Step 3 - Glassblowing

In glassmaking, molten glass is drawn from the furnace onto the glassblower’s pipe. The glassblower draws the glass and first shapes it in a wooden mold. The glassblower then moves to the tank, where the mold is submerged. After pressing the pedal, the mold rises above the surface, and the glassblower blows the shape of the goblet into it. Once the bowl is shaped, the glassblower passes the bowl and the blowpipe to a colleague at the workbench. While working at the bench, the glassblower first cuts a piece of glass and shapes it into a thin stem using a glass-shaping tool. The last glassblower in the group then finishes the base, the bottom of the entire glass. Once finished, the glass, along with the stem, is sent to the cooling furnace. Typically, five men and one assistant are involved in the production of a single glass. However, for the production of more complex glasses (such as the Masaryk collection), a group of seven or more people is required.