One
of the last remaining European folk arts, the art of glass blowing
actually dates back to the
second half of the first century, B.C.E. It began along the
Eastern Coast of the Mediterranean
Sea and quickly spread throughout the Roman Empire. The blowing
of glass ornaments began
in Germany, Poland and Czechoslovakia about 150 years ago, where
Christmas decoration and tradition is particularly strong. In
the eastern part of Germany, basic ball and fruit designs were
most commonly blown. In Poland, glass ornaments and reflectors
were used as year-round
decoration in mobiles and wreaths, while in Czechoslovakia,
the art of glass beads was being perfected. The decoration became
more elaborate and sophisticated as this cottage industry
practiced its craft. Sadly, Communism almost obliterated the
craft after World War II, when the emphasis of manufacturing
became one of quantity, instead of quality. Recently,
some of the molds of ornaments from long ago were uncovered
and the industry
has been enjoying a renaissance. There is an inherent quality
in a product which is hand-blown
and hand-decorated. Mass-packaged and machine-made pieces
simply do not have the same
level of craftsmanship, tradition and timelessness. The demand
for these hand-blown,
hand-painted ornaments is so prevalent today, that not only
are the old European molds
being blown once again, but also innovative new molds interpreting
fresh ideas into glass. |
