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How did it all begin?
Well, like most men I emptied my pockets at night of coins but where to put it all?
I first of all ‘borrowed’ a floral dish in porcelain and would empty my pockets and it slowly built up over the days – then the dish was taken back! – anyway it did not have that masculinity!
Being a woodturner I decided to make a Money Tray and to make it more interesting I inserted a coin (1p) in the middle. I then ended up giving it away along with others I made as presents but I eventually kept one myself!
I then came across the olde English saying ‘Money begets Money’ and sure enough it seemed that when the tray was emptied, it seemed to fill up again! But how to engrave this in wood?
Then I thought how nice it would look in Bristol Blue Glass and with a coin inset and with the words moulded around the coin, and so the quest began to create the Bristol Blue Glass Money Tray – but what problems on the way!
Firstly, I only wanted a few as presents (very expensive), then I wanted a coin inset (not feasible as glass and metal cools at different rates and it would crack), then the wording being moulded had to be Monotype Corsiva (choosey or what!) - not possible as glass cools overnight in a hot annealing oven (otherwise it would shatter ) and the letters would melt and lose their definition.
It eventually took 9 months of discussions and negotiations to resolve how to make it and have an inset for the coin and in addition the words around the coin.
Thankfully Bristol Blue Glass (South West) Ltd worked with me and today we have the beautiful Bristol Blue Glass Money Tray and it is expertly engraved.
A special shaped mould had to be made and the glass pressed into shape, believe me this is an expertly performed task with the correct amount of glass and judgement. It is then placed into the Annealing oven overnight, then polished, then Hand Engraved by sand blasting, then carefully packed for shipping. Each one being unique and individual.
The Glass is made from ‘nodules’ from Germany of Silica Sand and combined with Lead Oxide and other minerals. Theses arrive in Bristol in drums and into the ‘Pot’ in the furnace, Cobalt is then carefully added by the glass experts and the beautiful Blue Glass colour created.
I have asked about a ‘Recycled’ version using Local Authority recycled clear glass but at the moment this is not possible as the Cobalt would not mix evenly - possibly leaving pockets of cobalt.
I would like to thank Bristol Blue Glass (South West ) Ltd who have been very co-operative, patient and helpful in achieving this idea and I have learnt a lot.
They have a super range of products which can be seen at
www.bristolblueglass.com
All the profits from the Money Tray will go towards the Logmaker business to fund future Eco products.
www.logmaker.org.uk
Later on I hope to add some photos of your tray being made and thank you for your interest and I am sure you (or the recipient) will be very pleased with your Money Tray – if you buy one!
Regards
Arthur Howell
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