Glass has been a major material used in homes, buildings, architecture, etc. for many years. Do you know the history of glass? Well, we are going to give you a simple history lesson, so that you can impress your family or friends.
How it Began
The first glass known to man was obsidian, a black volcanic glass used by people in the Stone Age to make weapons and decorative items. Manmade glass dates back to 3500 BC where it was discovered in Egypt and Eastern Mesopotamia. The first glass vessels were made in the same area around 1500 BC. The glass making industry went through a series of ups and downs until the 1st century BC when glassblowing was discovered.
Glass through the ages
By the time of the Crusades, Venice was the glassmaking center of the Western world and remained so through the 1500s. Glassmaking grew as an industry throughout Europe, and the first glass factory in the United States was built in Jamestown, Virginia in 1608.
Up until the 1800’s, glass was difficult and time consuming to make because glass melting furnaces were so small. But with the invention of a hand-operated machine in the 1820s and the first semi-automatic bottle machine in the 1870s, glass development and manufacturing began to advance rapidly. Mass production of window glass became possible in 1902 with the invention of the sheet glass drawing machine. In 1959 float glass production was invented, which is how 90% of glass is still manufactured today.
ProCurve Glass Design
Since 1988, ProCurve Glass Design, Inc. has been an innovator in the glass curving industry. We offer the highest quality fabrication of specialty curved glass, personalized service, prompt delivery and technical design assistance for a variety of industries. Contact ProCurve Glass Design, Inc. at 215-441-9101 today!