Craftsmanship Times Two

As we open the doors of the glassblowing workshop at the Neustadt bei Coburg headquarters of INGE GLAS® in Bavaria, Germany, we are greeted by the glow of the naked flame that blazes at every glassblower’s workplace. Here, baubles, tree toppers and various other Christmas ornaments are free-blown by mouth at the burner, applying traditional craftsmanship techniques. The glassblower gazes intently at a glass tube – initially the dimensions of a drinking straw with a thickening in the middle – which glows honey-colored as it is heated over the flame. He knows exactly when the glass is at the right temperature. Then, with a steady breath, the craftsman puts the blowpipe to his lips. The air, which he blows in a slow, controlled manner, begins to shape the molten glass. The thickening initially swells into a ball – shimmering, almost weightless, which is then carefully formed into a bell shape by a process of pulling and pushing. As easy as child’s play, one might think. But every breath, every movement is a “dance” of experience and intuition. One last twist, a final check, and the craftsman cuts off the lower end of the glass tube from which the bell has been formed. The tube at the top of the bell remains intact for the time being – it will serve as a handy gripper in the subsequent production steps and is melted off only at the very end. Next, a die is carefully pressed into the hollowed-out and still malleable glass from below to form the classic bell shape. At a later stage, a clapper will be attached to the inside top to make the bell ring. Once the glass bell has been allowed to cool down, the silvering process begins. A colleague fills the transparent bell with a solution of real sterling silver before swirling it around in hot water. This causes the silver to be deposited on the inside of the glass, and the bell now shines with its characteristic brilliance. At the next workstation, colors are applied by dipping the bell in large buckets filled with gold or white paint. The transparent paint covers the silver undercoat like a soft veil – this is how the magnificent colored sheen is achieved. The excess paint is removed with a skillful whisking motion, and the bell is then left to dry. It’s a process that is all too familiar to the Wendt & Kühn craftsmen and women: our figurines are also dipped upside down in a paint bath and the excess paint is spun off.