A potted history of some of the greatest art glass makers from right across the globe. From Roman right up to 21-century artists.
The Passionate Artist: How Emile Galle Glass Art Reshaped An Industry Collectors today have so many antique art glass styles to choose from that it’s easy to forget how contemporary the concept of ‘art glass’ really is. Yet a brief look through the types of glass popular with collectors today—such as vaseline glass, depression glass, and carnival glass—reveals […]
Galle Glass Continue Reading »
The Italian island of Murano is renowned for its historic glass factories, which have prospered in the face of events including World War 2 and the more recent economic downturn. The island is home to iconic and highly reputable brands including Venini, De Biasi and Salviati to name but a few. The glass manufacturers of
Italian Glass Art Continue Reading »
From Venice To Fenton Art Glass: The History Of Milk Glass In the world of art glass, much is said about the appeal of whirls of colour and shimmering iridescence; from the many-faceted delights of millefiori to the distracting gasoline glimmer of carnival glass, both collectors and glassmakers have drawn centuries of enjoyment from the
Fenton Art Glass: The History of Milk Glass Continue Reading »
How Early Man Used, Traded, and Manufactured Glass Part 1: Origins For centuries, it was believed that our love of glass—like so much of what we enjoy and take for granted today—probably began in ancient Rome. This assumption was largely based upon the writings of the Roman historian Pliny the Elder, who suggested that Phoenician
Black Glass: Before There Was Glassblowing Continue Reading »
Long before the artisans of Western Europe discovered how to perfect the art of glassblowing, some of the greatest glass masters in history—whose names have largely been lost—were active in ancient Rome, making everything from plain cups and jugs to intricate cameos and vases. While many of the more impressive works of Roman glass, such
Glass Masters: Roman Glass Continue Reading »
During a prior retrospective on the life and art of Canadian glass sculptor James Houston published here at Boha, the subject of Steuben glass naturally arose; namely, that the firm, once reputed to produce the clearest crystal on Earth, had closed its doors—presumably forever—in 2011. However, what appeared to be yet another sad end to
Steuben Glass – A Phoenix Rising? Continue Reading »
A few decades before the world-renowned Steuben glassworks closed its doors forever in 2011, it was dominating the world of glass art sculpture thanks to its impossibly clear, intricately detailed pieces depicting life in the far northern reaches of Canada. These glass art sculptures—which at their zenith commanded prices of nearly $20,000 U.S. dollars—were not
From Fire to Ice: James Houston’s Mesmerising Glass Art Sculptures Continue Reading »
While we have previously discussed the safety and basic history of that most enticingly eerie of fin de siecle and early 20th century glass varieties—Uranium or “Vaseline” glass—in our piece Uranium Glass: Haunting Green Beauty, there is much more that remains to be said about this unique and controversial form of art glass. The science
Coloured Glass: The Mysterious Glow of Vaseline Glass Continue Reading »
Iridescent Dreams: The Story of Louis Comfort Tiffany There is no question that in the realm of Art Nouveau glass, and within the aesthetic of Art Nouveau as a whole, Louis Comfort Tiffany is the stuff of legend. Best known for being the father of Tiffany art glass, Louis Tiffany helped to establish America as
Tiffany Art Glass Continue Reading »
Paul Ysart’s Paperweights The mark of any great artist is the ability to create pieces which capture not only the eye, but also the imagination; whatever their medium, they are able to transport the viewer off into another world, a new realm of possibilities. Out of all of the Ysart clan, Paul Ysart was likely
Art Glass Creations by Paul Ysart Continue Reading »