Manufacturing Ornamental Glass.

Scientific American 16, 27.12.1856

The last number of Newton's London Journal contains the following specification of G. Rees, of Clerkenwell, Eng., for a simple method of producing ornamental stamped glass.

"This invention consists in an improved metbod of producing figured or ornamental surface on glass and for this purpose as sheet of finished glass, either white or colored, of the dimensions required, is employed, which is rendered plastic by heat, and pressed between a pair of metal dies, engraved with the design or pattern which is to be given to the glass. After impressing the pattern upon the glass it is annealed, and in then his for used in windows, or for ornamental purposes.

In carrying out this invention, a sheet of that finished glans, either white or colored, of the dimension, required, is made plastic by heating it in a reverberatory furnace. It is then pressed between a pair of metal dies or rollers, engraved with the design, pattern, or desorption which is to be given to the glass. The dies or rollers may have the pattern raised in the one and sunk in the other or one of them may be plain, according to the character of the ornamental surface that is to be produced. After impressing the pattern upon the glass, it is annealed in the ordinary manner, when it is fit for use in windows, or for decorative purposes.

In order to indicate the application of those improvements, and to show some of the purposes to which they are suitable, the patentee remarks that ornamental surfaces of glass, produced us decribed, and hollow on their under side. May be ornamented by gilding, silvering, enameling, painting, staining, or otherwise, so us to produce any determined artistic effect. Another description of figured or ornamental surface may be produced by pressing the glass between dies or rollers, so as to leave the required pattern or inscription in slight relief. After the glass has been annealed, the raised pattern may be removed by, grinding, when the pattern or inscription will appear dull upon a bright ground; or flashed glass may be thus treated, that is, white glass coated or covered on one side wi:h a colored glass. In this case the pattern will appear white upon a colored ground, or vice versa.