Some Considerations On Lamp-Working Of Glass Objects Between The 14-19Th Centuries (In Italian)

Lamp working is a technique in which a glassworker softens hollow glass tubes or rod and manipulates them over a small flame that can be oriented over a well-defined area in order to create glass objects. Nowadays, the flame is obtained by using gas and oxygen. Up to the 19th century, the flame was produced by burning oil or tallow and was increased/directed by the air produced by a bellows, fixed on a table and moved by pedals. Most of the objects produced were glass beads, which have been widely described in the literature. In this paper, we only consider articles concerning the finishing of blown ware or the making of small animals, flowers, sacred and profane statuettes and scientific apparatus.