Borosilicate Glass Art Trade

BOROSILICATE GLASS
ART TRADE
Michael Moynahan
HISTORY
• Borosilicate glass was first developed by German glass maker Otto Schott in
19th century. Was sold under the brand name “Duran” in 1893.
• Corning Glass Works introduced Pyrex in 1915, which later became a
synonym for borosilicate glass.
• Originally used for kitchen ware, then progressed to being manufactured as
household appliances, decorative items, jewelry, and art.
Pictured below is a common form of borosilicate glass
manufactured by Pyrex, and is used at kitchen ware.
MANUFACTURING PROCESS
• Borosilicate glass is created by adding boric oxide to the traditional
glassmaker's frit of silica sand, soda, and ground lime. Since borosilicate glass
melts at a higher temperature than ordinary silicate glass, some new
techniques were required for industrial production. Borrowing from the
welding trade, burners combining oxygen with natural gas were required.
BEADMAKING
• Borosilicate for beadmaking comes in thin, pencil-like rods.
• The metals used to color borosilicate glass, particularly silver, often create
strikingly beautiful and unpredictable results when melted in an oxygen-gas
torch flame.
• Borosilicate glass is particularly suited for sculpting and creating large beads,
including figurines.
• Colored borosilicate lampworking glass is most often considerably more
expensive than "soft" lampworking glass, and this is usually reflected in the
selling price of handmade artisan borosilicate beads and other creations.
• The most common manufacturers of borosilicate glass rods are: Northstar,
Momka's Glass, Trautman Art Glass, and Glass Alchemy.
LAMPWORKING
• Lampworking is when the glassworker uses a burner torch to melt and form
glass, using a variety of metal and graphite tools to shape it.
• Lampworking is used to make complex and custom scientific apparatus;
most universities have a lampworking shop to manufacture and repair their
own glassware.
• Lampworking is also done as art and common items made include goblets,
paper weights, pipes, pendants, beads, compositions and figurines.
PROCESS OF BLOWING GLASS
Melt glass with
torch
Detach rods
Use metal
clamps to
transfer piece to
kiln
Cut the original
piece of glass –
leave in a kiln
Carefully sculpt
Let glass sit in kiln
for 1 to 2 days
Repeat step 1
until all pieces
are separate in
kiln
Attach rods to
each piece in
kiln
Take object out
of kiln in its
completed form
A GROWING CULTURE
• As many are aware, the legalization of marijuana is changing rapidly across
the country. This had lead to a culture that is starting to embrace the once
legal substance. In turn, this has started to raise the demand for high quality
glass art that is used as paraphernalia to consume marijuana or tobacco.
• This has created many jobs for lamp workers, as anyone can partake in it. All
you need is a torch, glass material, and an artistic ability to create
something.
• Several glass artists who have been making pipes for decades have recently
sought fame and fortune as the price for their products are sky rocketing
due to the legalization of marijuana, hence the growing culture.
MY PERSONAL INTEREST
• I originally became interested in the trade of borosilicate glass art as many of
my friends started to collect glass from different artists.
• As time progressed, the value of these collectibles rose by over 100%.
• I saw an opportunity to make money, so I started to collect the work of those
artists who were currently climbing the latter to success.
• Two years later, the initial $3000 dollars I had invested into things like one-ofa-kind pendants, rings, pipes, and water-pipes, has risen to $25,000 net
worth.
• The culture is growing rapidly, and I will continue to collect more works of art
as I enjoy the artistic ability put forth into making these objects, but also as
many pieces have a huge profit margin if you can play your cards right.
MY PERSONAL COLLECTION
TIPS
• If one were to ask me which glass artists have the most value in the market
today, and which artists would be most profitable in the long run when
collecting their art work, the following artists would be as followed:
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Arik Krunk
Kurt B
Yoshiniro Kondo
Rose Roads
Chris Carlson
Clinton Roman
Quave