Lampworking

This is an ancient second-stage working technique, used as early as the Renaissance in Venice and then improved from the 17th century on.

A furnace-stretched glass rod is used by the lamp craftsman as semi-worked. He softens the rod with the heat from a horizontal flame fuelled by methane gas and air or methane gas and oxygen and shapes it with the help of small tools, even in the shape of people or animals.

The beads are made by softening a glass rod and wrapping it around a thin rod pierced with copper, then decorating it in various ways. The metal rod is then removed using an acid bath. At times an iron rod covered with refractory material is used, which is then taken out when cold. This applies only to opaque beads.

The gas/air mixture produces more delicate decorations on the beads because of the lower temperature. The gas/oxygen mixture guarantees greater shininess of the glass.