| Absinthe Glasses III - How An Absinthe Glass Is Made |
A visit to the Cristallerias San Miguel, Barcelona in September 2006, where unchanged 19th century glassblowing techniques are
still used today.
The CSM has existed since the 1840’s originally under the name Cristallerias Lligé. This style of blown in the mould “Pernod”
dripper glass has been made by the glassworks since at least the mid 1920’s. The glassworks also made a Pontarlier-style
reservoir glass (see the hinged mould dating to circa 1900 near the bottom of the page). The distillery has recently been
commissioned to remake this classic Pontarlier glass, using their time honoured techniques and the original century old mould.
These magnificent glasses - identical in every respect to the 19th century originals - are now available for purchase at
our sister site, Absinthe Classics.
still used today.
The CSM has existed since the 1840’s originally under the name Cristallerias Lligé. This style of blown in the mould “Pernod”
dripper glass has been made by the glassworks since at least the mid 1920’s. The glassworks also made a Pontarlier-style
reservoir glass (see the hinged mould dating to circa 1900 near the bottom of the page). The distillery has recently been
commissioned to remake this classic Pontarlier glass, using their time honoured techniques and the original century old mould.
These magnificent glasses - identical in every respect to the 19th century originals - are now available for purchase at
our sister site, Absinthe Classics.
An extract from the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica, explaining the difference between free-form glass blowing and the then new
"blown in the mould" technique.
Moulds are used both for giving shape to vessels and also for impressing patterns on their suface. Although spherical forms can be
obtained without the use of moulds, moulds are now largely used for even the simplest kinds of tableware in order to economize time
and skilled labour. In France, Germany and the United States it is rare to find a piece of tableware which has not received its shape in a
mould. The old and the new systems of making a wine-glass illustrate almost all the ordinary processes of glass working. Sufficient
glass is first " gathered " on the end of a blowing iron to form the bowl of the wine-glass. The mere act of coiling an exact weight of molten
glass round the end of a rod 4 ft. in length requires considerable skill. The mass of glass is rolled on a polished slab of iron, the "
marvor," to solidify it, and it is then slightly hollowed by blowing. Under the old system the form of the bowl is gradually developed by
blowing and by shaping the bulb with the sugar-tongs tool. The leg is either pulled out from the substance of the base of the bowl, or from
a small lump of glass added to the base. The foot starts as a small independent bulb on a separate blowing iron. One extremity of this
bulb is made to adhere to the end of the leg, and the other extremity is broken away from its blowing iron. The fractured end is heated,
and by the combined action of heat and centrifugal force opens out into a flat foot. The bowl is now severed from its blowing iron and the
unfinished wine-glass is supported by its foot, which is attached to the end of a working rod by a metal clip or by a seal of glass. The
fractured edge of the bowl is heated, trimmed with scissors and melted so as to be perfectly smooth and even, and the bowl itself
receives its final form from the sugar-tongs tool.
Under the new system the bowl is fashioned by blowing the slightly hollowed mass of glass into a mould. The leg is formed and a small
lump of molten glass is attached to its extremity to form the foot. The blowing iron is constantly trundled, and the small lump of glass is
squeezed and flattened into the shape of a foot, either between two slabs of wood hinged together, or by pressure against an upright
board. The bowl is severed from the blowing iron, and the wine-glass is sent to the annealing oven with a bowl, longer than that of the
finished glass, and with a rough fractured edge. When the glass is cold the surplus is removed either by grinding, or by applying heat to a
line scratched with a diamond round the bowl. The fractured edge is smoothed by the impact of a gas flame.
"blown in the mould" technique.
Moulds are used both for giving shape to vessels and also for impressing patterns on their suface. Although spherical forms can be
obtained without the use of moulds, moulds are now largely used for even the simplest kinds of tableware in order to economize time
and skilled labour. In France, Germany and the United States it is rare to find a piece of tableware which has not received its shape in a
mould. The old and the new systems of making a wine-glass illustrate almost all the ordinary processes of glass working. Sufficient
glass is first " gathered " on the end of a blowing iron to form the bowl of the wine-glass. The mere act of coiling an exact weight of molten
glass round the end of a rod 4 ft. in length requires considerable skill. The mass of glass is rolled on a polished slab of iron, the "
marvor," to solidify it, and it is then slightly hollowed by blowing. Under the old system the form of the bowl is gradually developed by
blowing and by shaping the bulb with the sugar-tongs tool. The leg is either pulled out from the substance of the base of the bowl, or from
a small lump of glass added to the base. The foot starts as a small independent bulb on a separate blowing iron. One extremity of this
bulb is made to adhere to the end of the leg, and the other extremity is broken away from its blowing iron. The fractured end is heated,
and by the combined action of heat and centrifugal force opens out into a flat foot. The bowl is now severed from its blowing iron and the
unfinished wine-glass is supported by its foot, which is attached to the end of a working rod by a metal clip or by a seal of glass. The
fractured edge of the bowl is heated, trimmed with scissors and melted so as to be perfectly smooth and even, and the bowl itself
receives its final form from the sugar-tongs tool.
Under the new system the bowl is fashioned by blowing the slightly hollowed mass of glass into a mould. The leg is formed and a small
lump of molten glass is attached to its extremity to form the foot. The blowing iron is constantly trundled, and the small lump of glass is
squeezed and flattened into the shape of a foot, either between two slabs of wood hinged together, or by pressure against an upright
board. The bowl is severed from the blowing iron, and the wine-glass is sent to the annealing oven with a bowl, longer than that of the
finished glass, and with a rough fractured edge. When the glass is cold the surplus is removed either by grinding, or by applying heat to a
line scratched with a diamond round the bowl. The fractured edge is smoothed by the impact of a gas flame.
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| A circa 1900 hinged mould for a Pontarlier-style absinthe glass, still in use today. |
| An overview of the glass blowing facility, with glass furnace center left. Click on the image to enlarge. |
| A worker takes a blob of molten glass from the furnace, attached to a blowpipe. |
| Another worker rolls and crudely forms the blob before blowing. |
The glassblower blows the blob of glass into the
hinged mould, set below the level of the floor. Once the
initial form has been obtained, he uses a foot pedal to
open the mould and remove the glass. The mould itself
drops away from the glass and into a solution of water
and anti-oxidants to cool it, prior to it being used for the
next glass.
hinged mould, set below the level of the floor. Once the
initial form has been obtained, he uses a foot pedal to
open the mould and remove the glass. The mould itself
drops away from the glass and into a solution of water
and anti-oxidants to cool it, prior to it being used for the
next glass.
| The partly finished glass is brought to the master glass shaper, who turns and cools the glass to stabilize it. |
| A worker brings a second blob of molten glass from the furnace, in order to attach to the semi-formed glass and shape into a stem. |
| The master glass-shaper clips the molten glass from the pipe. |
| The stem is shaped and rolled with the aide of a file and specialized clamps. |
A third blob of molten glass is added to
the stem in order to create the foot
the stem in order to create the foot
| The glass is then spun in order to flatten and shape the round foot |
The glass is removed
entirely from the blowpipe,
placed in a vertical clamp
and is heated again.
entirely from the blowpipe,
placed in a vertical clamp
and is heated again.
This clamp then lowers the glass
into a small secondary furnace,
and the bubble of excess glass at
the top drops away from the ideal
glass shape, thus creating the rim.
into a small secondary furnace,
and the bubble of excess glass at
the top drops away from the ideal
glass shape, thus creating the rim.
| The finished glasses are placed in an annealing oven, which tempers them. |
An extract from the 1928 catalogue of the distillery. The manufacturing
process has remained entirely unchanged, and the same model
numbers are still used today for these glasses!
Click on the images to enlarge.
process has remained entirely unchanged, and the same model
numbers are still used today for these glasses!
Click on the images to enlarge.
The glassworks also made a Pontarlier-style
reservoir glass (see the hinged mould above).
The distillery has recently been commissioned
to remake this classic Pontarlier glass, using
their time honoured techniques and the
original century old mould.
These magnificent glasses - identical in
every respect to the 19th century originals -
are now available for purchase at our sister
site, Absinthe Classics.
reservoir glass (see the hinged mould above).
The distillery has recently been commissioned
to remake this classic Pontarlier glass, using
their time honoured techniques and the
original century old mould.
These magnificent glasses - identical in
every respect to the 19th century originals -
are now available for purchase at our sister
site, Absinthe Classics.
A circa 1920 cut glass
and matching brouilleur.
Click on the image to
enlarge.
and matching brouilleur.
Click on the image to
enlarge.