Arizona republican., 1912-01-21
GLASS CHRISTMAS TREE ORNA-
 MENTS

" FEN S.
 The acknowledged German center of the glass Christmas Ire" ornament production is in the Thuringian noun tains, twenty-five miles distant from Coburg. where almost the entire pop-
 ulation is dependent on th,s industry.
 IL is here that Christmas is r-any appreciated. and man. wife and child
 work mintcrruptcdly. even the sinal-
 est children helping as soon as they
 can use their hands In th,. small
 village "f Lauscha. at the end Of
 the branch railroad line running from
 Coburg. the largest quantities of the
 gIitering Christmas tree ornaments
 are made.
 The writer has ofen had the pleas
 ure of Investigating their manufac-
 ture. which is not only interesting
 and instructive. but also unique. Fine
 glass; blowing is done in every house
 and hut. and the majority Of the in-
 hab.tants who work on these articles show great talent and dexterity in
 producing the delicate. fragile balls.
 stars. etc. The glass tubes are bought
 by the inhabitants from a local glass
 factory. being either of thick or thin glass, depending altogether upon the article to be produced. To blow the various ornaments these tubes are held over a gas flame which comes out of sort of Runsen burner affixed to the edge of the table. SD arranged that air can be mixed with the gas hy means Of a bellows worked by he foot The tubes are in this manner heated to point where they become soft, and a light puff of breath" is then sufficient to expand the glass mass. although the blower must cal culate the pressure of air to be blown into the tube with care and dcxteritv, | as otherwise the glass immediately as- Sumes much larger size than that 1 desired.
 The professional blowers understand | how to give the mass of glass every | possible form simply by blowing and | pulling. They make animals of every | description, a speciality of theirs be- | ing reindeer. with their delicate legs | and huge antlers. Then there are air | ships and balloons. flying the Amcri- | can flag if intended for the United | States, while the commoner glass ! h every child, are made in profusion.
 Perhaps the most difficult article made is the imitation carnation or rose. where every individual petal has to be formed separately and then to the body This is done by heat. the various parts being fused on, as is also the case when the bod ics of animals have their legs. ears and all other protruding parts at tached
 Although the glass article is then finished it has a very lifeIess. dis appointing appearance. and can not be sold till the necessary charm and grace" is given by means of color" All the beauty of the light glass arti- cles is brought out by the shining sparkling color. The glass blower, however. does not attend to this branch of manufacture. because high ly Colored glass is very seldom used for the simple reason that it is too expensive. The coloring of the glass is generally attended tO by women and children. When a finer article is desired it is given into more artistic hands which understand how tO use a brush.
 Glass balls are painted with rings or other designs, and the other ar ticles are also decorated with q brush. The common round glass balls which are used to decorate the Christmas tree. either singly or strung together m chains. are usually colored on the inside This is done either by drip ping the article in a thin. cheap col bring liquid ar gold and silver bronze in a liquid state is poured into the interior. In this manner gold and silver balls are obtained which look pretty and keep their color long ime. but which. on the other hand. break at the least pressure. Col )ring by simply dipping the glass lritcle in a liquid color is very , easy mechanical work. which is most y done by small children.-Consular , Report. ,