Table of Contents
What are mercury glass ornaments? Mercury glass (or silvered glass) is glass that was blown double walled, then silvered between the layers with a liquid silvering solution, and sealed. … Sealing methods include metal discs covered with a glass round or a cork inserted into the unpolished pontil scar.
How can you tell if a Christmas ornament is mercury glass?
One of the most important indicators that an ornament is vintage is patina, or the wear that comes with age. Antique and vintage Christmas ornaments will show some wear, even if they are in excellent condition. You’ll see the mercury glass flaking off a bit or the metal taking on a dull appearance from tarnish.
Are vintage mercury glass ornaments safe?
Antique ornaments could contain a small amount of mercury mixed with other metals trapped between the two glass layers of the ornament’s walls. If you have an old mercury glass ornament that breaks, call Poison Control, which will walk you through how to air out the room carefully and clean up any mercury.
What is a mercury ornament?
Mercury glass is blown, silvered, and painted to look artistically pleasing. It was first created around 1840 and lives on today in decorative objects like ornaments. Jamali Garden has a wide variety of mercury glass balls and holiday decorations to suit your needs.
Does mercury glass have lead in it?
Mercury glass tree topper: 207 ppm Lead + 462 ppm Arsenic.
Is mercury glass worth anything?
Mercury glass is still relatively inexpensive. A vase in perfect condition might cost between $80 and $100; painted pieces can sell for $200 or more; colored, engraved, cut, and labeled pieces can fetch more than $1,000. And serious collectors want their glass perfect (unless it is in some rare form).
What is the most expensive Christmas ornament?
The most valuable ornament is an emu egg set in 24-carat gold (that’s the purest gold available) and covered in diamond dust. That decoration alone is worth £8.9 million. It’s not the first time Christmas has come with a weighty price tag – here are five other expensive festive decorations.
Can mercury glass be washed?
The problem is that the silvery finish could wipe off the glass if it comes in contact with glass cleaner, ammonia, or even plain water. Feel free to clean any non-finished surfaces, such as the inside of vases or jars, with window cleaner.
Are glass ornaments toxic?
Tinsel, ornaments, and lights can all be very hazardous to pets. Metallic and glass ornaments can cause cuts and bleeding. If they’re ingested, these items can cause even more severe internal damage, such as gastrointestinal obstruction, which is likely to require surgery.
Are glass ornaments better?
Historically, glass has been the preferred style for Christmas Ornaments, but Shatterproof Ornaments are just as stunning and provide the peace of mind in knowing that they won’t break if dropped. Even on carpet, glass ornaments can easily shatter, leaving a dangerous and costly mess.
How old are mercury glass ornaments?
“Mercury” silvered glass was produced originally around 1840 until at least 1930 in Bohemia (now the Czech Republic), Germany and was also manufactured in England from 1849 to 1855.
Is mercury glass safe for food?
It has to be mirror paint. It is not food safe. In order to make it slightly more food safe, you can apply the finish on the outside instead. However, it won’t look as much like actual mercury glass, in which the metal is sandwiched between two thin layers of glass.
What Colour is mercury glass?
True mercury glass is silver, but you can switch it up with gold, bronze, or even another metallic spray paint color. Here’s how to do it in five simple steps.
Does mercury glass fade?
As it began to fade from popular favor, mercury glass could be found in purely decorative objects like Christmas ornaments. Because the glass was usually not perfectly sealed, antique mercury glass can tarnish or deteriorate. Delamination is also a common issue among antique mercury glass pieces.
How do you date a Shiny Brite ornament?
Dating of the ornaments is often facilitated by studying the hook. The first Shiny Brite ornaments had the traditional metal cap and loop, with the hook attached to the loop, from which the ornament was hung from the tree.
What is silver glass?
Silvered glass (also know as Mercury Glass or sometimes, Varnish Glass) is double-walled glassware with a silver coating inside the walls, similar to the silvering on a vacuum flask liner. The first patent for silvered glass was taken out in 1849 by Hale Thomson and Edward Varnish in England.
How do you identify a Kugel ornament?
Original kugels are generally lined inside with silver. The outside colors are red, cobalt, blue, green, silver, gold and amethyst. There is a hole in the top of each ornament which is concealed by a brass cap. Caps may or may not have an embossed design.
What is Kugel ornament?
The kugel was a large hollow ball ranging in size from 1 inch to 18 inches. Smaller ones were used for tree decorations. The blown, molded, figural glass ornaments that we are familiar with today evolved from the tradition of blowing kugels. These ornaments were not sold in America until 1880.
Are old Christmas ornaments worth money?
Because ornaments have been used annually on holiday trees since around the turn of the 20th century on into the 1920s, they rarely come to market in pristine condition now. When they do, they’re worth a good bit of cash to collectors. Some of these beauties have been reproduced as well.
