European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - June 01, 1977, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Wednesday june 1, 1977 the stars and stripes Page 19 modern living shaping molten Glass legacy from the time romans occupied parts of Germany. Photos for is by Frank Polster the Small bavarian town of Neustadt has become Center for production of elegant meticulously shaped Crystal. By Dan Synovec Nurnberg Bureau chief mer1cans arc almost daily visitors to Neustadt on the Wal Naab a town of 6,000 inhabitants in the Obj Pfalz Region of Bavaria. Their objective glassware elegant meticulously shaped beautifully decorated and coloured Gem like Lead Crystal the product of a legacy that dates from the Days when roman legions occupied parts of Germania. For americans Neustadt has become the Mecca for Lead Crystal. Its factories Are operated by Glass making descendent a of families who were among the Early patrons of the Glass making Art in Germany. Alfred Alkofer. Export manager for Nachtmann s. Said Glass is something we take for granted. We buy it. We use it. Bui we Seldom give it a second thought. It is after Bronze the oldest Mineral in the world to be converted to human advantage. While we germans inherited our Glass making techniques from the romans the phoenicians Are generally credited with its accidental disco  said that the romans Well known borrowers inherited their Glass making ability from the phoenicians and the egyptians. The phoenicians Are also credited with the discovery of the Glass Blower s pipe As they turned Glass making into a profitable Trade. Alkofer said the roman legions transplanted Glass making to various parts of Europe to areas where Good Sand and Large forests were plentiful. The bavarian forests became the Home of Early German Glass makers after the romans disappeared. They worked for Dukes turning out windows and Glass Beer mugs. Life without Wood in those Days was almost impossible. There is an old saying without Wood of Salt without Wood no Iron Wita out Wood no Beer without Wood no Glass.1 " in Glass making. The Wood was used for firing and Potash was gleaned from its bark. The Early German Glass makers produced Wald Glas or Forest Glass the Iron Content of the Sand that they used gave the Glass a Green a in for said but the Art of Glass making was refined South of the Alps by the venetians from the i3lh to the 17th centuries. German Glass makers were Able to profit from the venetian experience. An italian priest. Father Antonio Neri who lived in Venice wrote a Book in 1612 outlining the Art of Glass making no doubt upsetting the venetian Glass makers who closely guarded the secrets of their Craft. The Book found its Way to Germany and was used for several Cen Turies by German craftsmen. Neri called Crystal the Noble Glass said Alkofer because it is the clearest and most Beautiful Type of  German Glass makers in the 17th Century turned to using the Quartz of their native mountains replacing Sand As the Basic ingredient in their Glass. The result was a Glass mass within which the Light refracted. Because of its similarity to natural Mountain Crystal it was called Crystal Glass. In order to exploit the refractive properties of this Crystal Glass craftsmen began to Cut and polish the surface thus pioneering a special technique and new  the technique flourished in the 17th Century in Nurnberg As the famed German Trade Center also became Germany s Center for Glass cutting. The decorative scrolls garlands landscapes Hunting and Battle scenes Cut into Nurnberg Glass were such perfect examples of artistic craftsmanship that Nurnberg s master Glass makers and cutters enjoyed supremacy in the Field. Alkofer said. Meanwhile in England Experiment in the production of Lead Crystal were under Way. George Ravenscroft in 1s74, is believed the Man who developed Lead Crystal. But it took some time or people to value its Beauty said Alkofer. Today Lead Crystal is very popular. It has never been out of style. One of the most important qualities of Lead Crystal is the refraction of Light which is achieved by its purity and by  Lead Crystal is produced today from High Quality Sand Lead monoxide Potash Borax and arsenic. Wood and Coal Haw been replaced Lor Mcling by natural Gas and electricity which fire furnaces 24 hours a Day seven Days a week to the White heat of 1.600 degrees celsius. Alkofer said that Lead Crystal is not As Brittle As Normal Glass. It is also softer and easier to Cut. Coloured pieces favorite items of Many american shoppers Are produced by adding Metal oxides to the molten Glass mass. Gold is added for Ruby red Iron for Green and Copper for Blue. While the exact mixture of ingredients it a com Pany secret Alkofer did explain a critical step in the production of Mouth blown Lead Crystal holds. The surface of a piece of Lead Crystal is much better finer when it is blown in a Wood Mold. The holds made Only from the Wood of Pear Trees May last for 300 to 1.000 pieces before they Musl be replaced. Iron holds Miro diced in the i9lh Century Are Only used when a piece of Lead Crystal can t be spun or twisted while it is being  t ask me Why we use Only the Wood from Pear Trees. I Don t know except that it is an important part of our past  the Art of glassblowing while not changed very much is a difficult Job. A master Glass Mower makes about 1,500 Marks a bit More than $1,000 a month. He is in charge of a team of three to six men depend ing on the Type of piece they Are making out of the molten Glass mass. Nachtmann employs Glassblower and Glass cutters from families whose ancestors have worked for the company for More than Iso years As the Craft has been handed Down from father to son. In the production of Lead Crystal the first step Calls for the blowing of a Blank piece. The Blank is reheated after being shaped and allowed to Cool slowly. The next step is the cutting or decorating of the piece on special Stone or Diamond covered wheels after the piece is Cut it is Given an acid Bath to remove the Gray residue. Only then does the piece sparkle. Plain Lead Crystal is of no  said Alkofer. There is no Light refraction in a Plain piece of Lead Crys Tal. What makes the Lead Crystal is the cutting. The