Page 43 - May2008

96 THE NATIONAL '13U'T'TOn BULLETIN May 2008

By Barbara Barrans

Enamel or Paint?

Decorative Finish on Glass

Q. Isn't there a type of button that is actual enameling on glass?
If so, how do these differ from painted, and why aren't they listed
in the classification?
A. Yes, there is a technique of painting on glass with enamel. Vitreous enamel
is powdered glass combined with a flux or medium into a paste and painted
onto a glass surface. The decorated button is fired at a temperature hot
enough to fuse the mixture to the surface. The enameled surface feels thick
and is much like overlay in its durability and appearance. This technique is
more commonly found in Div I glass than in Div III.
Enameled black glass is more abundant than enameled clear and colored
glass. White enameling is more common than colored examples, and was
sometimes used in combination with gold luster for a more dramatic effect.
Often referred to as "Mary Gregory" style, white enamel painting was origi-
nated by Friedrich Egermann (1777-1864) and became very popular in the
late 1880s.'" Shading was achieved by varying the thickness of the enamel
and multiple applications were sometimes used to add details. The enamel
was colored by adding different metal oxides.
Paint, by contrast, is made of pigment(s) in water- or oil-based solution.
Some painted glass buttons are fired at a relatively low temperature to
increase durability. Div I "chemical" and "imitation wood" painted buttons
were more than likely fired to make them more permanent. For this reason,
the surface paint is more susceptible to surface wear than chipping. When
found on vintage painted glass, chipped paint is an indication of an unfired
finish. Paint applied in bas relief (protected by the higher surface) or in a
line design is less likely to suffer damage. Unfired painted cameo designs
do not fare as well.
To differentiate between enamel and paint, feel the surface. Enamel is
thicker than paint and usually glossy in appearance. Enamel is typically
white, but not always.
""Truitt, R. & D. Mary Gregory Glassware 1880-1990, 1992