The image-04glass is then re-heated, placed in a mold and blown until it takes the shape of the mold. More heat is added and the final shape is set by the blower, after which water is sprinkled on the neck where the pipe is connected causing the glass to crack. This area is expertly tapped with a paddle and the glass is broken off. From here it goes to a finisher who removes the sharp edges and added any decorative accents required. Don Thornton was just finishing a bowl and came over to talk. "All this is done with frequent trips back to the furnace to keep the glass in a workable state" he explained. The glass will then be taken to a cooling area where it will take four to five hours to cool down slowly with fire being applied in reduced amounts both overhead and underneath. Should the glass be allowed to cool down too quickly, it will fall apart. Glass blowing is still an art and imperfection is everywhere as evidenced by the large bins of broken glass out back. Each bin sorted by color so that it can be added back into the fire when needed.

The story
image-02of Blenko glass began in the 12th century. During that relatively peaceful period between the dark ages of barbarism and the bloody wars of the Reformation, a measure of order and civilization had returned to Europe. the all persuasive influence of the Church played a major role in the recovery and as if in gratitude, massive cathedrals were erected as monuments of praise and worship. Workers and craftsmen for every possible trade made their contributions to that effort. and a very important part was played by the gilds of master glass-blowers who fashioned the stained glass which visually presented the great themes of Christianity. In an era when poor people could not read or write, these stained glass windows constituted a biblis pauperum, a Bible of the poor. The type of glass blown by medieval craftsmen tended to be uneven in surface and to contain seeds or bubbles and other imperfections. As years went by, more glass makers labored to remove these apparent defects. Ironically, it was the irregularities of this medieval glass that gave it its unique beauty. Glassmakers began to realized this in the last half of the 15th century and new efforts were made to produce antique glass similar in quality to the early products. This tradition of hand blowing glass in the ancient methods has been preserved for generations by the Blenko family.


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