Month: September 2022

Glass and crystal have been produced in Bohemia for over 800 years. Today, Bohemian crystal is one of the most sought-after gift items in the Czech Republic thanks in large part to its eye-catching beauty and relatively reasonable price tag. It comes in a staggering number of forms, including glasses, candlesticks, decanters, vases, and chandeliers, to name just a few.

The industry is built on well-established craftsmanship, technical proficiency, and artistic creativity that is highly regarded worldwide.

Where is Bohemia?

Bohemia is the western part of Czechia, the country in Central Europe, bordering Germany, Poland, Slovakia, and Austria.

Bohemia’s terrain and natural features are ideal for the manufacture of glass, resulting in a product of exceptionally high quality. Chalk and potash are readily available, and when they are combined and used in the glassmaking process, they produce durable, dazzlingly clear, colorless glass. Bohemia also has a large supply of silica, which is used to make glass, making it possible to manufacture a wide variety of glass goods.

The History Behind It All

Glassmaking in the region dates all the way back to the 13th century when glass was produced in northern Bohemia’s Lusatian Mountains and used in monastery windows.

Czech Crystal could be produced in large quantities thanks to the Industrial Revolution in the 19th century, and not long after that, it was exported in large quantities all over the world. Additionally, glassmaking schools were created so that the time-honored craft could be handed down to coming generations.

The world’s first unique glassmaking schools, which are unmatched globally and were established in 1856, are where glassmakers receive their training. These specialized schools educate trained painters, technologists, crystal cutters, stained glass artists, and engravers. Leading experts look after each student’s development, transferring their knowledge and abilities to future generations.

Combining Tradition With Modern-Day Skill

Few countries in the world can boast of such a wide range of traditional decorating techniques as those that have been used in the Czech region. Although they use current science and technology, which helps to increase their quality, they mostly rely on hundreds of years-old traditions. From the mouth blowing of the raw product, to its finishing and decorating by means of various techniques, human skill, sense of art, and good taste have always been essential.

Production of crystal in the Czech Republic has a very long tradition and stands today as the best in the world.

Crane Crystal continues this long tradition in the production of Bohemian crystal, offering hand-blown and decorated glassware of many shapes and patterns. Shop the range here.

 

Not too long ago, the majority of us would immediately go for our go-to flutes when cracking open a bottle of champagne. However, over the past couple of years, the question has been raised about how to serve champagne to show it at its best.

Three grape varietals, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Pinot Meunier, make up the majority of champagne, and several production techniques are shared by still and sparkling wines. The bubbles are what really makes a difference.

The Importance of Lead Glass

Innovative new methods were made possible by lead glass. First, since the material was softer, glassmakers could work with it longer. As a result, the trapped air bubbles that were so typical of previous English, Bohemian, and Murano glassware were eliminated from the glass.

Lead glass also had the benefit of being able to be manufactured thin while maintaining strength, which made it ideal for drinking glasses.

The Coupe

It’s rumored that Marie Antoinette’s left breast served as inspiration for the design of this glass.

To the dismay of ardent champagne drinkers, the glass saw a rebirth in the 1920s, a second revival in the 1960s, and finally a recent increase in popularity. While it might make it easier for you to live the flapper lifestyle, the wine’s profile cannot be accurately expressed by its shape.

Since 70% of our sense of flavor is based on scent, the open design causes both the bubbles and aroma to disappear almost rapidly. This means that you are sacrificing a lot of your experience for fashion.

Our Favourites:

The Flute

Champagne drinkers required a glass that allowed the bottle to be divided among many, even if it is now believed to be something that is only consumed on rare occasions.

The slender shape of the flute was ideal for toasting and allowed for a controlled flow. The glass itself has consequently come to represent joy. You can always tell you’re going to have a wonderful time when you arrive at a friend’s house and discover flutes sitting on a bench!

Flutes also improve the bead, which is a plus. All high-quality goods have a little ding or nick at the bottom that stirs the champagne and helps it maintain its fizz as you drink.

Our Favourites:

So what does this mean?

The finest champagne glass for you depends on when and how you enjoy champagne as well as the types of drinks you prefer. While we don’t advise sipping vintage champagne from a plastic cup, you might be a happy traditionalist who won’t settle for anything less than the traditional flute or you might prefer to be on trend and sip champagne from our stemless flutes.

Is wine healthy for you? Let’s put this to rest once and for all. You may have heard that drinking wine isn’t necessarily bad for your health. In fact, it may be beneficial.

Keep reading to discover if your love of wine could be helping or hindering your health.

Choose Red Over White

While red, white, and rosé wines all have health advantages, red wines are more advantageous. Red wines offer a variety of antioxidants that are beneficial to your health because they are produced by fermenting and ripening red grapes that still have their skins on.

One of these antioxidants is polyphenol, which is a natural compound found in various fruits, dark chocolate, and tea. Regular use of polyphenols has been demonstrated to benefit blood sugar control, digestion, and even brain function.

Additionally, studies have shown that red wine’s increased tannin content may benefit heart health. According to research, nations that consume more tannic wine may potentially have longer life expectancies. If you’re looking for wines with high tannins, opt for Cabernet Sauvignon or Syrah.

What are the benefits of red wine?

Improve Cardiovascular Health

Resveratrol is one of the polyphenols found in red wine. Resveratrol’s capacity to protect you from cardiovascular diseases like heart disease and heart attacks has garnered a lot of attention in the scientific community.

Resveratrol may be able to protect wine drinkers from damaged blood vessels, reduce bad cholesterol, help to prevent inflammation, and lower blood pressure and blood clots.

Safeguard Against Certain Cancers

Researchers discovered a connection between regular wine intake and women having a lower risk of ovarian cancer, which may sound too good to be true. A glass of wine each day actually reduced the risk of developing ovarian cancer by 20%, according to an Australian study.

In addition, a 2017 study discovered that resveratrol can aid in the treatment of lung cancer. According to another study, men who regularly consume red wine have a lower risk of dying from prostate cancer.

Improve Gut Health

Regular wine consumption has been linked to better intestinal health in studies. According to one study, red wine may even lower your chances of stomach cancer, gastritis, and ulcers.

The high concentrations of polyphenols in red wine are to blame for these improvements in intestinal health. Additionally, research reveals that red wine in particular possesses prebiotic properties that support the growth of good intestinal bacteria.

A Few Restrictions on Wine’s Health Benefits

As we’ve already mentioned, a lot of this research needs to be viewed with skepticism. While it does seem that wine drinkers are in better overall health, it’s vital to keep the other aspects in mind.

Could something as lovely as wine possibly be beneficial to you?

As always, it’s critical to keep in mind the studies’ limitations and the fact that for optimal health, we must remember to maintain a healthy diet, get enough of exercise, and schedule routine doctor visits.

But it’s difficult to ignore the good news. A regular glass of Pinot Noir could be doing us the world of good, from enhancing our cardiovascular health to protecting us from certain cancers.

So, perhaps it’s time to exchange that beer for a glass of the good stuff?

The techniques created to make glass by hand approximately 2000 years ago are still used today. Malleable when hot but swiftly cooling to become rigid, molten glass must be manipulated with precision and dexterity.

Glass can be produced in a variety of techniques, including mouth-blowing, pressing, and machine manufacturing. All methods rely on the plasticity of glass when hot and its rigidity when cool. Unlike pressed glass, which is created by pressing molten glass into a mold, handmade glass is created by mouth-blowing molten glass.

What is the process of the mouth-blowing method?

This is the simplest and most traditional approach to designing glass. In this method, the blowpipe is terminated by a heated, molten piece of glass. Many specialists refer to this end of the blowpipe as “gather.” After then, the blowpipe is slowly turned and expanded. The process involves adding air to the glass and keeping the gather at the right temperature. The glass may now take on the desired shape thanks to this. The glass must now be taken out. The vessel is removed from the blowpipe using an iron rod. After the procedure is finished, the vessel is heated once again and the shape is clarified further.

Because of the attractive inconsistencies created by the fast heating and cooling, each piece of mouth-blown glass is distinct. The mouth-blown beads are extremely alluring and are meant to give an elegant touch to their wearer.

Why is mouth-blown glass the preferred choice?

We prefer mouth-blown glass as this offers exceptional quality and seemingly endless possibilities for transformation. When the material can be manipulated by hand, experimentation with form, color, texture, and weight becomes possible. Our experience with the material allows us to experiment with different techniques, pushing the boundaries of hand production. Quality, shape, and size are always consistently maintained at capacity however with handmade glass no two pieces are ever identical.

How does one become a glassblower?

Training to be a glassblower can take up to five years. The craft demands excellent coordination, perpetual movement, and intuitive timing. Glassblowers work in teams and it can take up to eight people to create any given product. The time taken to make each piece varies with complexity and size. Each person is responsible for a different element of the process and trains for several years to refine and perfect the specifics of their craft.