KERAMIC STUDIO 
111 
GROUP OF AMERICAN GLASSWARE DECORATED BY LAURA HOLTZ O'NEILL 
GLASS DECORATING 
Laura Hollz O'Neill 
HPHE first thing necessary for successful glass decorating is 
-■- to get glass that will stand sufficient fire to develop the 
colors. For many years we have used for decorating imported 
glass, but since the war we must look to our own factories for 
the glass we wish to decorate. To this end a few weeks ago I 
wrote to a number of factories, with the result that many of 
them were booked ahead with all the orders they could fill for 
the year. From those who responded by sending circulars I 
selected and ordered enough to give the glass at horough test, 
so that whatever information I might ha^e to offer would be 
practical. All the glass herewith illustrated as well as the pic- 
ture accompanying my next article is decorated on American 
glass. The factories and dealers from whom I secured my 
glass are wholesale, it would therefore be necessary to order in 
quantities or have some retail dealer do so. 
I had beautiful pieces from the United States Glass Works 
from Tiffin, Ohio, some jewel and bonbon boxes in plain 
crystal, the sparkle of this was equal to imported glass. I also 
had several artistic pieces in colors, viz., amethyst, topaz and 
aurora, the latter having a ground glass effect with beautiful 
iridescence. 
From the Cambridge Glass Works at Cambridge, Ohio, 
I received ebony glass in many beautiful shapes. Their optic 
line is clear and free from flaws. 
At the Mutual China Company of Indianapolis, I found 
a great variety of pieces from American factories. I pur- 
chased a number of pieces and have found much delight in 
decorating and firing them. Among these were pieces from 
United States Glass Co., Bryce Bros., Central Glass Works and 
Westmoreland factory. 
Having secured the pieces you wish to decorate get a simple 
outfit of glass colors. I would suggest for beginners the follow- 
ing: Ruby extra deep, Violet Purple, Best Red, Hair Brown, 
Yellow Brown, Mixing Yellow, Gold Yellow, Transparent 
Orange, Light Green, Dark Green, Outlining Black, Transparent 
Black, Celestial Blue, Peacock Blue, Rose Pink, Deep Carmine, 
and Special Soft Flux No. 2. 
I usually add a little more flux to the colors, since I am 
using the American glass, as it insures a glaze in firing at a lower 
degree of heat. 
After deciding upon your design, if the piece on which you 
are working has a large enough opening, your drawing can be 
held on the inside of the glass and the gold (for glass) outline 
be traced with either pen or red sable outlining brush. I mix 
the gold with Anise oil as it flows more freely and makes deli- 
cate lines. After this gold outline is dry the color can be 
painted in, being careful to avoid getting any color on your 
gold lines. If you feel uncertain about this, after your color 
dries it is well to retrace your gold lines and thereby save a 
second firing. For mixing my glass colors I use the same medium 
I use for china decorating. 
There are beautiful lustres for glass. The Mother of 
Pearl and Iridescent Yellow are especially useful and attractive. 
For the tinted and ebony glass Reusche's "Silver White" 
either alone or touched in places with brilliant enamels is very 
pleasing. You can now secure all colors of glass enamels; 
when I first did glass decorating nearly twenty years ago, in 
fact up to within the past two years, we used white glass enamel 
and colored it with glass colors. This is very satisfactory with 
blues, pinks, greens, yellows and violets, but the red was more 
difficult to control; it was not easy to get a uniformity of color 
in coral, but now that we can get the coral ready mixed this 
trouble is obviated. 
When I use glass enamels I mix them with the same enamel 
medium I use for mixing china enamels, using only enough 
to make the enamel cling together, then thin with fresh turpen- 
tine (not fatty). 
After floating on the enamels let stand over night before 
firing. 
The two jugs, located in my illustration at either side, 
represent a background of water; in these I mixed white enamel, 
using very little in the darkest places and almost pure enamel 
in the high lights; it gives the effect of opaque water colors. 
When you have glass such as decanters, salt and peppers or 
slender necked vases it becomes necessary to draw on your 
design free hand, but in this day when we are doing all of our 
conventional work on china free hand it has prepared us for 
this rather more difficult work of free hand drawing on glass. 
To give variety, instead of always using Roman Gold, 
occasionally make a piece in Liquid Bright Gold. The spark- 
ling brilliancy of the glass kills much of the gaudiness of the 
"Liquid Bright Gold". 
