Featured Mould Makers - Moulded Glass

Before modern-day Computer Aided Design existed, each pattern of glass was sketched by hand from which a "Maquette" of wax or plaster was made, and it was from these preliminary models that the mould was produced. Each mould would have to be fraction-perfect as there was no margin for any error. We only have to look at the intricate patterns produced from glass to appreciate the technical skills that the mould makers possessed before the age of mechanical technology became mainstream.

The names of these mould-makers will perhaps never be known. It is thought that several factories (within mainland Europe) used/employed the same freelance makers to produce their moulds for them and of course out of house in metal working foundries. Popular items of glass would require several of the same pattern mould to be made, as would also intricate examples which would quickly deteriorate and lose their shape-definition due to the constant working procedures involved, coupled with extremities of heat.

Moulds are a factory's pride & joy. Each mould was highly valuable and they were often kept under lock & key. Moulds would often be exchanged, leased or sold between factories including overseas, however some moulds were considered so important that they were prevented by law to leave their country of origin. The factory workers were responsible for keeping the moulds scrupulously clean to prevent any cross-contamination or specks of dirt which would render a finished piece 'worthless' to sell. The more quality high-end producers would reject any defect within the glass, and most glass workers were only paid for precise/pristine examples.

These following examples are of course just a very small fraction to accompany this thread. I've included a photo of a D.I.Y "chicken wire" mould as certain glass workers improvised and produced their own specific tools of the trade...

This link is also a valuable resource for the production of glass bottles in particular:

Historic Bottle Website - Homepage (sha.org)

 

In the photo of the orange vase being blown into the open mould, would this be the way my Gullaskruf opalescent vase was formed? @ritzyvintage

 

It was probably produced using either a 2-piece, a 3-piece spring releasing mould. The vertical lines on your vase would "disguise" the moulding lines, but you may still be able to notice/feel them upon the side-edge of the base. Most (but not all) vases were produced in this way (see the goldfish bowl mould above)

Smaller vases could be produced from similar moulds to those shown below.

 

Thanks, I will recheck the mould lines soon and let you know what I find, if anything. Perhaps I will be able to get a better picture of the bottom of my vase. The label was next to impossible for me to photograph, grateful others could see! Thanks for your help with glass, Ritzyvintage.