Discover the magic of blown glass in Mallorca
Silica sand, sodium carbonate - a type of white and translucent salt - limestone, and a temperature of around 1500°C. Sounds easy, right? That's how the orange and golden mixture, which could be mistaken for a burning caramel, is achieved, and which forms the basis of glass when melted. The perfect state to handle it with care and create all kinds of shapes, simple or whimsical... by blowing.
The tradition of blown glass has existed in Mallorca since the 2nd century BC, and currently there are two well-known factories that have kept their furnaces and crucibles burning for more than three centuries to keep the magic that is hidden in each of their pieces alive.
Blown glass, a work of artists and craftsmen
The furnaces burn at almost two thousand degrees. The glassblowing masters work protected from the heat and possible burns. The silica, white salt, and limestone have been transformed by the fire into a liquid, malleable, and almost sticky material. And the process of glass blowing, known as bufat in Mallorca, begins.
With the end of an iron rod, the master takes a certain amount of that melted material and extracts it from the crucible, called a posta. Then, he blows with the rod to create a small bubble while spinning it in both directions. It seems so easy, so fun, that one might think a child could do it. But no. This is art, and it must be treated and worked with extreme delicacy.
Little by little, the blower uses different tools to shape the glass. Sometimes he blows, sometimes he spins, sometimes he uses tongs to secure the desired shape. When the base of the piece is ready, the connection between master and molten glass must be cut off: the piece is released with a puntil, and little by little it will take shape with the help of tongs. You just have to try to guess what the result will be: a glass? An elegant goblet? A little animal? The arm of a sumptuous lamp?
Colors in the fire for each blown glass piece
All the materials used are of mineral origin. And so are the colors. After centuries of learning, nature has become the best collaborator for the color palette used by these artists.
Iron oxide gives rise to green, sulfur to yellow, cobalt and copper oxide to different shades of blue, from deep navy to turquoise. Manganese results in violet and non-oxidized copper creates a beautiful ruby color.
The blown glass factories in Mallorca
To witness the magic, two Mallorcan factories can be visited.
One of them is Gordiola, located in the municipality of Algaida, and it is the fourth oldest company in Spain dedicated to the art of blown glass. They make all kinds of exclusive products, both for decoration and tableware.
The other one is Lafiore, halfway between Valldemossa and a small town called S'Esgleieta - La Iglesita, in Mallorcan. The style is distinctly Mediterranean but with a clear intention of making its way into the most innovative styles of decoration.
