April 18, 2023 木本誠一

06 | History of Glass 3: The Birth of Crystal Glass

Around the end of the 17th century, Ravenscroft in England successfully developed lead crystal glass by incorporating lead into the glass raw material. Lead oxide was used instead of soda ash to induce a chemical change, making the lead harmless. Crystal glass is almost colorless and transparent, with a beautiful brilliance.

This brought attention to England's glass manufacturing technology, and by the end of the 18th century, companies such as Waterford Crystal were producing crystal glass. They even received orders from King George III of England at the time, and it became a "status symbol" representing a special position in aristocratic society.

Also, in the same 17th century, the production of potash crystal began in the Bohemia region, using wood ash sourced from the area as a raw material. Potash crystal boasts a hardness and transparency comparable to quartz, allowing for delicate decorations using techniques employed in gem carving. Many exquisitely decorated glasses were created using a cold work technique, where decorations are applied after the glass is manufactured and cooled, especially engraving (a cutting technique that uses a rotating carving machine to abrade glass) (similar to the Edo Kiriko technique) to carve and decorate the glass. These were later mass-exported worldwide as Bohemian crystal by a Czech state-owned company.

In France, crystal manufacturing also flourished and was highly acclaimed for its excellent quality and technology, leading to the creation of many famous manufacturers such as Daum, Saint-Louis, and Lalique.

Baccarat, which many of you know well, was granted permission by King Louis XV of France in 1764 to establish a glass factory in the village of Baccarat in the Lorraine region. In 1816, Baccarat began producing crystal glass, and its glass manufacturing, cutting techniques, and decorative techniques such as gilding have been continuously passed down to the present day. In 1841, the "Harcourt" series, which continues to this day, was born. In 1896, Baccarat received a special order from Russian Emperor Nicholas II and supplied a luxurious glass set, including glasses for vodka.

Currently, manufacturing is carried out in the village of Baccarat by craftsmen holding the M.O.F. (Meilleur Ouvrier de France), the highest award for French artisans, as well as in other countries outside of France.