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I've been thinking about glass--glassblowers in particular who are just about the coolest, hot people on earth. (I'll save my arguments here...)
Anyway, I'm wondering about what makes the red glass red--I think it's gold; and what makes the cobalt blue glass blue--have no idea; and then there's that green glass--is that just plain ol' sand, ash, and the other third thing I can never remember that causes natural green glass? And how about clear glass? What is it called?
If anyone knows what these colors of glass are properly called, I sure would be appreciative of your posting that info here. And if you know what makes 'em what they are in the blowing, even better! And, if you've never personally seen a glassblower at his/her work, well, you just ain't lived yet!
From the other side of the looking glass,
WindWrought A vessel produced by a glassblower's oh-so-skillful mouth
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Cobalt is the metalic element they use to make the glass blue - thus Cobalt blue (which, is a colour I absolutely adore).
I don't know about the other colours, though I'll be very interested in finding out.
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"Probably the second most asked question is....."How do you make different colors ?". That can be done by adding the precise amounts and combinations of various metal oxides. With Cobalt Oxide you get blue, with Iron you can get green, with Gold you can create a beautiful cranberry colored glass.(and a rather deep hole in your wallet) The coloring agents we will be using for our Ruby are Cadmium and Selenium. " How colored glass is made: http://www.ironandglass.com/howglass.htm
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Dear wwh,
I knew you'd come through with a link--just knew it! Thanks a lot. It would be good to see the elements/minerals/whatever used to get all the different colors of glass.
Best regards,
WordWindowpane
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Dubya, glad you brought it up, i love glass. any one passing through NY State on their way to wordapalooza might want to stop at Corning, and visit the glass musuem.
CK and SWMBO passed on it (as i recall, he said something to the effect of $10 a piece was a bit too much to pay to see some glassware?!)
but i love it. they have giant (three footers or so) glass springs-- that they compress about 10%!, and then they spring back! an a column of glass, 10 feet long (3 + meters) that is so clear, you can read a newspaper (you stand at one end, the newspaper is 10 feet away!)
they have ancient glass-- imagine, a small glass bottle, 5 thousand years old, and still intact! (this coming from a person who has to replace her drinking glasses ever 5 years or so!)
they have the stuebens glass factory there too, you can watch the glass blowers go into the the honey pot of molten glass and lead, and before your eyes, form a crystal sculpture!
(CK, you were wrong to miss it, IMHO!)
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Thanks for the site Bill. It will take some time getting through it all but it is really interesting so I marked it off for after my AWADing.
=======================================================
Corning sound like a good idea Helen. I wonder if it's open year-round?
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I wonder if it's open year-round?
Yes, it is! And it is a beautiful place to boot! Corning is easy to get to, and the factory has an admission price under $10. We have been there many times and it always fascinates me. I watched a glass worker with a solid rod of glass create a teddy bear. After the demonstration, and after a cooling period, my husband purchased that same teddy bear for a small fee. It is something I will always treasure as a gift from him on our honeymoon.
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In pottery glazes, minerals are the basis for the glazes as well. They are mixed, or not, and made liquid for dipping or application with a brush. There are many recipes for colors of all kinds. Dangerous metals are no longer used in glazing pottery (i.e. lead) but raku, a very shiny, showy type of glaze is not reccomended for dinnerware or coffee mugs. Some glazes are still somewhat dangerous to potters if care is not taken in the application, but are safe when fired. It is not reccomended that pregnant women glaze pottery. A glaze is a "glassing" of the exterior of the pottery. But, y'all knew that. 
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All you sci-fi fan-- help me if you can-- there is a wonderful story about a Yellow glazed bowl..does anyone remember who wrote it? or the name of it. (it might be the The Yellow Bowl)
and there is some beautiful yellow glass in the Corning museum, and both the glaze (in the story) and the glass, in the museume, are created by the addition of uranium salts! the corning museum has a geyger counter near the glass (or it did year ago) the glass has a very low level of radiation, and needless to say, its not recommended for use, but oh, what a yellow!
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Dear of troy: perhaps you are thinking of Ming Yellow. There was a story about it in Saturday Evening Post almost sixty years ago.
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