About once a year, the life of the pot comes to an end and it must be replaced.
It is a day of high drama indeed in the glassworks. Removed from the furnace still burning red hot, driving the forklift that carries it without incident is an art form in itself. It can be an emotional time for us too, for in a way the pot has dedicated and given its life to preserve the life of our craft.
Though small, it dominates the entire floor with its penetrating heat. Let alone to cool in a silent wake over the coming hours, in its belly, one last bit of life is transferred to the crystal that remains within.
It is in its death that the iceberg is born.
As the pot cools, its walls crumble and fall away, releasing exquisitely abstract raw chunks of crystal. Like the rings of a tree or a vintage of great wine, these 10 or so pieces hold in them not just a piece of the crystalmakers’ souls, but a small trace of every piece of crystal that was formed since the pot was fired up a year earlier. They are indeed true symbols of stewardship of the art of handcrafted crystal.
Each piece is then cut and shaped by hand. The craftsman applies his own artistic sense, of course, but he must also feel his way through it, letting the piece itself dictate its final shape — the crystal speaks, and the finely tuned ear of a master craftsman hears.
There seems to be a magical quality in these Icebergs that will always be indefinable. It is the quality of medium and artist coming together to create a work of beauty.
As a final, lasting farewell to the pot that gave its life for these precious works of art, each iceberg comes in a protective wooden crate crafted from the wood of the very crate that housed the pot on its transatlantic journey from the shores of England to the shores of Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Prices range between $4,500 - $7,200. Specific pricing and purchase information on our 2003 vintage is available by consultation. Please call us at 1.888.977.2797 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .