Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Black Glass Primer

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Black Glass Primer

    Since some of you showed interest in my sea glass post, and a few of you even look for and collect bottles, I thought I'd show some of the rarest glass found in this country-- "black glass",

    Since spirits and medicines frequently required protection from sunlight, early glass manufactures produced dark, nearly black, glass. During the 17th century the Dutch shipped black flasks of gin to the colonies. Although called black glass, when held up to the light it's actually a very dark olive green. This was created by adding iron slag to the glass batch to add resistance to breakage on long ocean voyages. Some times the glass was a dark amber, but both contained thousands of tiny bubbles or seeds from the glass blowing process.

    In the 1920's cobalt and manganese were combined to create black amethyst tableware. Just prior to and during the Depression, truly opaque black glass was created in limited quantities in the US called Ferroline, used for tableware and fashionable buttons.

    Finding blown black glass is considered quite old and rare. Finding this black glass might occur once for every 2500 pcs. of sea glass found on the beach. All of these pieces were found on the same stretch of beach on the lower Chesapeake Bay.
    Child of the tides

  • #2
    Interesting history and glass
    South East Ga. Twin City

    Comment


    • #3
      Thanks for sharing that info Deb. Am I mistaken or is that type of glass thicker than the normal glass. Looks that way from the pics. I don't ever recall seeing any glass that dark. Interesting.
      Pickett/Fentress County, Tn - Any day on this side of the grass is a good day. -Chuck-

      Comment


      • #4
        It's very thick glass. The closest 20th glass I can compare it to were the old 8oz Coke bottles. Those turn a lovely aqua when exposed to salt & sun.
        Child of the tides

        Comment


        • #5
          Thank you for sharing this Deb. I have found blue/black glass but none of that type.
          Bruce
          In life there are losers and finders. Which one are you?

          Comment


          • #6
            Bruce, I suspect this glass is an East Coast find. The Chesapeake Bay was the main shipping channel and ultimately the dump for several colonial cities & towns. Not surprising black glass shows up here. Islands like Puerto Rico have their fair share as well.
            Child of the tides

            Comment


            • 2ndoldman
              2ndoldman commented
              Editing a comment
              I suspect that you are very right Deb. Your location definitely has it for age over mine.

          • #7
            At one time that bottle may have looked like one of these critters. Click image for larger version

Name:	wy1.jpg
Views:	76
Size:	102.4 KB
ID:	242269Click image for larger version

Name:	wy.jpg
Views:	72
Size:	39.0 KB
ID:	242268
            TN formerly CT Visit our store http://stores.arrowheads.com/store.p...m-Trading-Post

            Comment


            • Havenhunter
              Havenhunter commented
              Editing a comment
              Those are some gorgeous black flasks & so lucky to have them intact! Once they've been in seawater awhile the surface gets an orange peel affect.

          • #8
            When I was young I dug several bottle dumps. When I left home my siblings helped themselves to my collection. I only have a few left. At least I can go visit them when I visit CT. My brother has the bulk of them.
            TN formerly CT Visit our store http://stores.arrowheads.com/store.p...m-Trading-Post

            Comment


            • #9
              Cool stuff Deb thanks for the post. Think I've found one small shard of the black glass. Beach glass is super fun to hunt!
              N.C. from the mountains to the sea

              Comment


              • Havenhunter
                Havenhunter commented
                Editing a comment
                In sunlight easier to spot than points! 😆
            Working...
            X