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Author
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Comment
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GailS
Unregistered User
(2/15/03 5:30:16 pm)
| Glass Blowing or Making
in Myth or Folk Tales
Does anyone know of any fairytales, folk tales or myths that mention glass blowing or making glass? Mirrors often play an important role, but I’m looking for glass blowing or glass making as a lead for a freelance article.
Thanks,
GailS
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Jess
Unregistered User
(2/16/03 10:18:21 am)
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Glass making
Gail,
I am pretty sure I have read at least one story or myth about glass making - not glass blowing - but for some reason, I can't quite remember where I read it. You might check National Geographic's archives. They did a really nice story a few years back about glass. That may be where I read the story. I don't have time right now to look it up - probably won't until Wednesday.
Jess
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Lotti
Unregistered User
(2/16/03 11:59:51 am)
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The cold heart
Hello GailS,
I had one tale coming to me right away, "The cold heart" or "Das kalte Herz" as it is called in German. It is an artistic fairy tale by Wilhelm Hauff (I think) and there is the "Glasmännlein" or glass-mannekin in it, which plays a very important role. The tale does not deal with glassblowing as such, but the glass-mannekin wears cloth of glass and is clearly a patron of the art of glass-making. Would that help?
Greetings! Lotti
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GailS
Unregistered User
(2/16/03 1:49:54 pm)
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Glass Tales
Thanks for the tips!
GailS
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Jess
Unregistered User
(2/21/03 1:56:07 pm)
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National Geographic Article
Hi Gail,
Sorry it has taken me so long to get back to you. The NG article is from December 1993 and starts on page 37. It has a "myth" about the origins of glass according to Pliny the Elder, see page 43. I was surprised that the article appeared almost 10 years ago! Must have made an impression on me. Lots of other sources are cited in the article. Hope this helps.
Jess
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GailS
Unregistered User
(2/22/03 6:51:35 am)
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National Geographic Article
Hi Jess,
Thanks for finding the article for me! I tried searching their online archives, and couldn’t find anything that look like it applied. After I finish my freelance article, I’ll probably tackle a couple of short stories. There was a tradition among early 19th century South New Jersey glass blowers, to make “Devil’s Fire” paperweights in the free time their production companies allowed them. Devil's Fire is a spin off of the “Jersey Devil” Folk Tale, and what locals would call flaming swamp gasses.
You can find really interesting weights with swirling flame motifs in them, and some contemporary artists are reviving this tradition. It is a natural link- fire and molten glass. The finished product looks more like fire and ice.
Thank you again,
Gail
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Jess
Unregistered User
(2/22/03 8:54:16 am)
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More paper weight stuff
Gail,
If your article is on paper weights try contacting the Chicago Institute of Art. They have one of the largest paper weight collections in the world. I wonder if the curator there knows any paper weight myths, stories.
Jess
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Kerrie
Moderator
(2/22/03 10:03:05 am)
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Josh Simpson and other leads?
You may also want to look into Josh Simpson and his Inhabited series:
www.seekersglass.com/arti...impson.htm
www.joshsimpson.com/
Here are some other potential leads:
www.theglassstudio.com/links.html
www.fly-by-net.com/lookingglass.html
The artists and studios listed may have some referrences...
Sugarplum dreams,
Kerrie
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rosemary
Unregistered User
(2/22/03 10:52:11 am)
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Luthi
Max Luthi talks a lot about the use of glass in fairy tales. I don't recall anything about glass blowing. In at least one story where the king required suitors to climb a glass mountian, he constructed the mountain, but it didn't say how he constructed it.
Rosemary
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Kerrie
Moderator
(2/22/03 2:55:51 pm)
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Old topic: Glass...
This old topic might help as well:
www.surlalunefairytales.c...s_pg1.html
Sugarplum dreams,
Kerrie
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GailS
Unregistered User
(2/23/03 6:14:36 am)
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Glass Story
Jess: Thanks for the tips about the Chicago Institute of Art. The article I’ve sold has a regional slant, so I’m featuring Wheaton Village and their collection of weights. But the name of the game in freelance is repackaging & reselling, so I’ll be sure to look them up. They may also have further insight into glass myths & lore.
While my story has a regional slant, my editor has a MFA in poetry. He likes when I use classical or literary references. Hence my search for glassblowing myths, or fairytales. When I wrote a similar story about tapestries, my intro included the Arachne myth.
Kerrie: Funny you should mention Seekers. We visited their gallery 6-7 years ago, and bought some of our first Contemporary American glass pieces there. They have a fine selection.
Thanks for the link to the thread.
If any of you get to New Jersey, Wheaton Village offers visitors the opportunity to make-your-own-paperweight for $55 + $6 shipping. You work with a reconstructed 1880's furnace, so it’s an interesting experience. I made my second weight there, to write a first person account for my story.
Thanks for the help,
GailS
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Helen
Registered User
(2/23/03 11:29:37 am)
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Byatt ...
A.S. Byatt included a story concerning the transformative properties of glasswork in _Fire and Ice_. I don't know if it stemmed from an older source, or if it was entirely her own invention, but it might be worth looking into ...
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