches in the company of local
who normally live outside the UK may pay upon experts. The conference will end with a reception at
arrival at the venue in UK sterling). the National Arts Club, a landmark building which
also contains significant installations of stained glass.
Email: [[email protected]]
Papers may be offered in English, French or German
and will be published in the original language.
Simultaneous translation will be provided at the
conference. A preliminary list of presentations and
other information about the conference is available at

Glass News 25 January 2009 2

www.forum2009ny.org. This site will be updated as Participation fees are as follows:
more information becomes available. AIHV member until June 1st 2009 €260, after June
1st 2009 €290
Texts of the oral presentations and summaries of the Non-member until June 1st 2009 €300, after June 1st
poster presentations will be published by Brepols 2009 €330
Publishers in cooperation with the American Corpus Non-members from low-wage countries until June 1st
Vitrearum. Preprints will be available at the Forum 2009 €130, after June 1st 2009 €150
and afterwards will be sold by Brepols. Students until June 1st 2009 €130, after June 1st
2009 €150
AIHV Triennial Meeting Accompanying person until June 1st 2009 €130, after
June 1st 2009 €150
18th International Congress
Financial support
21-25 September, 2009 AIHV will consider the possibility of bursaries for
Thessaloniki, Greece members from low-wage countries, or students. If you
wish to apply for financial support, please contact the
The 18th Congress of the Association Internationale Secretariat of AIHV before Feb 2009. The bursaries
pour l’Histoire du Verre (AIHV) will take place in will be awarded, on the basis of need and merit, to
Thessaloniki, the largest city of Northern Greece. It members whose papers have been accepted, and who
will be organized by the Hellenic Committee of the will attend and submit their papers for publication.
AIHV and the Hellenic Ministry of Culture - [Please note grants are also available from AHG. For
Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki. Special more information see opposite or the website
attention will be given to Greek glass from prehistory www.historyofglass.org.uk]
through to the Byzantine period. All submissions
approved by the Academic Committee will be Information
included in the programme (either as oral The main source of information about the congress
contributions or as posters) and will eventually be will be our website <www.aghv.gr>, which is
published in the congress proceedings. currently under construction.

There will be a full program of lectures and two All enquiries must be addressed to the official
poster sessions (on the Tuesday and Thursday), plus congress secretariat:
opportunities to visit museums both in Thessaloniki SYMVOLI Conference & Event Organizers,
and elsewhere in Northern Greece. The city visits will [[email protected]]
take place all day on Wednesday and there will be Enquiries concerning scientific issues must be
optional post-congress trips on Saturday and Sunday addressed to:
following the conference. During museum visits, Dr Despina Ignatiadou [[email protected]], or
material from reserve collections will be presented. Dr Anastassios [Antonaras [email protected]]
The Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki is also
planning to present a major exhibition, on the art and AHG Grants
archaeology of glass in Northern Greece. The three
one-day post-congress trips offered include important Grants are also available from the Association for the
museums and sites that present particular interest to History of Glass, for educational or research activities
glass specialists. Participants may take part in more consistent with the Association’s charitable aims.
than one trip. More details can be found at the These aims include, for example, attendance at a
website: <http://www.aihv.org/> conference to present a lecture or poster, a study visit,
fieldwork or publication of scholarly works. There are
Congress fees no restrictions on who may apply or on the topics of
Members of the AIHV are entitled to a reduced applications, which will be judged on merit. Multiple
congress fee and to one copy of the applications in different years will be considered with
proceedings. Information on how to become a individual awards up to £500. See also the AGH
member is available from <http://www.aihv.org/> website for details (www.historyofglass.org.uk).

Glass News 25 January 2009 Applications for a bursary application form should be

3

made to Sandy Davison, AHG Hon Secretary, history of glass. The association is organising several
68 East Street, Thame, Oxfordshire OX9 3JS events for 2009. Further details can be found on their
Email: [[email protected]] website at: <http://www.verre-histoire.org/>

Society of Glass Technology January / February 2009: Pierre Chareau’s House of
glass, presented by Anne-Laure Carré
Annual Conference 2009
26-28 March 2009: 2nd International colloquium,
16-18 September 2009 Glassworking Innovations, Nancy, Musée des Beaux-
University of Lancaster Arts, organised by Corine Maitte

Abstract submission is now open for the Society of 27 May 2009: Blois, visit to the Centre d’archives of
Glass Technology’s Annual Conference 2009. Friday the Cie de Saint-Gobain by Didier Bondue, and also
the 18th September will be devoted to the History and stained glass in the city.
Heritage of Glass. Glass Science sessions will be held
on Wednesday 16th (pm) and all day Thursday 17th. Autumn 2009: 3rd study day, The glassworking
Wednesday 16th will be dedicated to Glass families, organised by Michel Philippe
Technology, with a works visit included. The New
Research Forum will also be held on Wednesday 16th Roman Glass
September.
Exhibition and Experimental
To find out more about this conference please visit the Archaeology
website at http://www.lancaster2009.sgthome.co.uk/
November 21 ’08 until May 31 ’09
Annual Meeting 2009: Provinciaal Archeologisch Museum (PAM)

Association Francaise pour Velzeke, Belgium
l’Archeologie du Verre (AFAV)
The winter exhibition called "Fragile" will take place
The24th annual meeting of the Association Française in the Provincial Archaeological Museum in Velzeke
pour l'Archéologie du Verre (AFAV) will be held on <http://www.pam-velzeke.be/> from November 21
20-21 November 2009 at Frejus, Cote d'Azur. ’08 until May 31 ’09.

For more information, see <www.afaverre.fr> or The exhibition itself offers an insight in the art and
<www.arkaeos.fr>. production of Roman glass in Western Europe. It
shows the different perspectives of Roman glass, such
Verre et Histoire: as raw materials and techniques, and the distribution
on local, regional and international scale. The display
Forthcoming events of antique Roman objects, replicas and
reconstructions includes wonderful objects from the
Verre et Histoire has the aim of facilitating exchanges museum collections in Belgium (Brussels, Tongeren,
and research involving specialists or amateurs Tienen, Morlanwelz, and others) and abroad (Vienna -
studying different aspects of glass, in order to develop the cage cup from Daruvar-, Bonn, Bavay, Nijmegen,
current understanding of glass and its past. The Leiden, Maastricht, and others). The diverse uses of
association organises conferences, debates, visits and glass are richly illustrated, going from tableware,
demonstrations on various topics concerning the window panes, burial contexts, recipients for
cosmetics to jewellery. The impact of Roman glass is
noticeable even today, as can be seen in the paintings
of the Dutch artist Henk Helmantel.

Glass News 25 January 2009 4

The museum is also organising experimental between Oxford University, Cranfield University, and
archaeology by building and using a wood fired glass the University of Leuven, in order to better
furnaces (a pot furnace and a lehr) on the premises of understand nature of glass production in the Late
the museum. These furnaces are built from local Bronze Age Near East. Previous work has
materials as loam and clay and the pot furnace demonstrated that isotopic analysis of glass can reveal
partially with original Roman tegulae fragments. Over information about the origin of the raw materials
the furnaces is built a wooden shelter reminiscent and (Brill et al., 1999; Degryse and Schneider, 2008).
based on the excavations in Hambach Germany. The These techniques have been successfully applied to
pot furnace is based on the excavated example at the analysis of Near Eastern glass from later Roman,
Cesson-Sevigne (France). The furnaces are built by Byzantine, and Islamic periods (Freestone et al.,
François van den Dries and Robert van Zijll de Jong, 2003; Henderson et al., 2005; Leslie et al., 2006), but
using techniques from Roman times. Mark Taylor and few isotope results have come from Late Bronze Age
David Hill, "The Roman Glassmakers" glasses. Previous chemical analysis has established
<http://www.romanglassmakers.co.uk/>, will be that most Late Bronze Age glasses in the Near East
blowing glass live during the opening and closing used plant ash as a source of alkali flux, with the
weekends of the exhibition (21-23 November 2008 possible addition of lime as a separate component
and 30-31 May 2009). (Shortland and Eremin, 2006). Other work
demonstrated that Egyptian glasses and
Kathy Sas and Francois van den Dries Mesopotamian glasses are generally distinguishable
based on their trace element compositions, with
Reproduction glassworking furnace at PAM. considerable overlap between sites in the same region
(Shortland et al., 2007).
AHG Grants:
The isotope analysis undertaken in Belgium adds
News and Reports another layer to this discussion. Egyptian and
Mesopotamian glasses have distinct strontium
Two reports on recent work supported by AHG grants isotopic signatures, but share similar neodymium
have been received. ratios. Furthermore, the neodymium isotope
composition of the single Tell Brak sample differs
Nathaniel L. Erb-Satullo dramatically from the signature of the Nuzi glass
University of Oxford samples. Since neodymium isotopes have only
recently been applied to archaeological glasses
ISOTOPIC ANALYSIS OF LATE BRONZE AGE GLASS (Degryse and Schneider, 2008), these results
FROM THE NEAR EAST demonstrate the usefulness of developing an
additional isotopic system for further discriminating
From June 11 to 18, I travelled to the University of power. Identifying different glass isotope signatures
Leuven in Belgium in order to learn about the within Mesopotamia also has important ramifications
practical and methodological aspects of glass isotope for the economic organization of the Mitanni
measurements with Dr. Patrick Degryse. This Kingdom, which controlled much of Syria and
research visit formed part of a larger collaboration Northern Mesopotamia during this period. An
ongoing chemical and mineralogical study of Nuzi
Glass News 25 January 2009 fineware ceramics, some of which mimic glass vessel
hapes, will also contribute to our understanding of this
less-studied Bronze Age regional power.

Funds from the AHG permitted me to visit the clean
labs and MC-ICP-MS facilities used for the heavy
isotope measurements, giving me a much greater
understanding of the practical side of glass analysis.
Outside of the lab, I had the opportunity to discuss the
measurement process with Dr. Degryse, and he gave
me access to unpublished resources not available at
Oxford. Lastly, I had the opportunity to sit in on a
PhD defense on ICP-MS measurements of
archaeological materials. As a whole, the trip to

5

Belgium provided a valuable learning experience as We have edited the footage of the 2005 project into
well as helping to establish an important connection seven short films, which chronicle building and
with one of the experts in the field of glass analysis. I running the furnaces, and glassblowing. These films
am deeply appreciative of the financial assistance still need a final edit, the addition of narration, and
provided by the Association for the History of Glass compilation into a DVD. The footage of the 2006
for this trip. project has already undergone rough editing and
division into a further eight short films. We hope that
References the final films will stand in their own right as a record
of the projects, as well as illustrating the article by us
Brill, R. et al. (1999). Oxygen isotope analyses of (funded by English Heritage) and the related article
early glasses. In Brill, R., Chemical Analyses of Early by Sarah Paynter (of English Heritage), both in
Glasses, vol. I, pages 303-322. New York: Corning volume 50 (2008) of the Journal of Glass Studies.
Museum of Glass.
Degryse, P., and Schneider, J. (2008). Pliny the Elder Other work:
and Sr-Nd isotopes: tracing provenance of raw
materials for Roman glass production. Journal of During 2008 we have been involved (in a small way)
Archaeological Science, 35: 1993-2000. with core formed glass working and with late Roman
Freestone, I.C. et al. (2003). Strontium isotopes in the gold glass vessels. In both cases, we have been
investigation of early glass production: Byzantine and concerned with production techniques, following the
early Islamic glass from the Near East. Archaeometry, study of original vessels, and in trying to reproduce
45(1): 19-32. these vessels. In particular, this has led to a great deal
Henderson, J. et al. (2005). The use of oxygen of thought and experiment in the design of a suitable
strontium and lead isotopes to provenance ancient core forming furnace. In November, to mark the
glasses in the Middle East. Journal of Archaeological opening of an exhibition of Roman glass at the
Science, 32: 665-673. Provincial Archeologisch Museum (PAM), in
Leslie, K.A. et al. (2006). The provenance and Velzeke, Belgium, we spent several days blowing
technology of Near Eastern glass: oxygen isotopes by glass at a wood-fired furnace built at that museum to
laser fluorination as a complement to strontium. our design. We are booked to return at the end of May
Archaeometry, 48(2): 253-270. 2009, and hope that one or two other glassblowers
Shortland, A.J., and Eremin, K. (2006). The analysis will be persuaded to join us (see previous page). We
of second millennium glass from Egypt and hope to put information and photographs on our
Mesopotamia, part 1: new WDS analyses. website before May.
Archaeometry, 48(4): 581-603.
Shortland, A.J. et al. (2007). Trace element Mark Taylor and David Hill
discriminants between Egyptian and Mesopotamian
Late Bronze Age glasses. Journal of Archaeological Byzantine Glass Mosaic
Science, 34: 781-789. Tesserae

The Roman Glassmakers Leverhulme International Network
UPDATE ON ROMAN FURNACE PROJECT FILMS
Thanks to Bente Bjornholt for the following news
Following the awards made to us by the AHG, from the Leverhulme International Network on the
Andante Travels and SE Validation Ltd., we have Composition of Byzantine Glass Mosaic Tesserae
been able to devote two months to editing the large (directed by Prof Liz James and housed at the Centre
amount of DV footage and photographs taken during for Byzantine Cultural History at the University of
the wood-fired furnace projects of 2005 and 2006 Sussex).
(also see Glass News issues 18 and 20). We have
found that non-linear editing is time-consuming, and The Network had its second workshop in Venice and
we have undergone a steep learning curve, realising Ravenna 8-13 June 2008. The Network members
that we had underestimated the amount of time that were joined by several international and local mosaic
we need to complete the films! We will put aside experts to explore issues around the production
several more weeks for editing, which we hope to do
in late 2008 and early 2009. 6

Glass News 25 January 2009