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| Just like sea glass washed up on the shore... ...the beauty of this unique jewelled colour glass, with all its imperfections, is that it is a very tactile medium. Glass blowing has been a traditional craft in Lebanon and the Levant region since Phoenician times.
The Phoenicians were skilled artisans noted for their fine crafts. From as early as 1500 BC they were known for producing glass mainly for vases and bottles for perfume which they also exported.
The craft of glass making was raised to a fine art by Phoenician artisans, and they may have been the first to develop blown glass.
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| | Ancient crafts for today We actively went searching for a glass blower, and we thought there would be many - since this was such a traditional craft. We were surprised that it took us so long to find one, and even more surprised to discover the last remaining glass blower in Lebanon, running a small family business passed down the generations.
The furnace is a primitive brick contraption built in a court yard with a huge fan blowing through one side. When the fire is lit, it takes a full twenty-four hours for the furnace to reach the correct temperature to work the glass. Once lit, the fire has to be manned day and night whilst the furnace is in use. The entire family and extended family then work around the clock in shifts.
It is vital in the glass blowing process that the furnace temperature is exact, as the heat works with added oxidants to create the different colours of glass. Iron oxides create variations of green, and cobalt that creates a striking deep blue.
One man, a copper pipe and a bucket of water later - and piles and piles of colour sorted broken bottles, jars, and glass shards, are soon transformed into beads, in turn waiting to be transformed into something else. |
| | The beads usually come in varying hues of the same strong luscious colour and no two are ever identical, adding to the uniqueness of each and every piece. The standard colours available are:
Amber, Clear, Green, Cobalt Blue, and Turquoise. (We also supply opaque white glass known here as Sandblast).
These are the colours available for items of cutlery, and tabletop items.
However, in the case of curtain tie-backs, light pulls and for other decorative uses, the glass can be painted in a translucent colour to match practically any decor.
We have incorporated most of the traditional crafts from the Levant region. Using the local materials and craftsmanship to produce little gems that will sit comfortably in our more contemporary homes.
We welcome any suggestions about items that you would like to see included.
We work very closely with the best craftsmen and women, glass blowers, weavers, embroiderers, brass beaters, silversmiths, soap manufacturers, and a host of other people to showcase the best of what is available.
Nothing is impossible. We will attempt to custom make any special orders, and welcome the challenge. |
| Lamasat - Ancient crafts for today |
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