There are two
categories of Lampwork glass;
Soft glass and Hard
glass.
Effetre (soft glass) is a soda lime based glass and
is called soft because it has a lower melting
temperature, holds heat longer, has a longer working
time when removed from the flame and is softer and
easier to manipulate. Moretti, Murano, Lausha,
Bullseye, Satake and P.I.G. are all soft glasses.
Borosilicate (hard glass) is a boron based glass and
is called hard because it has a higher melting
temperature, does not hold heat very long, has a
short working time when removed from the flame and
is stiffer than soft glass. Glass Alchemy, Northstar,
Colormax, Momka, Duran and Pyrex are all hard
glasses.
Where does Effetre glass come from?
The glasses we use are popular and widely
distributed composites known as Moretti, Lauscha and
Murano glass. Moretti and Murano are manufactured in
Venice, Italy on the island of Murano and Lauscha is
manufactured in Lauscha, Germany. Effetre Glass is
provided to lampwork artists in the shape of glass
rods. The rods are easily spun in the flame which
helps evenly distribute the heat. The Effetre
company and the island of Murano shares a long
tradition of Venetian glass manufacturing. The island
has been officially designated as an industrial
center for glass work since 1291 AD. A close
relationship between Artists, Glass Manufacturers,
and Merchants has enabled Venice to serve as a world
leader in the glass arts since the 1500's.
Many of the recipes, processes, and raw materials
used to create Effetre glass rods are closely
guarded secrets handed down over generations. The
color in beads made from Murano glass of the 16th
century is as bright today as when the beads were
made. It is nice to know the beads you see today
will be bright and clear in the future as well. A
benifit to todays artists is the freedom that years
of testing and refinement provide as more
combinations of color and style are possible than
than ever before.
Lampwork artists throughout the world continue a
great Venitian glass working tradition when they
choose soft glass.
Do glass beads really last for centuries?
Yes! Glass beads are known to last for hundreds,
even thousands of years. A remarkable characteristic
of glass is that it retains color better than almost
any other art material. The soft glass we use has
been manufactured in Murano, Italy for centuries and
is proven to hold finish, luster, and color with no
special storage requirements. Oil paintings and
antique metal works are far more fragile.
The round shape of most beads is inherently strong,
however we take an additional step to strengthen our
beads by annealing them in a kiln. The annealing
process involves reheating the bead slowly and
keeping it hot in a near molten state long enough
for any tension or stress, trapped as the bead was
formed, to self-adjust and even out. The beads are
cooled very slowly, and the annealing process takes
about 5 hours but the beads become much stronger.
The beads we offer are hand made and computer/kiln
annealed, with the intention of providing years of
satisfaction and heirloom quality. |
