Laura Wingfield: “They’re ornaments, mostly. Most of them are little animals made out of glass. Mother calls them my glass menagerie. Here’s an example of one. . .oh, be careful, if you breathe, it breaks! You see how the light shines through?”
From “The Glass Menagerie”
by Tennessee Williams

Laura Wingfield may not have gotten out of the house much, but boy did she know her glass figurines. For fans of decorative glassware, spun glass items are among the most sought-after, and fragile, additions to a collection. The thin glass threads which form the sails of a tiny ship, or the strings of a miniature harp, are as intricate as a spider’s web, and just as susceptible to damage. One unlucky jostle, and snap! The spell is broken, and the magic cannot be re-captured.
Spun glass, sometimes called “lace glass” or “lace crystal,” is easily recognizable by the fine glass threads that form all, or at least part, of an object’s surface texture. The “spun” portion might be the rotund body of a carnival clown, Cinderella’s pumpkin coach, or an entire Christmas tree. Watching the creation of a spun glass figurine can be mesmerizing. As the artisan holds a rod of glass in each hand, in front of a blazing heat source, molten glass “threads” from one rod are delicately transferred to the other, eventually forming a pattern. As the glass threads are applied, the receiving rod is “spun,” building up volume (hence the name). Once the spinwork is complete, other portions of the rod are drawn out and shaped to form the rest of the image, the wings of an owl, or the oar of a gondolier. The entire process moves along a lot faster than you might think. Check out “Making a Spun Glass Swan” on YouTube. That fellow can turn out an entire swan in just about six minutes. Spun glassmaking is sort of a cross between fine embroidery and taffy-pulling, if both your embroidery needle and the taffy are red-hot.
Although spun glass figurines are often clear, the better to capture light, colored accents add both dramatic impact, and greater visual appeal, like yellow filigree on a spun glass teapot and cups, for instance. Pieces comprised entirely of tinted glass, such as a navy blue sailing ship, are especially striking. The addition of gold highlights (for example, a Christmas tree star) or any other “solid” coloring can also be effective, although this makes the glass opaque.
Wingfield would be happy to know that animals continue to be a favorite topic with spun glass craftspeople, although their sparkling webs encompass almost every subject imaginable. There are spun glass merry-go-rounds and dining tables, spun glass wishing wells and tricycles, cowboys, golf bags, and even (especially fitting) spun glass spinning wheels.
Newly-made spun glass figurines can often be found at art fairs and craft shows (if you’re lucky, a demonstration may be thrown in). Vintage pieces often show up at estate sales or on eBay, but be wary: if the spun glass is missing a few threads, or worse, a few chunks, there’s absolutely nothing you can do to repair it. As Wingfield noted, “If you breathe, it breaks.” Costs are quite reasonable, with even the most elaborate works priced at under $50.
Once you’ve found your spun glass, where to put it? A lighted curio cabinet is ideal. The illumination will accent the gleam of the glass, especially if small mirrors are placed under some of the objects. The temptation to spiff up spun glass with a duster, or to wash it, should be avoided. Instead, an application of glass spray designed to clean the hanging lustres on a chandelier will safely remove the grime.
Spun glass is touchy, but worth the effort. In time, like Wingfield you may amass your own glass menagerie. And, like her, you’ll be thrilled at how “the light shines through.”
Photo Associate: Hank Kuhlmann.
All photos by Donald-Brian Johnson, except as noted.

Donald-Brian Johnson is the co-author of numerous Schiffer books on design and collectibles, including “Postwar Pop,” a collection of his columns. He’s acquired more than a few spun glass figurines (and managed to break a few more). Please address inquiries to: donaldbrian@msn.com.