Why no two hand-blown pieces are identical

Hand-blown glass is shaped while it is molten, by breath and tools, in a few minutes. Nothing in that process repeats exactly, which is why two pieces from the same mould still differ.

Where the variation comes from

• Colour. Pigment is added as powder or rod and stretches as the piece is blown. Thicker walls read darker.
• Bubbles. Air trapped during gathering rises and stretches. In pieces sold as bubble glass this is the point, not a flaw.
• Form. Rim curve, base width and height all shift by small amounts as the glass cools at slightly different rates.

The pontil scar

Look underneath and you will usually find a small rough or polished circle. That is where the piece was held while the top was finished. It is evidence of hand work, not damage.

What we state instead of promising an exact match

We give height, colour family and piece count, and we say plainly that the photograph shows one example from the batch. If an exact match matters — a pair for a mantelpiece, say — write to us before ordering and we will tell you how close we can get.