Blown plate is one of many types of hand-blown glass. It is made from broad sheet glass by laboriously hand grinding and polishing both surfaces. Blown plate is of a sufficient quality and size for mirrors and coach glasses.
Other methods for making hand-blown glass included: broad sheet, crown glass, polished plate and cylinder blown sheet. These methods of manufacture lasted at least until the end of the 19th century. The early 20th century marked the move away from hand-blown to machine manufactured glass such as rolled plate, machine drawn cylinder sheet, flat drawn sheet, single and twin ground polished plate and float glass.
There is a record of blown plate being produced in London in 1620.
Famous quotes containing the words plate glass, blown, plate and/or glass:
“I sometimes have the sense that I live my life as a writer with my nose pressed against the wide, shiny plate glass window of the “mainstream” culture. The world seems full of straight, large-circulation, slick periodicals which wouldn’t think of reviewing my book and bookstores which will never order it.”
—Jan Clausen (b. 1943)
“No bubble is so iridescent or floats longer than that blown by the successful teacher.”
—Sir William Osler (1849–1919)
“Then he rang the bell and ordered a ham sandwich. When the maid placed the plate on the table, he deliberately looked away but as soon as the door had shut, he grabbed the sandwich with both hands, immediately soiled his fingers and chin with the hanging margin of fat and, grunting greedily, began to much.”
—Vladimir Nabokov (1899–1977)
“The glass has been falling all the afternoon”
—Adrienne Rich (b. 1929)