The History of Lampworking

THE ART OF LAMPWORKING has been around for many centuries in one form or another. It is difficult to ascertain when it first came into existence as the procedures used to create lampworked beads have changed over time, depending on technologies available to artists.

The most renowned area for lampworked beads was centred in Venice with many of its glass making techniques having been developed throughout those eras.

Lampworking got its name from the simple fact that the beads were originally made over an oil-lamp with the artist blowing air into the flame through a pipe to regulate the intensity of the flame. Modern day lampworkers use torches that can burn propane, natural gas or butane for the fuel (depending on the country where they’re located) with air or pure oxygen (produced by an oxygen concentrator) as the oxidiser. The art of lampworking isn’t only limited to the making of beautiful beads, but also glass vessels, artworks and scientific tools (particularly for chemistry).

Our ancient glass making ancestors