Silver Tree Crystal has been based
in the heart of the Somerset Levels
since 2002 and comprises a small team
passionate about their craft. They fuse
modern ideas with age-old techniques
to give their beautiful crystal glassware
its individuality.
Today Silver Tree Crystal creates
products from tiny scent bottles to
decanters, bud vases, large freeblown
lampshades and everything in between.
The relationship with Robert Welch
CRAFTSMANSHIP: A GLASSMAKER'S STORY
began in 2005 and today the studio
still makes a range of stemware,
decanters and tumblers. The beautiful
and distinctive air twist stems of one
of the designs has been around since
the mid 18th Century requiring a tricky
technique that takes skilled Master
Glassblowers months to perfect.
The production process calls for
blowing, shaping, cutting, grinding
and polishing, and with one false
move an entire piece may be lost.
Glassmaking is all about “timing and temperature” says Master Glassblower, Paul Larner. Speed and precision are essential as glass cools very quickly. Each object starts life in the heart of the furnace, with Paul taking an initial gather of glass on the blowing pipe, carefully shaping it and adding a bubble of air. Then he takes a second gather, working this into the basic form then re-heating the glass and blowing into the mold for the shape. A small gather
of glass known as a ‘bit’ is dropped onto the base of the wine glass bowl.
The glassmaker uses his tools called ‘Jacks’ (giant tweezers) to shape and lengthen the stem. This process is repeated to create the foot of the wine glass. Once the foot has been formed and measured, it’s quickly placed in the annealing oven, a vital part of the process that cools the glass making it stable and safe for use.
Each piece is then finished by hand, the quality is checked and if any imperfections
are found they are re-melted to be made again. Every piece, whether glass or decanter, is reliant on the teamwork between glassmaker and assistant.