Viking Glass Company

The history traced back to the Egyptians, born in fire and made of the earth itself. Glass is a product we take for granted in our daily lives, this crystal clear mystery, so fragile and yet so durable. Glassmaking is the oldest industry in America, having its start in the Jamestown colony of Virginia in the early 1600s. Today it is made in a manner that defies modern technology. How is this beautiful material created? Well here is the story of glassmaking at one present day company, Dalzel Viking of New Martinsville, West Virginia, a company with its own history in the glass industry dating back to 1884. In the beginning there is the creative idea, the inspiration of the designer or design team. Many ideas are used to create the final design. First there is the technical drawing which is turned into a plaster model, a three dimensional representation of the artist's rendering. When the design is approved, the model is tooled to precise measurements. This becomes the model master from which a mold is made. The mold itself is usually made of cast iron. The mold maker tools the rough iron into a smooth finish. It is highly polished to create a flawless surface for the glass to adhere to. The mold is the basic form which shapes the molten glass. Hot glass is pressed into the cast iron form. When this form is removed, the glass has its basic shape. It is then re-warmed and carefully finished. But what is glass actually? What is it made of? The recipe for making glass has been carefully devised. Natural elements are measured by weight. It begins with fine silica sand and alkali is added. Sometimes this is soda ash. And finally, a n Elements such as potassi For ruby glass, seleni The last ingredient is collet, broken pieces of glass from previous production, which is added for color control and to help the melting process. Meanwhile, in the furnace area, other preparations are being made. Inside this six-pot furnace, each individual pot must be in perfect condition. A worn pot can cause poor glass quality. Sometimes a pot will crack, leaking hot glass onto the furnace floor. Periodically, the pot is replaced. This task is difficult and very hot. But nevertheless, it's a routine job for the glass workers. The new pot must be slowly warmed in a special oven called the Pot Arch, to about 2200 degrees Fahrenheit. When it is ready, it is placed into the waiting furnace. There, it is brought up to a temperature of 2500 degrees Fahrenheit. When all the preparations are completed, the craft of glass making begins. The batch of glass has been melting in the furnace for at least 28 hours. The gatherer then places his gathering rod into the molten glass, with skill from many years of experience and working from sight and feel. He deftly gathers the molten, almost liquid glass onto the end of his rod. The size of the gather depends on the piece being made. The large item being demonstrated takes two large gathers, each being about 10 pounds. The gob of glass is placed in the mold and snipped with shears at just the right time. The presser then pulls the plunger down into the mold, forcing the glass to fill in the mold and giving the glass its basic shape. Each piece is made by a shop of workers with a special job to perform. The shop'size varies from 4 to 10 people, depending on the item being made. This large vase takes a 10 man shop. The pressed piece of glass is carried over to another section of the shop, where it is warmed in, in a furnace called the Glory Hole. Here it is re-soffened for finishing and given a fire polish for a permanent luster of sparkling brilliance. The warm-in worker swings his vase from the end of his snap, as the warming in rod is called. As the glass cools, it stretches downward, elongating as it is swung. This glass and the snap together weigh about 25 pounds. This worker hands the piece to a finisher, a skilled craftsman who shapes it by hand with wooden or carbon tools to create the final form, bending or flattening the glass, all in a matter of seconds. The finished piece is carried to the lear, where it anneals for 2 to 3 hours to prevent shattering, relieve strain, and to strengthen the glass. At the end of the lear, the glass is selected, carefully checked for shape, color, and quality. Other items of hand-pressed glass are made in the same manner, with slight variations in the mold shape, timing, and finishing. There are many ways to finish and work with the glass. Some pieces are hand-painted with 18 carat gold. Others, such as engraver's items, go through a five-step polishing process. First, a carburent Then, gradually, the piece is refined, with each step using a finer abrasive. The final wheel is of felt, with a fine polishing agent called rouge, almost a powder. The result is a very clear finish, free of flaws and ready for the engraver. Many items go through these steps. Other decorative finishes include sandblasting. These bowls have been coated with wax. A high-power water spray cures the mask. Now, the piece is ready to be sandblasted, which is actually done with fine al Fine detail can be etched on the glass in this manner. From fire to ice. From ideas to reality. Hand-made glass requires the skill of many. The craftsmen use their eyes, their hands, and a certain sixth sense to produce an American tradition.