Term | Definition |
Ancient Glass | Generally refers to glass made before the Venetian era of glass making. |
Antique glass | A trade term for glass more than 25 years old. |
Blown glass | The shaping of glass by blowing air through a hollow rod into the center of a molten glass gather. |
Cane | Any string or rod of glass. |
Casing | Placing an additional layer of glass (usually clear or transparent) over an existing layer of another color. |
COE | Also see Coefficient of Expansion -The fractional change in length or area or volume per unit change in temperature at a given constant pressure |
Coefficient of Expansion | Also see COE -The fractional change in length or area or volume per unit change in temperature at a given constant pressure |
Cold shop | A glassworking studio that does not have furnace or glory hole (see Hot shop). |
| Cold work | Shaping glass after it has been fired and cooled. It includes carving, gringing, chiseled or otherwise shaping. |
Combing/Raking | Manipulating glass by raking a tool across the surface of molten glass. |
Enameled glass | Opaque glass colors melted onto glass surface. The colors are actually glass powders. |
Engraving | Design cut or scratched on glass with diamond point, stone, metal or copper wheel. Usually more complex and flexible than cut glass work. |
Etching | Glass surface may be etched (frosted) by using acids or sandblasting. |
Fire Polish | The reintroduction of an object into the furnace or kiln in order to smooth an irregularity. A technique used to retain a shiny surface to glass after it has been ground on a grinder or sandblasted. |
Flashing | Very thin layer of colored glass fired or vaporized on base glass. |
Frit | Ground up glass used for decorative elements. |
Gather | A ball of molten glass taken from a pot or furnace on the end of a hollow blow rod. |
Gilded | Metals, such as gold, deposited onto glass using heat. |
Glory Hole | A high-temperature chamber used for reshaping glass either on a punty rod or blow pipe. |
Hot Shop | A glassworking studio containing a furnace and glory hole--especially a glass blowing studio. |
Incalmo | Joining two or more blown sections while hot. |
Iridized glass | Glass whose surface is chemically treated to have a rainbow or iridescent appearance. |
Kiln | Insulated chamber for heating and cooling glass or ceramics. |
Kiln Casting | Fusing small pieces of glass together inside of a mold to create a 3-d work. |
Kiln-formed | Glass that is altered, fused, shaped,or textured by the heat of a kiln. |
Lamp Work | Any glass-working technique done with the direct flame of a torch; work with pre-formed glass rods and tubes. |
Leaded Glass | Stained glass window held in place by lead came. |
Lost Wax Casting | The object is modeled in wax and cased in a ceramic or plaster mold. The mold is heated and the wax flows out; powdered or molten glass is poured into the mold. |
Milliefiori | The Italian term, "thousand flowers," used to describe mosaic glass objects. |
Pate de verre | Fusing a paste made with small pieces of glass (frit) and glue inside a mold |
Punty Rod | A solid metal or glass rod used to transfer and hold glass while hot working. |
Sandblasting | Blasting high-pressure air mixed with sand against the surface of glass to frost or carve texture. |
Slump | A technique used to form glass using a mold, heat and gravity. |
Thermal Shock | Glass breakage caused by rapid or uneven heating or cooling. Occurs between room temperature and 700 degrees F. |