DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.3720#0066
GLASS MOSAICS.—FALSE MDEEHIKE. 49
their richly coloured bottles with waving lines; and their small
inlaid mosaics. In these last the most delicate designs were
made; and such was the fineness of the work that it must have
required a strong magnifying power to put the parts together,
as it now does to examine them; particularly the feathers of
birds, the hair, and other intricate details. They were com-
posed of the finest threads or rods of glass (attenuated by draw-
ing them, when heated, to a great length) which, having been
selected according to their colour, were placed upright side
by side, as in an ordinary mosaic, in sufficient number to form
a portion of the intended picture. Others were then added
until the whole had been composed; and when they had all
been cemented together by a proper heat, the work was com-
pleted. Slices were then sawn off transversely, as in our
Tunbridge ware; and each section presented the same picture
on its upper and under side.
The coloured bottles were of a composition which has not
been improperly called glass-porcelain. They
are represented in the old paintings, and many
have been found in the tombs.
The colours often passed directly through
the fused substance, and that this was a recom- (w. u.)
mendation in the sale is shown by an imitation of it being
sometimes made either to content the purchaser at a lower
price, or to deceive him by appearance of reality. They
were generally in the form of bottles, cups, and small
bowls, or saucers. The difficulty of making them, and
finishing those of the finest quality, without accident, is
even alluded to by old writers; and we may readily believe the
manufacturers "often lost their labour" in applying the last
colours, and in adding the handles and other parts of those
delicate objects. They were probably the false Murrhine vases
their richly coloured bottles with waving lines; and their small
inlaid mosaics. In these last the most delicate designs were
made; and such was the fineness of the work that it must have
required a strong magnifying power to put the parts together,
as it now does to examine them; particularly the feathers of
birds, the hair, and other intricate details. They were com-
posed of the finest threads or rods of glass (attenuated by draw-
ing them, when heated, to a great length) which, having been
selected according to their colour, were placed upright side
by side, as in an ordinary mosaic, in sufficient number to form
a portion of the intended picture. Others were then added
until the whole had been composed; and when they had all
been cemented together by a proper heat, the work was com-
pleted. Slices were then sawn off transversely, as in our
Tunbridge ware; and each section presented the same picture
on its upper and under side.
The coloured bottles were of a composition which has not
been improperly called glass-porcelain. They
are represented in the old paintings, and many
have been found in the tombs.
The colours often passed directly through
the fused substance, and that this was a recom- (w. u.)
mendation in the sale is shown by an imitation of it being
sometimes made either to content the purchaser at a lower
price, or to deceive him by appearance of reality. They
were generally in the form of bottles, cups, and small
bowls, or saucers. The difficulty of making them, and
finishing those of the finest quality, without accident, is
even alluded to by old writers; and we may readily believe the
manufacturers "often lost their labour" in applying the last
colours, and in adding the handles and other parts of those
delicate objects. They were probably the false Murrhine vases