Name: Carowyn Silveroak
Title: A Mermaid Skeleton
Location: Shire of Eisental
Category: Glass
I know what you’re thinking: what the non-period cinnamon toast crunch is THIS?!? When doing research, I like pushing the envelope of what is known into the gray of area of probability. Could this have been done in such and so period? Did they have the techniques? Humans would likely think of it, but could they put it into practice? What would that look like? Could it be a one-off, or could it have become popular or common? Like when I spun up mammoth fur, for instance.
Cabinets of curiosities were known. So were mermaids, allegedly, and at least one partial skeleton was known about. Anatomical drawings were a thing, and so were clay votive offerings of body parts, and detailed boxwood carvings, and wax models for study. So could glass have been used for anatomical studies? On Venetial torches, such a thing is certainly possible. And if there’s a rich prince somewhere looking for something unique for his cabinet, some glassworker might be cajoled into trying. Though we have no proof, I wanted to see if it’s possible.
I used a modern torch, but I’ve played on enough repro kilns and torches to know what the potential variables are. I waited till I had a tank with little MAPP left in it on a modern lampwork setup, and tested my theory. It was quite difficult, getting things proportional and on tiny diameter rods. I had quite a boneyard when I was finished with the session, and had enough multiple ribs, vertebrae, and radii to make two more skeletons. I then assembled the spinal column on fine copper, triple twisted with a drop spindle. Some glue, some wire for the arms, some swearing, and some delicate crimping. I made a hanger out of floral wire, and a cloche is on the way for further protection. I love my trial piece, and I hope you enjoyed reading about it!
Full Documentation: https://vocal.media/art/a-mermaid-skeleton
An expanded article is at the above link, with a whittled list of sources.
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