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The glassware we produce at Berthworks Art Glass is by the glass trade referred as luster art glass. It’s origin and manufacture dating in the 1910-1930’s , a history of glass making somewhat short lived , and proven to be very collectable with many antique collectors and dealers over the years .

This ware was made famous by glass making factories then such as Stuben , Tiffany , Queszal , Fenton , Imperial , Fostoria , ect., who held this process of glass making as a very tightly kept secret. With the event of the depression in the USA interest in this ware faded due to the high cost of manufacture and popular changes in style.

The techniques and processes of producing this ware were then considered to be lost and would be a lost art of glass making due to its highly secretive and complicated techniques of making. This lusterware art glass manufacturing process never crossed over to the art glass bead maker until recently, we have now developed at Berthworks Art Glass as Zephyr Art Glassworks had, the hot furnace lusterware art glass bead. Beads are hand shaped on a mandrel and tooled to different design patterns. A number of different lusterware finishes are used for the bead being; gold, blue, pewter, silver, magenta, ect. The lusterware bead having different color values is determined by the maker after being subjected to metal salts. The bead is then flame treated which develops degrees of reflectivness giving the bead a more satin finish.