Terminology help!

[erlnmry]

Sorry if this is a stupid question but I need some help understanding the terminology being used to describe glassware. I see terms such as "flea bites" and "straw marks" used but have no idea what they mean. Can someone recommend a book, website, etc. that describes what these things are and - more importantly, show what they look like?

[hedgehogzoom]

Now erlnmry--there is no such thing as a stupid question! If there was--I'd be wearing the Stupid Question Crown! HA HA HA HA! From what I am given to understand, a flea bite is a tiny nick or chip on the glass............a straw mark is an imperfection in the glass that occurred when it was made. The straw marks I have seen on my glassware look kinda like faint lines of extra glass................. Of course--I could be wrong! I'll see if any of my books have better explanations in their glossaries............ but I just wanted to touch base w/you now to tell you that there is NO such thing as a stupid question! Remember the old adage--the only stupid question is the one that goes unasked! Okay? OKAY! Take care & I'll talk to ya later! Perhaps someone else can give you a better explanation in the interim! HH

[loisconner]

I was wondering the same thing. Flea bite, straw marks. Thanks for clarifying this. Your are all so helpful to us newbies to this.

[hedgehogzoom]

Just me again! I managed to find a definition of straw marks on-line by typing in glass imperfections. What I found is that a strawmark is a fine hairy wavy line(s) on the surface on the glassware. So much for me & my extra glass idea, huh? Altho I have gotten that informtion from "experts"--HA HA!!!! See--we BOTH learned! I'd have been laboring under mis-information had it not been for your question! LOL!!!!!!!!!!!! And trust me--I think we are all newbies in some way or another! Take care--H

[yanny50]

HH, I'd go with your first definition. Imagine using a glue gun and when you lift it fine strings of glue float in the air and some may settle on your project. The same principle works with hot glass coming out of a mold. So it is extra strings of glass after all not just wavy lines. ;-) Flea Bites are usually pin head sized chips usually from normal ware like you find on lids that fit into a vessel. If it's bigger than the size of a pin head I consider it to be just a tiny chip. Did that make sense? Best Wishes, Yan

[hedgehogzoom]

Hi Yanny! SEE--I thought the same as you did only on the new info. I found said there are TWO kinds of strawmarks.................... the one was the wavy lines that occurred when glass was produced & the other one happened when glass was underground..........now--lemme tell ya--I am NOT touching that one 'cause it confused me even more! LOL! I did check in over 25 books on glassware to see if I could find a glossary--I KNOW I'd seen one somewhere but I must have checked all the wrong ones! HA HA HA HA! GREAT definition on flea bites I LIKE the bigger than the pin head explanation! May I borrow that one? Take care all--time to go on a glassware expedition! HH

[chubbybowen]

So, I'm EXTREMELY late to the party, but I still wanted to thank all of you for your definitions for flea bites and straw-marks! 🍶 Newbie here! 😊 

Barbie 👋🏻 

[pargran3]

As far I am concerned "flea bites" is just a way to describe chipped up glass. A chip is a chip. Teensy. Tiny. Kinda small. Humungous. It is a chip.