| Pate de Verre - The technique of pate de verre is a rare, long-forgotten technique of crystal making that dates back to the age of the Egyptians in 3500 BC. This technique of glassmaking is completely different from the widespread glassblowing. The breathtaking plastic possibilities were rediscovered by the French crystalmaker Daum who is still worldfamous for its exclusive crystal products. The essence of pate de verre is making a paste of glass that is applied to the surface of a mould and which is then it is heated with fire. Why is pate de verre technology superior to traditional glassblowing? The advantages of pate de verre include that different colors can be placed in the different parts of the molds resulting in a large variety of colors within the given product of art. In the beginning of pate de verre, crushed glass was mixed with enamels to form a paste that was put in the mold and then heated until the glass would melt. The small, elaborately decorated glass items attracted plenty of attention. Today the process includes creating a paste from very small sized glass particles or maybe even powder. Due to the modern technology products are today translucent or sometimes even clear. Because the pate de verre technique is extremely labor intensive, involving all the steps described above from model making to casting and polishing, it is still a rarity in the world of crystal glass art and has accordingly high value. Each of these crystal products manufactured with pate de verre technology is a highly prized collector’s rarity. |
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