Caramel Nest (from the Hand-Built Series)

Date1992

DimensionsH: 8 in. (20.3 cm); Diam: 15 1/2 in. (39.4 cm)

ClassificationGlass

Credit LinePurchased with funds given by Arizona friends of Tom Philabaum

Object number

2013.33

Not on View

DescriptionThe vessel form consists of undulating solid glass shapes built-up into a nest-like structure with the aid of five assistants. Each segment was made by rolling the hot glass in a silver powder and trailing a line of copper ruby glass over its surface. Each “twig” was then hand-shaped with wet newspaper, nestled into its place and fused to the emerging form at the end of the blow-pipe, then cut to size. Upon completion of the piece, which lasted about 2 hours, it was placed back in the glory hole in a "reduction" atmosphere (more gas than air) in an effort to bring the metallic oxides to the surface. It was “soaked” at 920 degrees F for 8 hours and then annealed over 30 hours to room temperature. The base is ground and polished. The vessel form consists of undulating solid glass shapes built-up into a nest-like structure with the aid of five assistants. Each segment was made by rolling the hot glass in a silver powder and trailing a line of copper ruby glass over its surface. Each “twig” was then hand-shaped with wet newspaper, nestled into its place and fused to the emerging form at the end of the blow-pipe, then cut to size. Upon completion of the piece, which lasted about 2 hours, it was placed back in the glory hole in a "reduction" atmosphere (more gas than air) in an effort to bring the metallic oxides to the surface. It was “soaked” at 920 degrees F for 8 hours and then annealed over 30 hours to room temperature. The base is ground and polished.

Exhibition HistoryBergstrom-Mahler Museum, The Legacy of Littleton: Harvey Littleton and His Students, Neenah, WI, Sept. 14, 2012 to Feb. 24, 2013.