How Inge-glas® Ornaments are made
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Author: Inge-glas® of Germany
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October/16/05
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Creating an Inge-glas® ornament is a time and labor intensive process. It can take up to seven days to produce one of these ornaments. The Star Crown is recongnized as the symbol for authentic Inge-glas® craftsmanship, as well as German tradition and quality.
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Preparation
The mold is made of a ceramic-based material enabling the glassblower to use the mould repeatedly, as the glass will not stick to the mold. Another benefit of the ceramic mold is its ability to produce highly detailed ornaments.
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Blowing
A hollow glass tube is chosen based on the size and dimension of the ornament to be created. The glassblower manually rolls the tube with his fingers over the hot flame until it is pliant.
One end of the tube is sealed in the flame and once the glass is ready, the glassblower will fit it into the mold. The mould is clamped down around the glass while the blower breathes steadily into the glass tube to press the glass into all crevices of the mold.
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Thomas Ziesmer, a Master Glass Blower from Inge-glas,last visited The Frame Workshop November 2011!
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Silvering
Once the glass is cooled, it is silvered. A clear silver nitrate solution is inserted into the glass ornament. The ornament is then submerged in hot water and shaken to ensure the solution coats the inside of the entire ornament. The heat of the bath begins the chemical reaction and the inside of the entire ornament becomes silvered.
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Painting
Once dried, the ornament is painted. Every ornament is painted with a base coat that provides the foundation color of the ornament. The ornament is submerged in the base coat and then twirled to remove the excess paint. It is then stood on end to allow the paint to dry. Once the base coat dries, the details of the ornament are hand painted. One ornament can have as many as 38 painting steps before it is completed.
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Finishing
After every color has been painted and allowed to dry, the ornament is glittered. Once dry, the excess pike is scored and snapped off. The five-pointed Star Crown suspension ring is set into place and the ornament is completed.
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The Star Crown is the guarantee that an ornament is produced in the century's old tradition in the Müller-Blech family workshops. Look for Inge-glas® ornaments at The Frame Workshop.
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