Glass comes is many colors as well as clear, but one of the most warming is amber. Sometimes made into jewelry to resemble the natural product amber, amber glass can also be found in the many shapes glass is made for household objects. Vases and paperweights are available in amber, and drawer pulls of amber glass are available. Think how a beautiful wooden door would be, with brass and amber glass door knobs. The warmth of the woods color would be enhanced by the golder sheen of brass and glass. The door knobs of times past are available newly made from businesses that provide replicas for furniture and house restoration.
Amber glass can be as light in color as the pale yellow Depression glass, to the dark brown of beer bottles and other containers made of dark colored glass to protect the contents from light exposure. Many things deteriorate in light over time, and dark coloring in glass can slow that process and preserve the contents for additional shelf life. Small amber bottles are frequently used to sell small portions of aromatic or essential oils for this reason. Many vintage glass bottles come in some color of amber.
Amber glass is often used with red and orange glass to make warm colored sun catchers or stained glass windows. The sunlight coming through the glass is given a mellow yellow tone that softens the light and makes everything touched by it seem happier. Yellow as a color induces cheerfulness, and yellow light from amber glass has the same affect.
The amber color of glass comes from the sulfur added to the batch. Carbon and iron salts, or calcium, are also included to make the glass the right color. The amount of these additives is varied to produce different colors of yellow and amber.
Lamps and lampshades are made of amber glass to add a warm glow to the light they produce. Serving dishes for salt and other condiments are made in amber colored glass, as are oven-proof casserole dishes and canister sets for the kitchen. Amber glass lamps for the yard are also in style as the light is softened from white to a more gentle yellow. Wind chimes and copper and glass bugs are available with amber glass as the body or head of the dragonfly or other insect.
Amber beads are worked into all the usual beaded projects: beaded evening purses, beaded bracelets, brooches, necklace / bracelet / earrings jewelry sets, cuff links, even tiaras.
In modern use are amber glass eyes made for taxidermists for wild cat and other figures. Amber glass is used in sun glasses made currently as glare reducers and UV blocks for the eyes. Amber glass filters are used in photography and movie lighting to give the effect of late afternoon or evening.
There are amber glass insulators from days past. Many of these glass items in amber color were made in past centuries, and many are still made today. The color itself will not lend itself to determining the age of the item, as far as I know. In the case of amber glass, it is necessary to either work with someone knowledgeable or do your own research if you want to enter the world of antique amber glass, but the rich warm glow these objects will give to your home are worth the effort.
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