Fire and Sand

A Pilgrimage to Glashütte Lamberts

It has been a long journey, and after travelling late into the night, my friend Norbert Sattler and I arrive in Konnersreuth, a small village on the Czech-German border. It is our over-night stop on the journey to Glashütte Lamberts, in nearby Waldsassen. There is a good reason for staying the night: the day begins before dawn at Glashütte Lamberts and to see these exceptional glassblowers at work one needs to rise early.

If you take a map and a compass and trace a circle around the boundaries of Europe - the Ural Mountains, North Sea, the Atlantic and the Mediterranean - you will find Waldsassen at the centre. For generations this area has been home to many glass factories. The reason for its popularity as a glass manufacturing centre was not the availability of fine sand; rather, it was due to the once-extensive surrounding forests, which provided fuel for the glass kilns. Along with the glass factories, generations of glassblowers lived and worked in this area of Germany and Czechoslovakia.

Antique, or mouth-blown glass is the finest material available for stained glass artists, and Glashütte Lamberts is the leading world producer of this glass. During this visit I had the pleasure of an interview with Stephan Lamberts, the owner and president of Glashütte Lamberts. I had met Mr. Lamberts briefly on previous visits, so I looked forward to this opportunity to have a longer conversation.

Mr. Lamberts is a wonderful host; gracious, open and articulate. He began the management of the factory in Waldsassen in 1981, at 32 years of age. Previously, he had managed the other Lamberts factory, which manufactures clear float glass, but a family decision sent him to Waldsassen, and his two brothers now manage the clear glass factory. Mr. Lamberts has established himself as a capable and influential force in the world of coloured glass and its manufacture. Under his leadership, Glashütte Lamberts has survived a tumultuous time for makers of fine glass - a time that has seen several important firms go out of business.

Among the reasons for Lamberts’ success are the tremendous selection of glass it offers, its attention to quality, and its strong emphasis on service. To begin with, the company produces over five thousand different colors of glass, and will custom-create others upon request. As well, it offers a wide variety of textures and types of antique glass. Flashed, double-flashed and triple-flashed glass offer beautiful gradations of colour and possibilities for etching and sandblasting. Distinctive textures like reamy, crackle and seedy glass can be had in almost any colour. In addition, Lamberts produces “Goethe” Restoration glass in both light and heavy (wavy) densities. And Lamberts glass is well known for its stability and ease of cutting.

This variety of glass means that the artist has an almost unlimited palette with which to work. This is incredibly liberating. Instead of having to tailor their designs to the available glass, or make endless compromises on the window as they build it, the artist can design the window that should be made, and then choose the glass that best expresses the design.

The company’s ability and willingness to custom-create colours and special effects in the glass (opacity, texture, various colours within one sheet) has been their ace in the precarious world of glass-making. Over the years, the company has kept pace with the demands and inclinations of the artists who designed for glass. Georg Meistermann’s insistence on opacity led to the development and manufacture of opals and opaks in the 1960s. Brian Clarke’s requests for special streaky glass have been met with enthusiasm. Johannes Schrieter’s desire for quiet, absolutely even sheets of colour proved a tough challenge for a hand-made material, but Lamberts experimented until they achieved the required glass.

Lamberts also works closely with fabrication studios. Norbert Sattler, working to achieve the demanding colour combinations his artist/clients had designed, had Lamberts develop some of the now popular double and triple layer flashed glasses. In my conversations with many glass artists and studios in Germany, I have found widespread respect for Stephan Lamberts and his glassblowers.

The first Lamberts factory was not in Waldsassen, but in nearby Wunsiedel. Stephan’s grandfather, Laurenz Lamberts, first established a glass factory there in 1891. Along with his son Joseph they expanded the family factories during the first half of the 20th century. The building which houses the production hall of Glashütte Lamberts has its own history. Originally an 1880's agricultural exposition building in Nurnberg, it was dismantled and reassembled in Waldsassen in 1907. It was first used for the making of window glass, using the “drawn process.” The building was bought by Lamberts in 1934 and an illustrious, world-famous tradition of coloured glass making began. WWII brought coloured glass production to a temporary standstill, but the continuing demand for window glass, and for signal glass for railways kept the factory open and operating.

Post-war restoration and new church building in Germany gave coloured glass production a major boost in the 1950s. For many years, Lamberts glass has been shipped world-wide, throughout Europe, Asia and of course North America .

At full production, Lamberts can produce 720 cylinders (4320 square feet ) of hand-made coloured glass, plus 1400 square feet of the “light” restoration glass per day! The factory operates 235 days per year, closing in August to rebuild and upgrade the furnaces. While the company is committed to the traditional manufacturing methods for high-quality antique glass, Mr. Lamberts notes that they are continually improving their technology in order to assist “the people who do this hard work”.

With working temperatures at the furnaces of 1100 C., the heat of the season is an issue for the glassblowers. The daily routine at the factory is carefully scheduled, with the glassblowers beginning in the dark, cool hours before dawn. This means a 3 AM start in the summer. In winter, the workers can sleep in a bit, as work doesn’t start ‘til 4 AM. A separate team of glassblowers works in the afternoon to create rondels.

Entering Glashütte Lamberts in the early hours of the morning, one is transported to another world. Most of the light in the factory comes from the furnaces and the glow of molten glass. In this living light, the floor of the factory is in constant motion. The teams of glassblowers move in a synchronized rhythm - almost a dance - as they gather, blow, heat and shape the molten glass.

For a stained glass artist, seeing our raw material being formed out of fire and sand, with consummate craftsmanship, is a great experience, and one that can only heighten our respect for the glassblowers.

The production of all sheet glass begins with the mixing of the glass batch by the “melting master.” The raw materials of the batch are measured precisely - silica sand, soda, and lime, with metallic oxides added to achieve the color. These traditional elements are common to all colored glass; but it is here, in the choice of materials, and the care in the mixing, that the difference in quality begins. Some colours and types of glass require extremely precise formulation, and the melting master may make four or five adjustments before he is satisfied. Flashed glasses are among those that need a great deal of attention; as are many of the greys and purples that use a combination of different oxides.

There are eight furnaces in the production hall, each with a team of three glassblowers plus a carrier/apprentice. The team consists of the master, his assistant and the “starter”. The starter begins the process by gathering molten glass on the end of his blowpipe. Constantly rotating the pipe, he works the glass through eight different wooden molds until the desired shape is achieved. Additional glass is gathered several times until the necessary quantity is obtained. The glass is then blown into a round ball in preparation for the master.

The master and his assistant now take over the process. The ball of glass is blown into its final shape - an elongated balloon weighing about 35 pounds. The glassblower continally spins this mass at the end of his blowpipe as he heats, shapes, and blows the glass. This job requires a combination of enormous strength, endurance and sensitivity. The pace is fast, and as all glassblowers know, relentless.

Once the balloon of molten glass is the correct size and shape, the assistant works with the master to open it into a cylinder. This takes place in a series of complex and delicate steps, in which the team cuts open the ends of the balloon and dilates these ends until the overall shape is cylindrical. The cylinder is annealed, and after careful inspection, is scored lengthwise with a glass cutter. The scored cylinder is reheated and flattened out into a sheet measuring approximately 24"x 36". This sheet is annealed again in the lehr to remove tension and ensure that the glass will cut cleanly and evenly.

In the glassblowing team, the master plays a special role. Stephan Lamberts describes a master as one who has “the finest feeling” for the material. Becoming a master is not simply a matter of training or seniority - it is the combination of physical strength, intuition and ability to focus. Skill in blowing the glass properly is far more than a mechanical ability. Mr. Lamberts explains that each type of glass has a different consistency, and is, in its own way, alive. The way in which it is handled: the speed with which it is turned and twisted, the angle of the blowpipe is different for each glass. It is the ability to adapt and quickly understand the nature of his material that marks a master.

Glashütte Lamberts employs 105 people of which 75% are glassblowers. Most of the glassblowers have been trained in the Lamberts factory. At one time the craft was passed from father to son but now, as in other parts of the world, the glassblowers come as young apprentices, or from other trades. Most of these are in their late teens or early 20's. This year, three new people are starting their training. I asked Mr. Lamberts what they look for in the new people they train. “They must be strong, willing to do this hard work, and able to work in a team,” was his reply.

The first job for the new apprentice is that of the “carrier.” This is the person who helps to handle the blowpipes, carries the finished cylinders to be annealed, and runs errands for the team. Mr. Lamberts emphasizes that even at this level, the apprentices must learn the entire production process in the factory. The carriers are watched for their attitude and abilities, and those that look promising are taken into a training team to learn the art of glassblowing. From here, each craftsman progresses according to his skills and inclination. One may aspire to be a master, while another may gravitate to a different role in the team. Although the physical and psychological demands of the work are rigorous, many glassblowers work until they are 65.

Our tour of the factory was very enlightening, both in better understanding the materials we work with, and in getting to know Stephan Lamberts. During a stop in the sample room, among the thousands of colour samples, I asked him if he has a favorite colour. Referring to Dr. Max Lûscher’s well-known personality test that relies on color choices, he mused that an answer to the question would be too revealing. Pressed further, he admitted that yes, he has a favorite glass - clear, restoration glass! Perhaps when one is surrounded daily by the seductive charms of colour, clear glass provides a reprieve. Dr. Lûscher could certainly have an interesting explanation - if asked.

In my conversation with Stephan Lamberts, I found him to be thoughtful and insightful, with a keen sense of the direction and flow of the world of stained glass. He has an optimistic view of the future of antique glass, and pride in keeping alive an important tradition. When his young children happily run to greet their father on the factory floor I inquire if he has any plans for their careers. He claims he has no intention or desire to influence them. When I asked him if he himself had ever considered other career choices, he explained that it wasn’t really a matter of decision, for when it comes to making this very special glass, “what’s not to love?”

Glashütte Lamberts welcomes visits by stained glass artists by appointment. To get to Waldsassen by train, travel to nearby Marktredwitz, and then take a cab to Lamberts at Schuetzenstrasse 1,Waldsassen, . A map can be found on their home page at www.lamberts.de.

It is essential to call first and make arrangements for your visit. The Lamberts office can assist with room reservations. Glass orders made at the factory are billed through the wholesaler one usually buys from. Mr. Baierl, the sales manager, says it isn't necessary to purchase $100,000 worth of glass - but they don't mind if you do. And once you've seen the selection of glass there, you will likely want to. In the sample room, with its overwhelming assortment of colours, Mr. Helgert seems to know each of the thousands of warehoused sheets of glass, including when the glass is next scheduled for production.

While in Waldsassen, don't miss the Basilica, an exceptional Baroque church. Sorry, no coloured stained glass windows, but there is a quantity of clear "restoration glass" in the Basilica's many ornamental windows. And by the way, if you ever try to restore this type of window without the proper restoration glass, Stephan Lamberts has something to say about it: "Its a sin!"