How a bauble is made

Production begins in the glassblowing workshop. The raw material is a glass tube, heated and blown into shape by a craftsperson. The factory uses soda or borosilicate glass. The material softens at around 600–800°C, allowing it to be shaped; this is not the temperature of the entire burner flame.

Once cooled, the hollow ornament is silvered on the inside. It should not be left waiting for long, because impurities on its inner surface make it harder for the silver coating to adhere. Painting and decorating the outside follow. The visit programme includes the glassblowing and decorating workshops, as well as decorating an ornament yourself.

Shape and decoration are therefore created separately. The glassblower forms the body, silvering gives it a reflective interior, and decoration adds a design to the outer surface. Look for these three layers in a finished ornament: shape, shine and pattern. The displayed tools also include an aluminium mould for shaped ornaments. Moulds are used for figures such as houses, trees, Santas and snowmen, whose outlines differ from a round bauble.