Beautiful glass bowls
If there's something I love, it's old glass. Often it has a completely different game than new glass. My own interest in old glass dates back to my early childhood. I remember when I visited my grandmother, she served home-made apple cake in a large beautiful crystal bowl with fine patterns. I just thought it was SO beautiful! When we had to have dinner, in the "nice" living room, the dishes were set up with the mussel paint and accompanying crystal wine glasses. Later I inherited some of the fine glasses, which I still find fascinating to look at.
When we go to flea markets, glass is always one of the things we look for. So gradually the collection gets bigger and bigger. At some point the idea arose that we should be able to use the old glasses in new ways. We therefore took a trip to the flea market and found a whole pile of mixed old glass for next to nothing. It should not be heirlooms or expensive antiques that should be used for the article. When we got home, it was all laid out on a table and then creativity was otherwise allowed to unfold. Of course, we had some ideas in advance about what we could make, but what was decisive for what things we ended up making was which glass bowls and dishes we could get our hands on.
To be able to drill holes in the glasses, you need a glass drill bit. When you start drilling holes in the bowls, you must use cooling while you drill. We used a bottle of water and slowly poured water on while we drilled. The glass may break, so be careful. We found that bowls with a pattern on the bottom are very fragile. Use cheap glass, so you won't be so upset if it breaks. In addition, you must use superglue. It can be bought in a hardware store. Before starting the project, the glass must be washed well. Always wash off old glass by hand. It is not dishwasher safe.
The set is made from a shot glass and a few ice cream cones. The parts are glued together with super glue. For the lamps, you need some CE approved sockets. Here we have made a lampshade from a large glass bowl with a flat bottom and a small metal plate. The hole here must be large enough for the cable to pass through. The other lamp is somewhat smaller and therefore without a plate. Here, the socket is mounted directly in the bottom of the bowl. In well-stocked lamp shops, you can buy various decorative sockets in different materials. If you are tired of your candlesticks, you can give them new life with old glass bowls. Here we have glued three small bowls onto a tin roof and two metal roof racks. The stands are perfect for block lights. If you use smaller bowls or salt shakers, they can be used for tealight candles or smaller block candles.
It really doesn't matter if you use new or old glass to make these things. We just think the old has more charm. But how can you tell if it is old? It can actually be hard to see. Today, many lifelike reproductions of old glass are made. But take a good look at it. You can immediately see whether the glass is cast or pressed. In that case, a collection is clearly visible. Often the old glass has a different game in the glass. It doesn't seem quite as clean as the new glass. If the bottom is ball-ground, it is a sign that the glass is old.
History:
The earliest known production of glassware took place in the eastern Mediterranean area, as far back as 4000 years before our era. Back then, a technique was used where glass was molded into shape on a fire. It was 3000 years before glassblowing was invented. In the first decade AD, glass was also produced in Europe. It took place at large glassworks. The Romans in particular were known for their glass in beautiful colours. The following several centuries it became more and more widespread in Europe.