Lacy glass - the earliest form of pressed glass in USA



Lacy glass - the earliest form of pressed glass in USA

Until about 1825, two basic methods of glass production were in general use. Both of these methods originated in ancient Rome and the Middle East, and had been in use for centuries. The most common way of making glass was hand blowing, individual objects were created, one by one by a skilled craftsman using a blowpipe to manipulate heated glass.

A more sophisticated method of production was mould blowing. Using this method, glass was partially or entirely blown in a mould, which created the shape and the surface design of the glass object. The moulds usually were made of iron or brass and often consisted of three pieces. Using this method, elaborately shaped and decorated objects such as pitchers, decanters, tumblers, plates, bowls etc.

Some of these locales were also homes for glass factories, which began to use the more efficient glass pressing machines developed in the late 18th century in England and Holland. Small-scale hand pressing tools (tongs) has been used in Bohemia since mid 18th century, mostly used for chandelier pendants, inkwells and other small items.

This method probably inspired the advances in glass technology,

which eventually led to the machine pressing industry of glassware

developed in the United States in the 1820s.

Glass pressing of bigger items, while more efficient than blowing or mould blowing, was a process that caused the complete pressed object to appear cloudy and flawed (full of small mistakes). In an attempt to disguise these problems (to hide defects in the surface), moulds were made with ornate designs. The pieces they created had fine stippled backgrounds with lace-like patterns. Similar styles of glass developed simultaneously in Europe and in the United States have since been called “Lacy Glass” by collectors.

While the famed Boston & Sandwich Glass Company was one of the first and largest producers of Lacy Glass, this type of glassware was also called Sandwich Glass.

Most Lacy Glass is relatively small in size and made of clear glass although bowls 12 inches in diameter and larger are known.

Articles made in New England, US often exhibit finer stippling than those made elsewhere. Typical decorative motifs were scrolls, shells, flowers, clovers and classical and gothic architecture – rarely seen in collared glass, but some have iridescent lustre.

Improvements in glass content and pressing techniques led to changes in design, size and range of glass. With a high lead content, flint glass was brilliant, heavy and resonant when struck. Public taste shifted from the elaborate designs of the Lacy Glass towards more simple forms and design.

The Age of Lacy Glass Buttons 1860-1910

Lacy Glass buttons were mainly made in Austria and Bohemia (now Czechoslovakia), which were the leading European glass manufacturing centre until World War II, some were also made in France and southern Germany.

Lacy Glass buttons are named after the fine stippled pressed glass that you have just heard about. The difference is that Lacy Glass buttons are extremely delicate and finely detailed, relatively flat and mostly made of clear glass, - small part were made of transparent collared glass: blue, red, soft pink, amethyst, yellow, amber and green. Today many moulded glass buttons are called Lacy Glass, but to be a true Lacy Glass button, it must have 2 - 3 layers of paint applied to the back, which is quite smooth. First but not always - paint applied in matching design to the back, then a layer of metallic or non-metallic paint often silver grey, and as protection - a coat of black paint (gold and silver are also seen). Some buttons have additional lustre or iridescent coating.

Though the technique of making pressed Lacy Glass in metal moulds was developed in America in the 1820’s, buttons were not made there at that time.

Lacy Glass buttons should be defined in terms of construction rather than surface pattern, since Lacy patterns were used on other glass buttons, which are not classed as Lacy Glass. What distinguishes Lacy buttons from others with similar patterns is the paint applied to the back, which is to be seen through the clear or transparent glass. Unfortunately, many Lacy Glass buttons have lost their paint, either the paint has become fragile with age and is often flaked or zealous collectors in the early days were eager to ascribe them to the Sandwich glass works. Therefore they are far more valuable now with the original paint - even in fair condition.

They were made in 3 sizes, - medium being the most rare.

Small ca. 1,4 cm, Medium 2,2 - 2,7, Large ca. 3,1

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Square, oval and realistic shapes are unusual and very scare.

The shanks are four-way-box shanks, two-way humped shank, self-shank or wire loop shank.

Only colours can do justice to a Lacy Glass button. When we use the term Lacy glass pattern or Lacy glass style - you think only of the design itself. Many of these same moulds were used to make Lacy pattern glass buttons, - we all love the beautiful Lacy Black Glass buttons, some with Lustre, but collared opaque glass buttons were also made.

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