lamp·work·ing
(lampwûrking) n.
The process of sculpting glass by twirling thin rods of colored glass over a gas-oxygen burner.
Lampworking is a type of glasswork where a torch or lamp is primarily used to melt the glass. Once in a molten state, the glass is formed by blowing and shaping with tools and hand movements. It is also known as flameworking or torchworking, as the modern practice no longer uses oil-fueled lamps. Although lack of a precise definition for lampworking makes it difficult to determine when this technique was first developed, the earliest verifiable lampworked glass is probably a collection of beads thought to date to the fifth century BC. Lampworking became widely practiced in Murano, Italy the 14th century. In the mid 19th century lampwork technique was extended to the production of paperweights, primarily in France, where it became a popular art form, still collected today. Lampworking differs from glassblowing in that glassblowing uses a furnace and glory hole as the primary heat source, although torches are also used.
Lampworking is used to create artwork to accentuate your home and life, including glass beads, figurines, marbles, jewelry, sculptures, Christmas tree ornaments, and much more.
Borosilicate
Lampworkers use borosilicate glass, a very hard glass requiring greater heat. Borosilicate originated as laboratory glass (beakers and flasks), but it has recently become available in color to the studio artist from a number of companies.