08/24/2025
Glassblowing artisan Cory Duda crafts a wine glass at the Simon Pearce studio in Quechee, VT. June 16, 2025.
Glassblowing is a glassforming technique that involves inflating molten glass into a bubble (or parison) with the aid of a blowpipe (or blow tube). A person who blows glass is called a glassblower, glassmith, or gaffer. Glassblowing involves heating glass to extremely high temperatures to make it malleable. The initial melting of raw glass materials typically occurs at around 2,400 degrees Farenheit (1,320 degrees Celsius), where the glass becomes a liquid and appears almost white hot. Once molten, the glass is transferred to a working furnace where its temperature is reduced to approximately 2,000 F (1,090 C), appearing bright orange, which is the primary working temperature range for shaping. Most glassblowing is performed between 1,600 and 1,900 F (870 and 1,040 C).
