Brief history of lampworked beads
Lampworking is a type of glasswork that uses a gas fueled torch to melt rods and tubes of clear and colored glass. Once in a molten state, the glass is formed by blowing and shaping with a variety of tools and hand movements. It is also known as flameworking or torchworking, as the modern practice no longer uses oil-fueled lamps. Although the art form has been practiced since ancient times, it became widely practiced in Murano, Italy in the 14th century. In the mid 19th century lampwork technique was extended to the production of paperweights, primarily in France, where it became a popular art form, still collected today.
Early lampworking was done in the flame of an oil lamp, with the artist blowing air into the flame through a pipe. Most artists today use torches that burn either propane or natural gas, or in some countries butane, for the fuel gas, with either air or pure oxygen (which can be produced by an oxygen concentrator) as the oxidizer.
In addition to beads and artwork, lampworking is used to create scientific tools, particularly for chemistry.
Italy and lampworked beads
During the Roman period, there were many centers of glass making throughout the empire. The Romans developed the method of making glass with a blowpipe, a much easier, faster, and cheaper method of making glass objects. During the Middle Ages, Celtic, Viking, and Islamic glass beads continue the history of glass, though during this time many of the processes of glass production were forgotten. With the Italian Renaissance, glass making reappeared with the center around the city-state of Venice. Glass production was moved from Venice to the island of Murano in 1292 to reduce the danger of fire and probably to allow more control over secrecy about the processes that were being used and re-discovered by Italian glassmakers. It is during this period that cane glass (millefiori) glass appeared and the wound method of glass making began to be called lampwork. Exploration of Africa and the New World led to an explosion in glass bead production and distribution of Venetian trade beads throughout these areas.
Modern lampworked beads
Lampworked beads (with the exception of Asian and African beadmaking) have generally been the provenance of Italian, and, later, Bohemian lampworkers for the last four hundred years or so who kept the techniques secret. Thirty or so years ago, some American artists started experimenting with the form. Their early efforts, by today's standards, were crude, as there was almost no documentation, and none of the modern tools. However, they shared their information, and some of them started small businesses developing tools, torches and other equipment. In recent years the hobby beadmaking industry in America has grown by leaps and bounds and now drives the global market in terms of innovative bead making.
Lampworking / Bead Making Classes - Italy
BeadedLily Glass Works - Florence, Italy. eginner and Intermediate Beadmaking Courses. ia Toscanella 33R Florence, Italy 50125. he Oltrarno District - 5 minutes from Ponte Vecchio at the corner of Via Toscanella & Via Dei Veluti. 39) 331-904-9410. ttp://www.BeadedLilyGlassWorks.com. Learn how to make glass beads in the heart of the Florence artisan district "the Oltrarno". Our bead making classes introduce students to both basic and advanced lampworking techniques and help pave the way towards finding your own artistic voice. Classes can be taught in either English or Italian.