Lauscha glass owl large traditional

For four centuries, glassmaking has been an integral part of life in the village of Lauscha in the Thuringian Forest. The Greiner-Mai glassworks in Lauscha has been in family hands for more than 150 years. The Lauscha glass blowers or lampworkers use the traditional techniques to blow the glass into a two-part negative mould – the moulds, several of them pieces of history themselves, are made of ceramic and must be handled carefully, because in order to preserve them they can't be overheated and must be cooled off at regular intervals. Shortly after that, the two faces of the glass objects are cautiously coalesced and artfully painted in festive colours.

The shy forest bird is the symbol of wisdom, erudition, prudence and virtue. This large one, quite possibly a Snowy Owl, is perched on a stylised branch.

these items are handcrafted. Smaller deviations in size and colour are always possible and by no means indicate carelessness.

The Lauscha glassblowers used to call the figurative glass ornaments, which were blown into two-part negative molds "before the lamp". Today, as then, the lamp is the gas burner, whose flame keeps the glass viscous and malleable. And the molds that are used are also the same as 100 or 150 years ago. They are usually made of ceramic and must be handled with care, because in order to preserve them - and not overheat them in use - the molds must be gently cooled down again at regular intervals. Thus, no more than 150 figures or ornaments can be blown in one go. Only the starting material is different than in the past, because instead of glass tubes drawn specifically for this purpose are now used prefabricated flasks of colorless soda-lime glass.

Animal figures and especially birds as allegories of human characteristics traditionally found their place on the Christmas tree. According to the narrative, it should be symbolically at least one male and one female bird that meet. Quite handily, however, the compact bird body is simply very well suited to being blown into molds. To one side of the glass bulb, the fine bird's beak can then be freely extended, and to the other, the tail feather can be attached. This almost always consisted of cut glass silk, only in the 20th century real bird feathers became fashionable.

This product is an example of genuine handicraft; therefore, minor deviations in size and colour may occur.