Peloton Glass
Wilhelm Kralik of Neuwelt, Bohemia, patented a novel type of glassware which he named "Peloton Glass." At the time the patent was registered, on October 25, 1880, Kralik was in the employ of Count Harrach, owner of one of the largest glass factories in Bohemia.
To produce articles fo this novel type of art glass, the hot glass was withdrawn from the furnace and was dipped or immersed, either before or after it was worked into shape, in a resevoir containing suitably prepared filaments or threads of glass until the desired quantity of these filaments had adhered to the hot glass.
Kralik stated further that these filaments could also be projected or thrown onto the hot parison, or the parison could be rolled over the marver which had been previously covered with the filaments in various colors. The article was reheated several times at the glory hole and then either pressed or hand-tooled into the desired form.
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The filaments were prepared by a process known as drawing or spinning glass, they were than submitted to a breaking apparatus, and were thus prepared in pieces of the desired dimensions.
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The vermiculated decoration produced by the application of these filaments could be of one tint or of various shades or tints by using filament of different colors. They were applied to either a transparent colored or clear background, or, as was most common, against an opaque white or colored ground. In most cases the filaments themselves were opaque white or colored glass. Sometimes the finished article was given a satin finish in an acid bath.
According to Mr. Kralik's enumerations, glass beads or fragments of glass could have been combined with the filaments so as to obtain a decoration in different forms and colors. Some pieces were further embellished with colorful enamel designs.
Source: Nineteenth Century Glass - It's Genesis and Development
