Bristol Blue Glass makers recreate colour lost for 200 years

August 2024 ยท 3 minute read

By Emma Elgee and Amanda ParrBBC News

Bristol Green fell out of favour as people favoured clear glass

For the first time in 200 years, glassmakers Bristol Blue Glass have recreated a colour called Bristol Green.

The manufacturer said Bristol has a long history of producing green glass which led to wine bottles being green.

They are now producing a limited range of glassware using the technique.

Founder James Adlington said: "I'm quite chuffed actually, really pleased with the depth of the green colour."

Mr Adlington, 64, set up Bristol Blue Glass in 1988 to re-establish the glass-making tradition that had been lost to the city for more than 60 years.

A man with glasses on smiling at the cameraGlass maker James Adlington founded Bristol Blue Glass in 1988 and has just remade an old colour

He said: "I have known all about the history of Bristol green glass for years and years.

"The green is a more famous colour in Europe and America than it is over here.

"The reason your wine bottles are green is because Bristol made wine bottles, the sand comes out of Redcliffe caves, that red is iron oxide and that makes a dirty green glass.

"Bristol was the bottle-making plant for the whole world."

Mr Adlington explained that adding cobalt produces the specific Bristol green colour which has a tint of blue.

A man blowing a glassThe glass is blown by hand in Bristol

"I was chucking copper in it but the moment I added cobalt it was like 'wow'," he added.

Mr Adlington explained that Bristol stuck with making coloured glass when other glass-makers switched to making crystal cut glass.

The city had already become recognised for Bristol Blue Glass when the green, which become famous in America, was invented.

Mr Adlington added: "The idea for green came from when I bought some Bristol Green glass years ago.

"I was at a car boot sale with my in-laws and there was this table with these two beautiful pieces of Bristol glass on there, 50p each and I thought 'oh they are worth a lot more'."

A selection of four green glassesThe specific Bristol green colour has been remade for the first time in 200 years

Mr Adlington bought the pieces which inspired a few attempts to make the colour over the years before the current success.

He said: "Historically I had attempted it, I'd tried it a bit but nothing came out right.

"It took a few attempts chucking stuff in before it worked."

The glass-maker added that they will now be attempting to make amethyst-coloured glass, which also has a history within Bristol.

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