PAPERWEIGHTS AND ORBS

It was over 500 years ago that the Venetians rediscovered and developed new techniques in the production of murrini, millifiori and filigree glass that were over 2000 years old and originally invented in Mesopotamia in the Middle East. These techniques were refined by the Serino brothers who held a patent on the process for 10 years before others on the island were allowed to use their techniques and imitate their style. Prior to the 1600’s, these techniques were shrouded in mystery, having been kept a guarded secret on the island of Murano in the Venetian Lagoon. Glass wares created in Murano were commonly given to royalty and dignitaries from around the globe. It is because of this mystery and their highly skilled abilities that the Venetians are renowned to this day for their glass.

Virginia Wilson Toccalino and Tony Toccalino proudly work within the Venetian tradition, drawing heavily on ancient techniques, while infusing them with a touch of space-age technology. Our Filigree Stardust paperweights are an excellent example of this; and it is our hope that this article will shed light on the intricate, time-consuming process by which they are produced.

THE FUNDAMENTALS – Clear Crystal and Colour

Given the complexity of the process, it is important to start with the fundamentals, that is, with the medium itself. Clear crystal is created by blending silica sand, soda ash, and lime with other trace minerals and chemicals. The blended sand, or ‘batch’, is then melted in a containment furnace for approximately 12 hours at 2400° F and is kept at 2100 degrees F for as long as the glass studio, or ‘hot shop’, is in production. Clear crystal, while in the furnace, is a material that must remain in a molten state; turning the furnace off at the end of the day is not an option. Given the corrosive effects of the high lime content in the ‘batch’ and the extreme temperatures required to maintain the required molten state, a typical glass melting furnace may need to be replaced after approximately five years of constant running. Replacement costs for equipment, as well as the cost of fuel, electricity, labour and space are the primary factors that contribute to what some people deem to be high prices for finished hand crafted pieces of glass.

Initially, the most striking aspect of our work is the colour embedded within the clear crystal. However, it is colour that presents the most serious problems for glass makers practicing Venetian techniques. For example, we have all seen paperweights with flowers, insects or designs encased in clear crystal. The object beheld is never organic in nature, as it would not survive the ordeal of being encased in 2100° F molten crystal. These objects, no matter how realistic they may seem, are all created by using various ombinations of coloured glass alone. Difficulties arise from the clear crystal and various colours expanding and contracting at different rates while working on a piece. A difference in expansion and contraction between colours causes a sheering effect and will result in the piece breaking when cooled or the crystal cracking around the colour, thus relegating the piece in question to the trash heap. This situation is ideally corrected before production begins by testing the compatibility between all colours involved and the molten crystal. Coloured glass itself is made by adding metals and minerals in various ratios to molten crystal, and is produced in only a few factories worldwide.

Testing compatibility is a time-consuming, trial and error based procedure that involves layering colours and molten crystal and pulling ‘stringers’, or ‘threads’, of glass similar to a bi-metal spring found in home thermostats. If the glass stringer cools straight we know the colours involved are compatible. If, on the other hand, the stringer arks when cooled, we know that one colour is contracting more rapidly than another, thus causing stress that results in sheering or cracking. Compatibility may be marginally off, causing a piece to break after many years. This test is one of several used for testing the coefficient of expansion, or the C.O.E., of crystal and colours and is essential for producing art glass that will stand the test of time.

THE MYSTERIOUS WORLD OF CANE

Now that we have covered the basics, we can begin detailing the long, drawn out processes involved in the production of various forms of Venetian glass cane used in our stardust paperweights, orbs, bells and other work, including: common cane, overlaid cane and murrini, as well as complex cane, complex murrini and millifiori.

Common Cane
A piece of coloured glass, approximately the size and shape of a roll of quarters, is picked up on the end of a glass blowing pipe and is coated with a layer of clear crystal. This cylindrical mass of clear crystal and coloured glass is then heated to a malleable consistency. We then attach another pipe to the free end of the cylindrical mass so that it is locked between two pipes, with one artist at each end. Once contact is made, there is no turning back for reheats, we are at that point fully committed and must proceed to pull, moving swiftly in opposite directions to stretch the mass of glass into a long, thin rod. We will continue to make rods of different colours all day in preparation for the next day’s work.

Overlaid Cane and Murrini
This type of cane is made in a very similar manner as common cane, the difference being that we begin with one piece of colour and overlay it with a selection of other colours. Then we encase those colours with molten crystal and heat and pull in the same way. This is where the coefficient of expansion of colours, or C.O.E., becomes critical. If the sheering effect is present, the entire rod, or ‘pull’, will fracture.

When you hold the finished cane vertically in front of your eyes, what you see is one of the lines that are perceptible in a complex cane or finished piece of filigrana glass. While a murrini is a small slice that has been cut off the cane, revealing a cross section of the composite crystal and colour, which, in our case, looks similar to a bulls-eye or dart board.

Complex Cane and Complex Murrini
Following the pulling of overlay cane on day one, we cut and sort it, looking for consistency in diameter and colour density, and then we bag it in sets of up to twenty canes in preparation for work on day three. On the third day we take our packaged sets of overlaid cane, lay them out or stand them up in a mold, bring them up to temperature with a propane torch and pick them up on the outside or inside of a cylinder of clear molten crystal. The coloured rods, as many as 16 or more, are responsible for the spiral effect we see in complex cane. The spiral effect is achieved by heating the rods and crystal to a uniform flexible consistency and securing the resulting cylindrical mass between two metal blowpipes. With an artist at the end of each pipe, they must simultaneously pull and twist the pipes in opposite directions at great speeds. The pull takes place at approximately 1600° F and must be completed within sixty seconds or less because the glass cools quickly and becomes stiff while suspended in the air. If you twist too long or hard, the complex cane strand will cool, snap, hit the floor and shatter, thus bringing an abrupt and traumatic end to several days work. This happens occasionally and is, in a certain respect, necessary in order to determine the limits of what we can do with the glass. Often, the colour being used is responsible for loss of control. Some colours heat up fast and stay flexible longer, while other colours are slow to heat, or stiffen faster. Thus, an attuned sense of touch to resistance of the mass of glass, as well as a great deal of precision, control and knowledge, are required during a pull of complex cane. The failure of a pull, apart from being disappointing is a big financial loss in terms of time, material and labour. If complex murrini is the desired product, overlaid rods or components of similar or various colours are shaped and grouped together and the pull is executed without twisting (as with overlay and common cane) see diagram 1A ( photo of rods grouped). This results in a multi-profiled, single cane, which can be sliced in to ¼ inch sections and grouped to create a millifiori piece, such as a paperweight or blown work (see photo of millefiori setup 1B).





1A) Overlaid star murrini rods ready to be pulled into
complex murrini or millefiori cane.
  



1B) Multi-rods cut and grouped to exhibit millifiori.



PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER

On the fourth day we cut and package sets of complex murrini and, or, complex cane rods to be used in the production of filigrana and millifiori pieces. With an end product in mind that is awe-inspiring and unique, we look for consistency of twist, colour, style and size of rods. We then introduce into the mixed package of rods previously prepared strips of dichroic glass, which is a shimmering, iridescent glass product developed by NASA for use in the windows of space vehicles. Dichroic glass, which comes in a multitude of patterns and colours, is created by fusing metal oxides three to five millionths of an inch thick onto clear glass; this, in turn, functions to deflect light and repel harmful gamma radiation in space. When we break down the word ‘dichroic’ we get ‘di’, or ‘two’, and ‘chroic’, meaning ‘chromatic’ or ‘colour’, thus alluding to this medium’s ability to refract multiple colours, as well as change colour when viewed from different angles. With our preparation treatments, this effect is enhanced significantly. Dichroic glass is not cheap, adding to an already costly and time consuming process. However, the bigger issue is trying to assemble a piece successfully. The reflective nature of dichroic glass means that it not only repels light but heat as well, creating a temperature variance that causes great amounts of stress in a given piece. If this stress is not recognized and appropriately dealt with, the piece can quite easily explode on the blow pipe, particularly when in close proximity to the 2300° F flame in the reheating chamber, known in the glass world as ‘the glory hole’. An additional concern is that the reheating flame is also capable of burning the metal molecules off the surface of the glass, in which case the piece loses any value it may otherwise have had. So again, extreme caution, a gentle touch and a refined sensitivity to the inner workings of the medium are necessary in order to successfully pull this off. The positive side to all of the anguish and difficulty involved in this process is that the most beautiful, ancient filigrana style is now being joined, or married, with the most cutting edge, space age glass, pushing the ancient Venetian style into the future.

On day five we take our packages of pre-selected rods and dichroic strips, and laying out one package at a time, we alternate the dichroic strips between rods and orient them to exhibit a consistent pattern within the piece. The rods and dichroic strips are then
heated in the ‘glory hole’ and softened so they can be joined together with a gentle squeeze. Once fused into a panel, and having reached the desired level of malleability, we can roll the panel onto the end of a blow pipe. This creates an open ended cylinder of
rods that must be closed by cinching the ends of the rods together and knocking a little ‘button’ off the piece, which we keep for future use (see: photo 2A, 2B & 2C).
2A) Fusing and compressing rods.

2B) Rolling up the rods.
2C) Joining rods and knocking off the button.



Once the button is off and the cylinder is closed we can commence the shaping of the body of the paperweight. After we have achieved the desired shape of the crown, the set-up must be cooled in preparation for the first gather of crystal over the rods, taking
care so as to not overheat or distort them. More cooling and shaping is then necessary in order to add subsequent layers of crystal. This cooling process does not allow for any contact between the tools and crystal as this would leave marks or haze on any single
layer of crystal and would be visible in the finished piece. This process of cooling and shaping is known as air marvering, and is done using gravity and centrifugal force while the mass cools. Once the final gather is applied, the actual shaping of the finished piece
is done, leaving no ripples or tool marks on the surface. This pristine finish is known as wet mint condition and must not display any defect. Once the paperweight has been cooled to a point where it is stable and the temperature is consistent throughout the entire
core and surface, it can be placed into an electric annealing oven to slowly cool down from approximately 1000° F to room temperature over a 24 hour period or longer. This lengthy cooling down process allows the glass molecules to align themselves properly
and relieves the internal stresses within the piece, giving it stability and durability. This is absolutely necessary, given that coloured glass and clear crystal is fundamentally a liquid, and will continue to move, albeit imperceptibly, over the coarse of time.

Aside from cutting, sorting and packaging common overlay and complex cane, the bulk of the work up to this point requires no less than two artists. From day six on, one artist can effectively manage the task of completing the paperweights and putting on
the final touches.

The first step in the second phase is to take the now cooled paperweight and cut windows in a symmetrical pattern using a tile saw with a water cooled diamond blade. The polishing process of the windows and bottom involves taking each paperweight through an elaborate series of grits from 80 to 120 to 240 to 400, to fine pumice and finally to cerium, in order to return the piece to a state of wet mint condition. Once the windows have been polished we begin the process of decorative cutting and batutto. Battuto is an Italian term meaning ‘beaten’, and describes the hammered or scalloped effect we see framing the windows or covering the surface of the piece. Each facet or scallop is individually carved on a stone wheel, with attention given to even spacing and consistent size. When the engraving is complete the paperweight sometimes undergoes a final polishing on the battuto area and is inspected and signed before it is offered up for sale (see photo 3).

 
3) Three-Windowed, Battuto
Filigree Stardust Paperweight.



On The Seventh Day We Rest
The following is a simple breakdown of this time consuming, labour-intensive process. Taking into consideration that the preparation of dichroic strips takes a day to complete, we will add one day to the breakdown. Excluding the day of rest, this makes it an 11 day
process for our Filigree Stardust paperweights.

  Day 1: One artist cutting and preparing dichroic strips.
Day 2: Two artists engaged in all-day production of common and overlaid cane.
Day 3: One artist cutting and sorting overlaid cane rods in sets.
Day 4: Two artists engaged all day in production of complex cane.
Day 5: One artist cutting and sorting complex canes, and selecting and matching
different styles of rods with or without dichroic glass panels.
Day 6: Two artists fusing complex cane rods into panels, one set at a time,
which are in turn used in the creation of the paperweight set-up, and encasing the set-up in crystal.
Day 7: A day of rest. So it was written, so it shall be.
Day 8: One artist laying out location of windows and cutting on wet diamond saw.
Day 9 - 10: Two artists grinding and polishing to wet mint condition. This often takes two artists at least two days.
Day 11: One artist framing or covering paperweight with battuto effect.
Day 12: Final polishing of battuto, inspection and assessment, and signing of piece in preparation for sale.		  


If we look at the breakdown of the process, we see that there are six days where one artist can perform the required tasks, and five days where two artists are required. This adds up to 11 working days for one artist and five for the other, for a total of 16 individual work days. During this 10 to 11 day time period, which does not include our day of rest, we would be working on one day’s worth of paperweights, approximately 8 pieces. In the end, two to three pieces may not make the grade because of structural or stylistic flaws and will have to be discounted at time of sale or trashed. Thus, only if we’re exceptionally lucky do we pull off an average of one piece every two days. When you take into consideration the rising cost of space, natural gas, electricity, insurance, equipment and materials in today’s market place, as well as the cost of labour or the return some may feel entitled to for their services, one can only come to the conclusion that the artists in question must be passionately committed to their art form. Well, we can certainly say that we love and are committed to this style of glass, while an economist may think that we should just be committed.

We are pleased to say we make our glass from beginning to end. From melting our own crystal, producing our own complex canes, to decorating and engraving on a traditional stone wheel. This is not a factory setup, we have no employees, and we personally execute every step of the process ourselves.

We hope that you, the reader, have come to a better understanding of the filigrana and millifiori techniques that we use in the creation of our work. Both Virginia and Tony welcome your questions either in person or by email. It’s easy to see why this method of glass making eluded the rest of the world for centuries - no one could wrap their head around the lengthy, intricate process involved. Interestingly enough, when the Murano secrets escaped the Venetian lagoon many hundreds of years ago, the techniques began to show up in the making of candy, baked goods, pottery and plasticized clay products such as fimo. In today’s world, there are a select few who continue these past traditions - creating paper weights, orbs, vases, bowls, goblets, plates and bells –each putting their own personal ‘twist’ on an ancient technique that is as timeless as it is beautiful.

Virginia Wilson Toccalino
Tony Toccalino