Is This Crackle Glass?

[ducksrusmrducks]

I have this really interesting piece I came across. I don't believe it really is vintage crackle glass. I believe it must be a arts and crafts crackled artwork. It is 5 ash trays that have been crackled and are glued together to make a candle holder. What do you all think of it? I like how it sparkles and I'm keeping this one until I get tired of it and then it will be even older and then I can sell it on ebay.

[yanny50]

Ducky, I can't find your photo of crackle glass. I do recall in the 70's I believe it was, people were frying marbles to give them a crackled look. I wonder if someone fried those ash trays in a similar fashion. -- Warmest Regards, Yan

[bb_le_strange]

Too funny, Yanny! :^O I used to fry marbles, way before the seventies. To this day, I love crackle glass. Ah, memories! bb

[ducksrusmrducks]

Sorry, Yanny about the pics. I got too tired and went to bed before I uploaded the pictures, but they are there now. I used to put marbles in the oven and get them hot and then plunge them into ice water to crackle them. O.K. girls, time to confess...I'll go first---I'm 52 honest! I was born in '55. Who's next?

[yanny50]

Photos have been approved Ducky. Those tea light holders are very interesting. I wonder what kind of glue was used to build them together like that. They sure give off a nice amber light. According to my Schiffer Encyclopedia of Glass Crackle Glass: is a s t y l e of glassware that has a rough irregular surface resembling cracked ice. It is made by the technique of crackling. Crackling: A decorating technique applied to glassware by plunging a hot object into cold water to induce radical, random fissure (cracks), and then reforming the piece within a mold after reheating. The part that says the glass is heated again and then reformed in a mold was interesting. I'll show my ignorance on this subject by telling you that I thought the pattern was applied to the surface of the glass to resemble crackling. I should actually read my books more often. :^O (PS... 1948) -- Warmest Regards, Yan -- Edited by yanny50 at 11/13/2008 9:30 PM PST

[bb_le_strange]

I always wondered what prevented the glass from crumbling, as happened to some of my marbles (late 50s to mid-60s). Did it say that the reheating was all that was needed to strengthen the glass? Does the glass partially melt, then bond together along the cracks when cooled? And, on the age thing, I'm having a bit of trouble getting my mind around the approaching biggie. Maybe if I just keep saying it, over and over, it will get easier? 60, 60, 60, sixty, Sixty, SIXTY, OMG!!! SIXTY!!! I never dreamed I'd ever be this old! :O Bev

[gps500reading]

Ooooh, Bev... my wife turned the big 60. It's a tough one! :-x I'll be 59 in February -- born in 1950. Sounds like we're all the same "vintage." How's that for politically correct!!:^O As far as marbles go, I NEVER heard of crackling marbles. Beginning to think I am deprived of an authentic life experience. Now... as far as losing a few marbles; that's another story.....:-) Geoff

[ducksrusmrducks]

What I read is that the piece is refired in a kiln and is actually smooth to the touch in the original older real crackle glass. It is very beautiful and has not been taken seriously by collectors until the last few years. Now it is flying off the shelfs as they say in retail. Regarding the crumbling glass marbles I recall that if they were placed too soon into the ice water they would shatter. They had to be cooled some first. Geoff, you must have led a sheltered life to not have been involved in the crackle craze :^O Personally, I always practice the comming years age a year in advance to take the edge off. Works well!!! 😉 I now can see that I don't have the real old stuff, thank goodness we aren't considered OLD!!!!!

[bb_le_strange]

I can remember agonizing about turning 50 through most of my late forties. When it finally happened, I think the trauma had pretty much run its course. :-) Nevertheless, 60 sounds so Senior Citizen-ish! I should be looking forward to discounts, I guess. I'm always trying to think of some positive things about aging, but the only ones so far are great wisdom (ha, ha), no periods, and no pregnancy. Obviously, not all of you can relate. :-) Hey, Geoff, February 1, 1949 here! Are you an Aquarian, too, or born later in the month? Yeah, I'm losing my marbles, and FAST! Gotta try to avoid tipping my head so they don't just roll right out of my ears. Meanwhile, TGIF, and my son is on his way over to cook dinner -- yippee! Bev

[mortgagetodd]

Sorry to interrupt, but VERY groovy stuff! I'll admit to being the next generation...I'll be 39 on..(wait for it)...February 6! Apparently, Aquarians love the artistic side of life. So, anyway, I always thought my generation was tough...We rode in the backseat of cars that didn't even have seatbelts goshdarnit!(often on the ledge behind the seat, just before the rear windshield; or save that, facing backwards in a station wagon sticking our tongues out at the people behind us...Road rage didn't exist then!). We even rode bicycles without helmets! But you guys...putting marbles in ovens, then basically making them explode in ice water, hmmm? Very tough! I can't wait to show my four year old this! (with safety goggles, natch.);-) Any specific safety instructions I need to be advised of?

[threecrazyladies]

lol and hung out windown like cockerspaniels......sat on each others laps to squeeze in...... we had 17 in a javelin once...... we in drove volkswagons with the floor rotted out and bad clutches til they were flipped upside down on the side of the rode.....then we hitchhiked home.

[ducksrusmrducks]

SAFETY PRECAUTIONS: Put an old towel in the bottom of the container of ice water that you will be plunging the marbles into. That way any of the shards that occur during the shattering will be contained in the towel, which you can then throw away without cutting yourself. Enjoy!!!! Let me know how it turns out....

[threecrazyladies]

we did this back in the seventies my mom and dad and us kids we made lamps like that. and used them for mosaics....the beginnings of a craziness............lol picque assiette is a mosaic form that simply means ......crazy dish stealer....lol -- Edited by threecrazyladies at 11/25/2008 11:02 PM PST

[gps500reading]

Bev-- Feb. 27th (1950) -- Pices -- much crazier than Aquarians! Hell, riding unbelted in the backseat? My parents let us STAND up in the front seat between them!! OMG, it's a wonder we all survived. It was somehow a 'safer' world (or so it seemed) then. We walked all over town alone, no supervision, and everyone knew everyone else!!! My kids were reared in a very different age. G -- Edited by gps500reading at 11/27/2008 7:18 PM PST