Making glassware involves skill, design, technique and tradition. Man has been using glass for over 3 thousand years using a rudimentary form of glassblowing using a blow pipe, a technique, although much advanced, which is still used today.
Dartington Glass is one of the world's most renowned leading manufacturers of fine clear crystal. For over 3 decades its distinctive packaging and the fact that it's only sold at the most discerning stores helps cement this excellent reputation.
The Dartington glass factory at Torrington has its roots in south Devon at Dartington Hall, an exquisite home owned by Dorothy and Leonard Elmhurst who were wealthy Americans. They used their wealth to create a social vision in the mid 1920's where a centre and trust was established dedicated to revitalise the area which had suffered rural depopulation and economic downturn. The centre principally was set up for farming skills and education and to reignite the skills from local arts and country crafts. However in the 60's once their main objectives had been achieved in that area the Trust branched out, became more diverse, and turned to North Devon which was then in need of a similar assistance – with the same issues of unemployment and depopulation. So a factory was built to make traditional handmade English glass and this in turn led to the formation of Dartington Crystal in 1967.
The concept was inspired by Swedish skill and experience in handmade glass as the first manager was from a similar factory in Sweden, who brought in his own team of glass artisans from Scandinavia. Gradually the skills were passed on to a generation of English craftsmen and since that time the factory has become a major local employer whose success has been built on making beautiful, perfectly handmade glassware. Some 300 people are now employed and the glass is exported to approximately 50 counties all over the world – the name Dartington being synonymous with excellence, beautiful design and clear crystal. The Dartington UK factory being one of the only remaining large scale crystal factories in existence.
The term Crystal is often confused with meaning cut glassware however it is not glassware rather the ingredients used to distinguish normal glass into stronger, heavier glass which is a good reflector of light.
To start with a ‘Batch' is made which uses sand, lead oxide, fine potash and other compounds such as decolouring agents. In addition broken glass called cullet is recycled into the mix. Each evening a new batch is made which is then placed in clay pots and put in the furnace for approx 10 hours at a massive 1400 degrees centigrade; this is then reduced to a working temperature of around 1100 degrees. The clay pot only lasts about 6 weeks due to this intense heat.
The molten glass is then passed to Expert Blowers. They work in teams of between six and eleven depending on the complexity of the item being made. Different grades of blower exist – at the top of the tree you have the master blower, then deputy blowers, then gatherers and carriers – all in all it takes about 10 years to have learnt the skills required to become a master blower.
The blowers gather molten glass which they call a gob on the end of a blow pipe and work it in an anticlockwise direction whilst a bubble is blown into the gob of glass. This rotation and manipulation is the starting point in forming each individual piece – the blower needing to not only control the swing and rotation but temperature as well. This is then rolled onto a marver (called marvering and is basically a thick flat piece of metal) or wet newspaper or scoop. This helps to form a cooler skin on the gob to aid shaping. The molten glass can then be placed in a mold for shaping, these molds being prepared from graphite from age old methods. The mold facilitates the shape and texture of glass as the interior of the mold design determines the shape of the piece.
As the molten glass is lowered into the mold it is blown until it starts to take shape and is smoothed by the jacket of steam created between the mold and hot glass. At this stage the blower can add stems or handles. For larger pieces such as jugs surplus glass is cut with shears to create the rim and the molten glass is placed in something called a glory hole to make the lip. Finally the handle is attached.
Pieces are cooled at a predetermined rate based on years of experience to ensure no tensions build up as they would lead to the piece shattering. Once the item has been fashioned it is placed on a conveyer tunnel called a lehr, this cools from 500 degrees to room temperature over some 4-6 hours, a process called annealing. During this cooling process the pieces are inspected and any rejects are sent for recycling as part of the initial stage and are used again in a future batch.
During the blowing stage a moil is created which is the top part of the piece and is the excess between the blowing pipe and final product - this needs removing by a process called 'cracking off'. The item is then scored to its final height and gas jets are used to cut off surplus glass. At this stage the piece looks close to the final finish but edges are incredibly sharp and need to be bevelled or ground down with emery glass. This can be done manually or by the top melt machine where the edges are remelted to leave them rounded and smooth e.g. for drinkware such as Dartington Crystal Sharon. The final stage of the process involves a wash, dry and final inspection.
So you see for each piece of Dartington crystal purchased there is a great deal of time and effort involved. So appreciate their high standards and choose Dartington glass for gifts or for use in the home – appreciate, use and love these wonderful pieces of glassware.
Glassware Care
When you invest in special glassware you need to know how to care for it to keep it looking at its best.
As with all fine china it is best to wash items carefully by hand – particularly if they are big and weighty. However this said, a lot of glassware can we washed in the dishwasher. If unsure always check with the manufacturer beforehand. If you are confident with your dishwasher’s washing ability and wish to use it then make sure its levels are topped up, it is clean and check the filters too for any blockages which may affect the end result. It may be best to limit the cycle to glassware only for best results and only use a reputable dishwasher tablet brand – and if you can find one which says it is suitable for glassware – or mentions for shine or brilliance then even better.
When stacking the dishwasher take extra care – make sure the pieces are safe – e.g. won’t topple over and that they are free of other items and at a sufficient distance apart so they won’t chink against each other and potentially cause damage. Select the appropriate programme – don’t use a hot one - a low temperature cycle is best. Some newer model dishwashers actually have a programme for Crystal & Glassware so if you are fortunate enough to have one of these, of course choose this setting. Generally prolonged dishwashing of glassware will take its toll so where possible try to wash separately by hand.
When washing by hand set up your work station – if you have a hard sink you may wish to either use a washing up bowl with a softer finish just in case the glassware hits the hard surface of the sink and becomes damaged, or perhaps place some tea towels in the bottom of the sink instead. Next ensure you have a drying area – a couple of cloths laid next to the sink will help protect the glassware on the work surface and also soak up additional water before you can begin to dry thoroughly. Again choose a detergent suitable for cleaning glassware (not one which smells strongly or is heavily scented) and start to wash the pieces using warm (not hot) soapy water with a soft cloth – a microfiber cloth is useful here to remove any marks or lipstick for instance. After washing rinse each item with clear warm water to remove any suds, make sure the water temp is the same as for washing as any rapid temperature changes may damage the crystal. Check the soapy water regularly to see if it needs to be refreshed.
Next dry each piece individually with a soft cloth – you can buy microfiber cloths specifically for drying glassware and these would be ideal – they help give a streak free sparkling finish, if not choose a lint free cloth. When handling hold glasses by the bowl and not the stem and try to avoid twisting the stem as you dry as both of these actions may lead to the stem snapping off. Once dry the glasses can be put back into storage – always store the right way up – storing on the rim may result in chips so is best avoided. Also never stack them on top of each other. When storing protect them from dust and also from any strong aromas which may ‘cling’ to the glass. Before use next time – always check and wash again if possible or failing that give a good polish with a clean cloth.
Other useful facts to know about caring for crystal:
- Change water regularly in vases to prevent staining and water marks
- Decanters should be refreshed often too and this will help stop stains.
- If staining does occur try and remove with vinegar – either neat, dilute or with an abrasive substance such as rice to help remove the stain as the piece is swirled.
- Crystal shouldn’t go near a microwave, oven or freezer.Nor should it be in direct contact with a naked flame.
- If using with utensils take extra care with metal items and preferably only use wooden ones.
With careful love and attention your crystal glassware will always look as good as the day it was bought.