How he creates:
Having done a drawing, He makes a plaster model. This is an exact replica of the finished piece. At this stage He decides on the background - what is to surround the piece.

The next step is to engrave the body on the plaster model. Then He varnishes the model and makes a positive cast of it also in plaster. This cast, which is the right way round, is the model for the final iron mould.

He now has a raw mould. The raw mould is also worked on. He uses diamond drills, revolving file and ultrasonic tools to clarify the details of the motif and to polish the parts requiring a glossy finish. When He is satisfied with the mould it is passed to the glass workshop where the molten crystal is cast in it. They start by heating the iron mould so that the difference in temperature between it and the molten crystal is not too severe.

They use a crystal of a special type which the Swedish Glass Resear Institute has helped them develop. This is the most costly crystal but it is especially well suited to casting and pressing. A large piece of this crystal has greater refraction and is smoother and more brilliant. It treats the light in a special way.

After casting, the glass is annealed in a lehr for 15-20 hours. If it is cooled to quickly it will crack.

After annealing there is a first quality inspection. Glass with imperfections is thrown out.

The next step is sandblasting. They work with different grades of cutting sand at various velocities. After sandblasting the motifs are polished.

Any unevenness on the background and foot of the piece is then ground smooth. First the piece is ground on a coarse diamond wheel and then on a finer wheel before being polished in two stages. The second "putty" polishing uses tin oxide which gives a highly polished surface.

The final stage consists of engraving in order to achieve the minutest details of coat, plumage and eye that are so vital to the impression made by the finished piece.

Click here to go Back to crystals