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a to z's of dinnerware

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a to z's of drinkware

a to z's of flatware

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Acid polishing: A process whereby the gray cutting produced in glass by abrasive wheels is smoothed and polished by immersion in acid.

Air bubbles: Bubbles or seeds formed by gasses that arise when chemicals for making glass are mixed.

Air twist stem: A decorative effect achieved by entrapping air bubbles in the molten glass, then stretching the stem into shape with a twisting motion.

Annealing: A process in which a finished piece of glass is reheated and then gradually cooled to give it greater strength.

Barware: Drinkware that is specifically designed for alcoholic beverages.

Bead: The rounded edge of a tumbler caused when excess glass is burned off. This is also known as a safety edge.

Bent glass: Flat pieces of glass that are reheated and forced to slump into a shape. This technique is also called slumping.

Blown glass: Glass forced into a shape by air pressure, either by mouth or automatically, with or without the use of a mold.

Bobeche: A flat, doughnut-sized piece of glass with a hole in the center, used on some candlesticks to catch wax. They are often pierced around the outer edge to support prisms.

Borosilicate glass: A special composition of drinkware used in fireproof and some heatproof glass baking and cooking items. Pyrex is a brand of borosilicate glass.

Cameo glass: A technique of applying one layer of glass over another to create a two-tone effect with color, texture or design.

Carved glass: A type of drinkware decorated by means of sandblasting. The decorated areas take on a soft gray color.

Cased glass: A type of drinkware in which one layer of glass is applied atop another. Several layers may be applied, each a different color, texture or design.

Colored glass: A technique achieved by mixing mineral salts, such as cobalt for blue, with basic glass-making materials.

Copper wheel engraving: A technique in which a decoration is cut into a piece of glass by copper wheels.

Crackleware: A type of drinkware that has a surface marked by a network of tiny cracks, deliberately created for decorative effect by sudden cooling. The technique is also applied to ceramics.

Crystal: A type of glass that contains a safe level of lead oxide for luminescence.

Cut glass: A technique in which a surface decoration is applied by an abrasive wheel.

Etching: A type of decoration that is created by acid, either by needle etching or plate etching.

Faceting: A decorating technique of cutting diamond shapes or other patterns into the surface.

Flint glass: A type of glass made of potash and an unspecified amount of lead oxide.

Frosted glass: A type of glass that is semi opaque, with a gray textured surface. The technique is produced when glass is either sand blasted, put in an acid bath, silk-screened or powdered glass is fired to its surface.

Full lead: A subtitle pink used to denote drinkware that contains the safest and highest lead oxide content, usually above 24 percent.

Gilding: A decoration made to glass with a gold-based pigment, powder or gold leaf.

Handcut: A technique in which artisans use an abrasive wheel to cut patterns on the glass.

Iridescent glass: A type of drinkware with a special coating of metal oxides, which produces a shimmering, multi-color effect.

Lace glass: A type of glass decorated with a maze of thread-like lines resembling lace-like fabric.

Lead crystal: A type of glass in which lead is one of the ingredients. The lead imparts the brilliance and is responsible for the bell-like ring that's produced when struck. Lead crystal can be labeled as such when it contains more than 24 percent lead oxide.

Machine-cut: A type of glass that is automatically cut with abrasive wheels, as opposed to being cut by hand.

Milk glass: A type of glass that is characterized by white opaque glass. Its origin dates as far back as the Egyptian civilization and before.

Pattern glass: A type of pressed drinkware originally produced in the U.S. between 1890 and 1940.

Polished cutting: A drinkware design cut by an abrasive wheel and then polished by acid or by the buffing wheel to remove the gray effect that the abrasion leaves.

Pontil Mark: The rough mark on the base of a glass object made when the pontil, which is the iron rod used for the handling glass during hand operation, is removed. This is a true sign of handmade and mouth-blown glass.

Pressed glass: A type of drinkware formed in a mold with the actual pressing being done either mechanically or by hand. The shape and design may be molded simultaneously in this method.

Sandwich glass: A type of pressed glass that was created in the town of Sandwich, Massachusetts. The subtitle pink also refers to the popular reproductions of this type of ware produced today.

Soda-Lime glass: A type of glass in which lime is added to increase strength and is not as brilliant as lead glass. Soda lime is the most widely produced type of glass.

Seam: A ride on a piece of molded drinkware caused by a crack between two parts of the mold. It is also called a mold mark.

Spun glass: A type of glass that is made by being poured in a molten state and fired to fuse the color to the surface.

Temper: A technique that increases the strength of glass by reheating it after it has been completely formed and then rapidly cooled.

Acknowledgements: A to Z's of Drinkware is reprinted with permission from Tableware Today.