Cobalt Blue Glassware Insights
That shimmering blue of certain glassware seems to penetrate beyond the eye and reach down into the heart of the avid collector. There are some people, however who might be attracted to a cobalt blue figurine or vase but would never dream of setting a table with a color that they find very unappetizing.
Where does that distinctive blue come from?
Some people find that the color even improves taste but most people say that food just is not as inviting when served in blue dinnerware.
What makes this vast difference in reaction to cobalt blue? Well, beauty truly is in the eye of the beholder and we will never know for sure why some colors attract us while others are best left unseen. That is just the way it is and we come to accept it.
There is little argument that there are many pieces of cobalt blue glassware which are very collectible due to their rarity adding value to them. Some people also purchase contemporary blue glassware simply because the enjoy looking at it on their table. It does reflect and transmit beautiful colors.
Georg Brandt, a Swedish chemist who is often credited with isolating cobalt around 1735, was able to show that cobalt itself was the source of the blue color in glass. The color had previously been thought to be caused by bismuth which is often found with cobalt. Much of the world's production of this blue compound was produced during the 19th century by a single producer in Norway.
While Brandt might be credited with isolating cobalt, the color was used long before that. Discoveries show that it was used to color glass much earlier. Exploration of wreck of a trading vessel off the Turkish coast near the town of Ulaburun turned up a glass ingot of this special color which was cast in the 14th century BC.
The oldest cobalt-colored glass which have been uncovered to date was from the period of 1550-1291 BC. It is not known were the coloring compounds were obtained.
Cobalt compounds have been used for centuries to give glass, glazes, and ceramics this rich color. It has been detected in Egyptian sculpture and Persian jewelry from the third millennium BC.
Blue glassware has an interesting aspect that really makes it more suitable for curios and art objects rather than your dining table. Color can alter a taster's evaluation of beverages and food which is not always desirable.
Even when served identical food in different colored glassware, most people will think it tastes differently than when it is served in clear glassware. The results of one study of taste preference showed that when food served in blue glassware was the least appetizing of all. This was true of both appearance and taste.
Blue cobalt glassware may be pretty to look at but caution should be used when using it as tableware.
There is a surprising exception to this. In one study, the subjects chose the liquid in sapphire glassware to be the coldest and most thirst quenching. So, if you would like to serve your beverages in cobalt blue stemware, you should be on safe ground. Just keep your entrees and other food in your best china in complementary colors.
Just because you may hesitate to serve your guests on anything indigo does not mean that you cannot find many different collectibles with either a hint of navy in them or pure cobalt that would make a wonderful addition to you collection.
Whether you are searching for modern, depression glass or an extraordinary antique for a special place in your home you will find it with a few moments of searching here. If you can imagine it, someone, somewhere at sometime has produced the piece of cobalt blue glassware you are dreaming of. It is up to you to find it.
