Waterford was established by Viking settlers around 853 AD, becoming their primary stronghold in Ireland after Dublin. The name comes from the Old Norse “Veðrafjǫrðr,” often interpreted as “ram fjord” or “windy fjord”.
Today, nobody cares much about that, or the maritime history that later developed. It’s all about the crystal. But back in the day, you’d have cared about the Viking arrival a lot. Consider this mother’s advice to her Viking son.
Get thee a ship and go on the sea and kill men.
Moms. Don’t they give the best advice?
This is the defensive tower built by Vikings after their arrival. It’s said to be one of the first uses of mortar, mortar that included blood among its ingredients. You can probably guess whose blood.
But we weren’t here to study Vikings and their merry ways. We were here for the crystal, and to see how it’s made.
The workers you’re about to see started with a five year apprenticeship. Their “exam” was to produce, in one hour, a crystal bowl whose pattern included all the different types of cuts used by Waterford. Three years on the job would earn the title of Master.
Here is step one: blowing the basic shape. Any piece later determined imperfect (one pinhead-sized air bubble, for example) results in the piece being broken, melted, and the glass reused.
The piece, still about 800 degrees, is placed in a kiln (note the giant mitts) where it is gradually cooled overnight to room temperature.
When cool, the piece will be cloudy. The next step is to polish, inspect for imperfections, and do basic shaping, like beveled edges.
Next comes Marking, where the basic lines of the pattern are traced onto the glass with felt pens. Some are manually drawn, some with a simple device like this.
Cutting is done using a variety of tools: copper wheels, grinding stones, sandblasting. A few deep, specialized cuts are made by machine.
Here are some custom or limited production pieces completed or nearing completion.
After the tour, a chance to admire and purchase.
What a great place to visit, and learn about our crystal, eh? You have Lismore, I have Boyne (mostly), Donegal and Coleen (short). I got mom a set of Araglin years ago (She turns 95 on the 27th–living proof that drinking out of Waterford promotes long life!)
Thank you for this dearest post!
I’ll tell you sometime about Giovanni Baronne, my Portland glass grinder and polisher, who has recently (and long ago) aided me in the goblet lip post-toast “flea bite” chip repair efforts! His brother lives in Kent, and does the same business. It seems so far away!
My recital with the James Joyce “I Hear an Army”–thank you for The Forty Foot reference–set to music by Samuel Barber, went off with wild and crazy effort from both singer and pianist yesterday. I felt closer to the music, knowing you, dear friends, are walking in his footsteps near the sea. Love, MEB
Beautifl work. Oddly, crystal’s market value in the US has dropped massively over my lifetime. My sister was given a 60 piece set of fine crystal by a woman for whom she did housekeeping as a teen. It was then quite old. When my sister downsized and sought to sell it a couple years ago, she pretty much had to give it away. As with wood furniture, people today apparently want disposalbe everything that they don’t have to dust or clean as it sits in the display cabinet. A shame, but losing our taste for fine things goes along with many changes in our era.