Bottle

Artist John Burton (American, 1894-1985)

Date1967-1977

DimensionsH: 20.7 cm (8 5/32 in.); W: 2 15/32 in. (6.25 cm); Diam (base): 1 7/8 in. (4.8 cm); Diam (rim): 3/4 in. (1.9 cm)

MediumColorless and colored glass, blown, flameworked

ClassificationGlass

Credit LineGift of Mrs. Elsie Burton

Object number

1986.43

Not on View

Label TextJohn Burton, a self-taught flameworker and author, made small utilitarian objects that emphasized the light, fragile nature of glass. He used Pyrex® as his material and made the unusual choice to work with a blowpipe made of glass instead of metal. The glass blowpipe cannot be dipped into molten glass because it would itself melt; hot glass instead must be dripped onto it and then formed by blowing. This unorthodox technique became known as “John Burton’s method.” Burton sought to produce pieces that resembled ancient Egyptian glass, including the patina of natural devitrification (the chemical change of glass to a crystalline state).Published ReferencesPage, Jutta-Annette, The Art of Glass: Toledo Museum of Art, Toledo, Ohio, Toledo Museum of Art, 2006, p. 196, repr. (col.).