Black Mahogany

_{(please click image for full view)}

Title: Black Mahogany
Artist: AJGlass
Image created by: AJGlass using an Epson Perfection 1200U scanner and PhotoShop.
Medium: Glass
Type: Soft Glass (this means it’s not borosilicate)
Description: Glass Bead
Details: The dime is provided for scale of the glass bead. Light brown and black glasses were used to create this bead. All AJGlass beads have been properly annealed. Due to the differences in monitor settings, the colors of this bead may look slightly lighter, slightly darker, or otherwise different on your monitor than the bead itself. The bright white lines on this bead are light reflections. The dime is not for sale.

Status: SOLD
Item: One handmade, light brown and black glass bead.
Price: $20.00 + $4 S&H (or $5 S&H outside of the continental United States).
Contact: Please note me if you are interested in purchasing this bead.
Payment: PayPal. Other payment options may also be accepted.
Shipping: I ship beads via US Post in packaging suitable for glass beads.
Delivery: Please allow one week for delivery, longer for international orders. Weather permitting, I try and ship the following business day after payment has been received and cleared. Beads will be shipped with delivery confirmation when possible.

Discussion: I think that this bead would make an interesting focal piece for a necklace and that it would also make a very unique subject for, or addition to, a wire wrapping project. All three light brown spheres are fused permanently into the valley of this bead. Please understand that this bead is created from glass, and like all glass it can chip or break if dropped/thrown/crushed or otherwise abused. This bead is NOT suitable for small children. It may pose a choking hazard if swallowed.

Creation: To create this bead, half of a rod of black glass was melted onto a bead-release-coated mandrel and formed into a round black bead. A quarter of a rod of light brown glass was then carefully melted and mixed into the black glass to form swirls of alternating light brown and black. The swirled molten glass was then rolled on a graphite marver to achieve a stiff cylindrical shape. Then the cylinder was softened again in the torch flame and carefully pressed onto a graphite marver to flatten it.

Next, the metal handle of a tungsten pick was pressed into the flattened cylinder – creating a valley. The bead was then heated again in the torch flame to remove the chill marks left by the metal tungsten pick handle. Finally, three molten balls of light brown glass were carefully dropped down the center of the valley where they permanently fused and solidified. This bead was then placed directly into a kiln to be annealed.

Further comment: The brown glass used to make this bead likes to separate into lighter and darker shades of brown when heated in the torch flame. This separation effect can be easily seen on the spheres – each of which exhibit several different shades of brown. The shade differences of the spheres nicely set them apart from the light brown swirls which are mixed in with the black.

I am pleased to be able to offer this finely crafted glass bead for sale online. It will make for an interesting piece of wearable art. Note me if you are interested in purchasing it.

Guarantee: I will do everything that I can to make sure that you are satisfied with your purchase. So if you are not satisfied with this bead for any reason, please return it prepaid in its original condition and in its original packaging for a full refund. Shipping costs are the responsibility of the purchaser. Please request return authorization in advance.

Legal: Copyright © Aaron J. Greenblatt. All rights reserved. Commercial use prohibited. This image and commentary may not be used for any reason without the expressed written consent of Aaron J. Greenblatt.


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