MONK'S MAYHEM MAKES GOLDSTONE ART GLASS

Okay so no monk was harmed in the making of this signed studio sterling cuff bracelet, but it has been said that an accident resulted in the making of aventurine glass or goldstone in Venice during the 17th century.

Rumor has it that a monk carrying a container of copper shavings, stumbled forward casting the copper shavings onto a vat of molten glass while working in a Venice factory.  My imagination conjures up that maybe the poor fellow had interned at a wine making factory earlier that day, then later while moonlighting at a glass factory, he was feeling the glow... he began to dance...he lost his footing.  oops

Lucky for antique jewelry lovers, the man made copper color aventurine art glass stones were cut, faceted and used early in the 19th century as a glittery base for Venetian micromosaic flower jewelry, made as only the Italians did and still make.  The Victorians loved this sparkly glass in their personal adornments as well as in buttons, cufflinks, fobs, etc.  The best and oldest display a deeply saturated sparkly effect.

The original was copper color, but now one can enjoy blue, purple and even green "goldstone".   Although a guarded secret, as to the process, it is said that copper is used to make the coppery color glass, cobalt to make the blue, manganese for the purple and chromium oxides to make the green ones.  The purple glass when used for Russian made pieces is often called purpurine.

All yummy and real sparkly.  Some more than others.  Why is that?  As the molten glass crystallizes and hardens, the center of the mass or batch has the most sparkles, while the outer portions less so and may even have unattractive veins.  Horrors!  It is broken up and "cut" or made into beads, sash pins, bracelets, figurines, and even remelted to make canes for glass bead makers.

Now...when this fabulous sparkly art glass meets signed studio sterling metalwork, well... you get magic...

To view antique jewelry or buttons (some Paris back) please search: goldstone.  Then view often each and every image, as there may be multiple items per listing, added weekly.  The best and oldest from 1830s show a deeply saturated sparkler effect.   

All images design concept content text are original and solely owned by Mimi Dee and may not be reproduced in any form.   January 2013