Featured Green Uranium Glass Centerpiece? Any Thoughts

I didn't appreciate the science of glass coloring until you describe it now. I just saw the grace and beauty. Learning the technical details adds another dimension for me.

 

Fantastic article. Thanks for sharing it. It shows why @Ce BCA, who is from the UK, has a different naming convention for the same material. Now that the world is becoming one gestalt, perhaps these distinctions will disappear amongst experts.

 

I'm no expert on the effects of UV light on glass constituents, but I have picked up a few tips. Lime, large component of soda lime glass will give a light blue-green tinge to it. This is not often easily seen. It often seems to be a reflection, but its not. High lead content, over 20% may reflect as if it were a mirror. Either Cadmium or Selenium, or both will glow orange. The inclusion of iron in glass will give it a rusty color. Think Amber. I'm not aware of any UV reaction to iron. Manganese, Hmm. its so common in everyday glass that if it were reactive almost all glass would react somehow.

Uranium glass with copper sulfate (to turn the yellow to green) is in the vase above. Copper sulfate was used to make glass blue. We al know that yellow and blue make green.
Observations of a student. I left out uranium, it's been talked to death.

 

As promised, I cleaned the bottom of some of the old water residue and set up my new light box to take some better pictures of the bottom. Even with the help of Riley (see photo 5), all I could make out are scratches and mold variations. Here are the pictures:

 

Love. Love. Love this. I have to go into the closet with my older pieces now to see what I can see. Thanks so much for the information about what the colors will tell about the minerals that were used! I am tickled that you told me how my green sweet pea vase was colored. I now have a treasure of information about this vase and new ways to appreciate how older glass is created. Thank you so much!

 

And @Kiko, (even with Riley's help!!) I couldn't bring up what I had found in that partial image I had inverted to blue & white!!!! Must have had something to do with the lighting shining inside !!! But it WAS very bizarre!!!!!!!!!!!! BTW, Riley looks Gorgeous!!!!

 

I agree it was a trick of the light. It was an hour's fight to set up this simple light box. Riley insisted in sitting in it, on it, and on top of it. She wouldn't get off it, even though I gave her the box it came in. I will tell her that you think she is gorgeous.

 

I did some reading on Sweet Pea flowers since I don't think I've ever seen them. Here is one thing it said: "The old-fashioned varieties were selected for their vibrant colors and intense fragrance." So they are vintage/antique air fresheners. They grow in clumps and I think would be well suited in a vase with this shape.

Cute kitty!

 

The photo of Riley is priceless!

I know almost nothing about glass, so have nothing to add. I enjoy reading threads that teach. This one definitely does.

 

I didn't know that. No wonder they made a special vase for them The modern ones I have grown are nothing like. Riley is the small one in my avatar.

 

Yes. I am thrilled that so many added their knowledge to this discussion. You hear things about certain types of glass, but it is much better to center the information around a particular piece, because then you can see what they are talking about.

Riley is always so helpful. This is her helping me clean the fridge last week.

 

She is a beauty!

 

Thank you. I will tell her you said that.