One of the most delicate glass forms are the blown glass ornaments made for Christmas and other celebrations. These ornaments are thin walls of glass formed into the shape of the mold in which they are inflated. Here is how the process works.

A small gather of soda-lime glass is gathered on the end of a small diameter blow pipe. The glass worker blows a bubble in the glass until the glass bubble is just under the size of the finished ornament. Then he holds the glass bubble, still attached to the blow pipe, next to the upright half of the ornament mold. He presses the foot pedal to close the mold and blows into the pipe to finish expanding the glass into the mold. Releasing the foot pedal releases one side of the mold and the ornament is now the shape of the mold, a figure such as a snowman or Santa Claus, or blown glass Christmas tree. The ornament is carefully cracked off the blow pipe and placed in the lehr to be tempered. Once the blown glass Christmas ornament has cooled, the lip is heat treated to remove any sharp edges, and the figure is painted. Often the inside is swished with a mirroring fluid to make the colors painted on the outside of the hand blown Christmas ornament show up better.

This ornament looks older due to the glitter, design and hanging cap.

Blown glass Christmas tree ornaments made by the mold method are easily recognized by the mold marks that run around the edges of the ornaments. When the mold halves are more closely fitted, the mold marks are less noticeable, but still there. With the round glass Christmas balls, no mold marks are visible because the bubble shape automatically forms a round ball when the molten glass is inflated with compressed air, forming a perfect ball with no mold marks. Other round shapes can be made the same way with manipulation of the glass bubble using pincer tools on automated machines after the bubble is inflated without leaving marks.

Glass tree ornaments come in several sizes, many colors and with added glitter.

Hand blown glass ornaments are made for other seasons and celebrations than Christmas. You can find these beautiful ornaments for the Fourth of July, and many for Halloween. Easter eggs are sometimes made this way for Easter trees or table centerpieces. There are also bunny and chick hand blown ornaments for Easter and the spring. Look for these ornaments at stores carrying seasonal goods and gift stores, and remember to get your share of the hand blown Christmas ornaments available in the fall.

The images on this post are from Stock Xchnge.

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