Studio: international art (14.1898)

Tiffany Glass

favrile glass vase

DESIGNED AND EXECUTED BY LOUIa

TIFFANY

change in the same piece.
Clear glass merges im-
perceptibly into dense,
crinkled turns suddenly
into veiled. Texture can
be modified in several
ways by shaking, rolling,
etc. When the glass is
to be used for panelling,
a soft patina may be ob-
tained by etching, giving
an exquisite pearly film
in transmitted light. It
is impossible to sup-
press the feeling that
there is no need for
elaborately designed, pic-
torial windows with a
material of this intrinsic
value. A slab of these
richly-veined, transparent
marbles, with a border
of deeper tones, or of the
discs, knobs, and jewels
that abound, make as
sumptuous and poetic
an ornamental window
as the heart of man or
woman can desire. For
quiet effect there are the
cool-clouded, speckled,
and mottled greens that
are so American, sug-
gestive now of certain

somewhat too smooth and perfect for beauty, yet
full of unimaginable splendours of colour. (rl he
principle is the same throughout: two or more
colours are blended, with or without opaline quality
added.) Part of the enjoyment lies in the surprises
awaiting one when the glass is held up to the light.
A pane of dark blue and white, harsh and crude
in reflected light, becomes suddenly glorious when
seen in transmitted light, like a sunset all at once
illumining the sky in this land of brilliant effects;
the light playing richly, as through clouds and haze,
with the varying density and textures of the glass.
Other pieces suggest priceless onyx or lovely
marbles, when seen in reflected light, shot through
with throbbing colour when held up to the win-
dow. These are instances taken at random from
an almost endless varied scale of effects. Nor
does there seem to be any limit to the ease with
which the nature of the glass can be made to

mosses, now of the clear
crests of waves on the seashore, but always rich in
glassy quality.

But real lovers of glass would, of course, choose
their pane from hand-made glass, with its bubbles
and imperfections, its rich creamy surface, its vary-
ing grain and thickness, according to the accidents
of the throwing. This is made in the old way by
throwing the hot glass out of the ladle on to the
table. The panes, or sheets, are therefore an
irregular oval in shape. All that has been said above
about colours and blends holds good of the hand-
made glass—only more so. As many as seven
different colours out of different ladles or spoons
have been thrown together in this way. Interesting
here as elsewhere are the evidences of the daunt-
less experimental spirit: the failures, where the
glass has refused to blend and cracked under
coercion. The throwing of certain masses and
colours can be regulated, of course, and a definite

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