A History of Glass
The origin of glass is not known. Glass can be traced back to Egypt and Rome. The Romans spread the knowledge of glassmaking throughout Europe and into the Mediterranean.  Venice became the hub for glassmaking in Europe. The city maintained strict control over glassworkers, moving them to Murano to protect the trade secrets.

The first glass factory in America was built in 1608.  The Industrial Revolution set the stage for mass production of glass. But it wasn’t until the end of the 19th century when glassmaking became automated.  Michael Owens, backed by E.D.L. Libbey, owner of Libbey Glass Co., invented the automatic bottle-blowing machine.

During the early 20th century, a Belgian named Fourcault and another Belgian named Emil Bicheroux developed even more advanced production processes for glass. These enhancements, coupled with another method of drawing sheet glass, are still being used today.

Glass is an important resource being used in architecture, electrical transmission, optical instruments, household utensils, and even fabrics.

Properties of Glass
Glass is a combination of silica. A number of substances can be added for functionality:

• Lead for brilliance and weight
• Boron for electrical resistance
• Barium to increase light refraction
• Metal oxides to give color

Sources:
The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright 2005, Columbia University Press, www.infoplease.com

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