Lacy glass - the earliest form of pressed glass in USA
Until about 1825, two basic methods of glass production were in general use. Both of
these methods originated in ancient Rome and the Middle East, and had been in use for
centuries. The most common way of making glass was hand blowing, individual objects
were created, one by one by a skilled craftsman using a blowpipe to manipulate heated
glass.
A more sophisticated method of production was mould blowing. Using this method, glass
was partially or entirely blown in a mould, which created the shape and the surface
design of the glass object. The moulds usually were made of iron or brass and often
consisted of three pieces. Using this method, elaborately shaped and decorated objects
such as pitchers, decanters, tumblers, plates, bowls etc.
Some of these locales were also homes for glass factories, which began to use the more
efficient glass pressing machines developed in the late 18th century in England and
Holland. Small-scale hand pressing tools (tongs) has been used in Bohemia since mid
18th century, mostly used for chandelier pendants, inkwells and other small items.
This method probably inspired the advances in glass
technology,
which eventually led to the machine pressing
industry of glassware
developed in the United States in the 1820s.
Glass pressing of bigger items, while more efficient
than blowing or mould blowing, was a process that
caused the complete pressed object to appear cloudy
and flawed (full of small mistakes). In an attempt to
disguise these problems (to hide defects in the
surface), moulds were made with ornate designs. The
pieces they created had fine stippled backgrounds
with lace-like patterns. Similar styles of glass developed simultaneously in Europe and in
the United States have since been called “Lacy Glass” by collectors.
While the famed Boston & Sandwich Glass Company was one of the first and largest
producers of Lacy Glass, this type of glassware was also called Sandwich Glass.
Most Lacy Glass is relatively small in size and made of clear glass although bowls 12
inches in diameter and larger are known.
Articles made in New England, US often exhibit finer stippling than those made
elsewhere. Typical decorative motifs were scrolls, shells, flowers, clovers and classical
and gothic architecture – rarely seen in collared glass, but some have iridescent lustre.
Improvements in glass content and pressing techniques led to changes in design, size and
range of glass. With a high lead content, flint glass was brilliant, heavy and resonant
when struck. Public taste shifted from the elaborate designs of the Lacy Glass towards
more simple forms and design.
The Age of Lacy Glass Buttons 1860-1910
Lacy Glass buttons were mainly made in Austria and Bohemia (now Czechoslovakia),
which were the leading European glass manufacturing centre until World War II, some
were also made in France and southern Germany.
Lacy Glass buttons are named after the fine stippled pressed glass that you have just
heard about. The difference is that Lacy Glass buttons are extremely delicate and finely
detailed, relatively flat and mostly made of clear glass, - small part were made of
transparent collared glass: blue, red, soft pink, amethyst, yellow, amber and green.
Today many moulded glass buttons are called Lacy Glass, but to be a true Lacy Glass
button, it must have 2 - 3 layers of paint applied to the back, which is quite smooth. First
but not always - paint applied in matching design to the back, then a layer of metallic or
non-metallic paint often silver grey, and as protection - a coat of black paint (gold and
silver are also seen). Some buttons have additional lustre or iridescent coating.
Though the technique of making pressed Lacy Glass in metal moulds was developed in
America in the 1820’s, buttons were not made there at that time.
Lacy Glass buttons should be defined in terms of construction rather than surface
pattern, since Lacy patterns were used on other glass buttons, which are not classed as
Lacy Glass. What distinguishes Lacy buttons from others with similar patterns is the
paint applied to the back, which is to be seen through the clear or transparent glass.
Unfortunately, many Lacy Glass buttons have lost their paint, either the paint has
become fragile with age and is often flaked or zealous collectors in the early days were
eager to ascribe them to the Sandwich glass works. Therefore they are far more valuable
now with the original paint - even in fair condition.
They were made in 3 sizes, - medium being the most rare.
Small ca. 1,4 cm, Medium 2,2 - 2,7, Large ca. 3,1
Square, oval and realistic shapes are unusual and very scare.
The shanks are four-way-box shanks, two-way humped shank, self-shank or wire loop
shank.
Only colours can do justice to a Lacy Glass button. When we use the term Lacy glass
pattern or Lacy glass style - you think only of the design itself. Many of these same
moulds were used to make Lacy pattern glass buttons, - we all love the beautiful Lacy
Black Glass buttons, some with Lustre, but collared opaque glass buttons were also
made.