Crackle Glass Definition

Crackle glass is a glass whose surface looks like a cracked ice. It is an art of creating cracks on glasses as a part of decorating the glass. Crackle glass was seen making since the 15th century. However, many of the antique crackle glasses that we see now are post 18th century crackle glasses. This glass was seen made in the U.S. and Europe. By the end of the 19th century, companies such as Mt. Washington, Boston & Sandwich, Cambridge, Reading Artistic Glass Works and Hobbs, Brockunier started to produce crackle glasses. It is a glass treatment where the glass is heated; quickly plunged in cold water; and then refired so that small cracks appear on the glass surface. The cold causes cracks on the glass surface of the hot crackle glass. Reheating the glass helps to smoothen the surface and helps in making the glass more stable. It is also known as ice glass or craquele glass. Colored crackled glass was manufactured in 1930s through the 1960s by some West Virginia companies.
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