Beautiful pieces of glass artwork; that is what you can call hand blown glass vases.
Hand blown glass vases exhibit both class and style, combining form and functionality. Glass blowing as an art form has been around for some time. Leading up to the 1960’s, we saw a decline from glass-blown objects; maybe it was quality of work or simply a change in decorating tastes. In any event, but since has made a resounding comeback.
We can thank the Toledo Museum of Art for helping glass blow artwork to come back into popularity in the 1960’s. At about the same time, the well-renowned artist, Dale Chihuly, started experimenting with glass as again, a form of artwork. From there, many new artists saw glass blowing as the art form to become recognized for and thus, became the fastest growing segment of artwork in North America.
From a waste heap in Syria, evidence was found that suggests glass blowing has been around since possibly, first century BCE. Though the objects have been created for centuries, it was not deemed a craft until about 500 years ago, during the medieval period. The craft was first mastered, or identified, in Venice; on the Island of Murano, artisians learned how to make the quality that is expected today. This became so specialized, that the government did not allow the people of the island to even leave port. In return for their dedication and brilliant craftsmanship, they were given nobility titles.
During this period, we also saw an interest level of glass vases as a craft by those living in Germany and in Holland. Rather than a focus on blowing the glass, they became master artists in engraving the glass objects. This style of glass blowing and engraving changed little up until the twentieth century.
You can find quality hand blown artwork in numerous styles, shapes, and colors. From deep blue cobalt glass, to green glasses, swirled and painted glass as glass vases, table centerpieces, glass fish, wine glasses, bowls, glassware, and ornaments. There is a real difference between the glass blown by artists and that of machine-blown pieces, so make certain to check exactly what you are getting. Let us now review this form of art a bit closer.
Glass-blown objects can be like having expensive jewels. Since good glass objects are hand blown, they are already original and when an object becomes at least one hundred years old, it can become an antique. So just hands-on to grandma’s glass vases…you never know what they may be worth down the road.