Lampworking has been done all over the world and the reason that it is actually called “lamp working” is because it used to be done with the flame of an oil lamp! Now that we have more modern technology, lamp workers use torches fueled with either propane or butane. The earliest form of lamp work is dated back to Ancient Syria in the first century B.C. One of the most famous places known for it’s glass work that might catch your attention is Murano, Italy. The technique in which they constructed their lamp work bead was long kept a secret.
Dale Chihuly’s Work
The glass that most lamp workers use today, borosilicate, was developed in the late 1800’s by a German glassmaker named Otto Schott. He termed the glass as “Duran.” Later, Corning Glass Works, in 1915, sold the borosilicate glass under that common trademark name we know today as “Pyrex” glass. Finally, in 1986, only a mere 20 years ago, Paul Trautman, started Northstar Glassworks which produced colored borosilicate, something that had NEVER been done before. This colored glass was used for bead making and all types of jewelry.
Bob Snodgrass
One of the biggest revolutions in the glass industry was that of Mr. Bob Snodgrass. In the 1990’s, the man developed the technique of creating glass with metal fuming. By doing this process, the metal heats and allows it to fume into the glass, and creates beautiful colors with metallic strains achieving the “astonished” look you desire from your viewer.
Bob Snodgrass in his Studio
So to finish this history lesson, and to top it off with a happy ending –
In 2000, Henry Grimmett, a former employee of Northstar Glassworks, founded a business known as Glass Alchemy just as Paul Trautman sold Northstar Glassworks. Within a few years, Trautman founded Trautman Art Glass. Now there were 3 accomplished companies producing multicolored borosilicate glass – Trautman Art Glass, Glass Alchemy, and Northstar Glassworks. A whole new palette of colored borosilicate glass had been developed within a short period of time, and soon American artists were utilizing lamp working as a functional art.