The
Mille-Fiore, or star-work of
the Venetians is more regular in design than the ball, but of the same
characters.
It was formed by placing lozenges of glass, cut from the ends of
coloured canes, ranging them in regular or irregular devices, and
encasing them in Flint transparent Glass. The double transparent Glass
cone,
A, received the lozenges between the two surfaces.
The whole is reheated; a hollow disk, communicating with the blowing-iron,
adheres to the neck,
B, and the air is exhausted or sucked
out of the double case, as further explained in the cameo illustration.
After being rewarmed, it becomes one homogeneous mass, and can be shaped
into a
tazza, paper-weight,
&c., at pleasure.
The Romans, and possibly the Greeks, formed
beautiful arabesque and other designs of Mosaic Glass: many of these are
of minute and accurate execution, in light colours beautifully harmonized
upon a dark ground, formed wholly of threads of Glass. They are ranged
vertically, side by side, in single threads
