One of the most interesting glass collectibles on the market today are lampwork glass beads. Made in a similar fashion to the lampwork animals and crosses found at fairs and tourist venues, all the lampwork bead maker needs is an open flame, glass rods in various colors, a way to anneal the beads, time, patience and practice. Actually, there are a few other items required, but these are the basic materials needed to make lampwork glass bead.
If you have ever watched a lampworker at the fair or tourist location, you have seen him or her form an animal shape from a clear glass rod by heating the end of the glass rod in a flame and drawing the animal onto another glass piece. The clear glass may be colored by enamel paints or liquid gold upon the completion of the figurine, and they are usually displayed on mirrors to make all aspects of the the beautiful glass figurine apparent.
Handmade lampwork glass beads are made in a similar way, but the glass is wound around a metal mandrel, which forms the hole of the bead as it is made. Colored glass rods allow the lampwork artist to apply color as the beads is made. These colored rods are a recent addition to the materials available to the lampworker, and are one of the best things to happen, as well. By applying the colors as the beads is made, no further treatment is necessary after the bead is annealed, unless the maker wants to frost the outside or add other topical treatments.
Collecting handmade glass lampwork beads can be as easy as visiting your local bead store, or a bead show, or looking for beads on the Internet.
Some compartmentalized storage solution will allow each bead to be given an appropriately sized nest in which to rest, as each cubby is lined with felt, tissue paper or some other materials to cushion the bead when the box is in transit. Glass lampwork beads are not particularly fragile if properly annealed, but they are glass and can be broken by rough handling.
Once you see these little beauties, you also will be hard pressed to resist the urge to own one or more. They are small works of art that fit in a jewelry chest or tackle box, and every time you get them out to look at them, they will make you smile again. As these miniature artworks have only been made for about the last twenty-five to thirty years, you do not have much history to cover as your expand your collection to current and past lampworkers. The most famous, and best, are generally covered in the magazines and books about glass bead making, lampwork beads and beading in general.
Visit a store or show and see the miracles of design and patience the glass bead lampworker can make. They are astounding.
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