Featured Question about American Brilliant Cut Glass

Good advice. Leaching happens over time and heavy metal exposure from leaching adds up over time.

 

Hi,
I eat off old RED Fiesta several times a week. The yelling and warning about lead poisoning is getting mighty old in this old man. I have been stripping old lead paint from houses for years. I do not use a mask and never have. I had lead testing done every couple of years. My lead levels are so low it is not a problem. I have been "told" that eggs will kill you. A couple of years later I am told eggs are good for you. Then a few years later eggs will kill you. The same with everything else. I would not store liquor in glass decanters since I rarely drink anymore. First it was radioactivity with Fiesta, then it was lead and goodness knows what it will be tomorrow. If you read between the lines of all of these "reports" you will find the words may, perhaps and might cause problems. The information highway is littered with horrible effects.
I am 81 years old and no one I know has died from lead leeching out of anything except firearms.
greg

 

This is what I was told also..my aunt had always said.....because of lead and long term storage of some liquids can "stain" the glass

 

this is when it may be confusing to insert lead crystal into an ABP discussion. APB didn't contain lead; the clarifying agent used in ABP was manganese. If in doubt try a black light UV test to ascertain glass content. This may be a selling point to revive ABP sales with the new 'green' generation...
Here's an informative article on lead leaching in lead crystal; tho' it doesn't seem to address long term analysis. I'd question how long measurable lead levels may continue to leach from the glass surface. They need to test a long term storage, and then clean and refill to test for additional leaching. This should be done for several sequences of storage to determine if or when leaching falls off or ceases.
http://www.thenibble.com/reviews/main/wine/lead-crystal.asp

many may be familiar with black light testing methods for ABP:
http://www.brilliantglass.com/black-light-testing/

this may be of interest to some:
http://www.currentseparations.com/issues/16-3/cs16-3a.pdf

 

There are a couple of Facebook groups you may want to check out:
American Brilliant Period Cut Glass Collectors
American Brilliant Cut Glass Buy, Sell, Trade

Both of these are fairly active groups. I've never tried to sell anything there so I don't know how viable that may be. And there are beautiful pieces to look at. It actually helped to revive my interest in ABP.

 

Thank you for the links @TallCakes & @wenna! Great information and I've requested to join the fb groups. Thanks, exposure over time is the culprit. When I do my decidedly low tech glaze stability tests, I lay a lemon slice on the piece for varying lengths of time. If the citric acid degrades the glaze at all I don't consider it food safe. It's not just exposure to the metals and minerals in the glaze, it's that utinsil marks will show, it will stain, and of course leach any controversial stuff.

About eight years ago manganese (interesting to see it mentioned in the article about ABCG!) went on the toxic radar landscape in the pottery community after a well known (very old) potter came down with a neurological disease and died. He worked extensively over decades with manganese. Now it's another target of fear and distain in the pottery community. I used/use a glaze with it in it extensively, now only on the outside of my pottery where it doesn't come in long term contact with food. I use a different glaze inside the pots. The public is "safe" but it's still in its more dangerous dry powdered form in my studio. I take precautions but it's still around.

Like @gregsglass said. If we all followed every warning, we wouldn't do anything. I'd wrap myself in a bubble wrap (which would also turn out to be bad for you) and sit in a corner (uh oh, not enough exercise will kill you!!!). I like to be informed and choose my battles. I use my old crazed dishes, you know they're risky because bacteria (!!!!!) can harbor in the cracks, eat way too much butter, and use manganese in the studio. Life in the fast lane! Ps: we always called buckshot lead poisoning;-)

 

[QUOTE. no one I know has died from lead leeching out of anything except firearms.
greg[/QUOTE]

You been watching all those old time cowboy shows?

 

I can't speak on the lead question but I would echo the warning against storing liquids in collectible glass. You could very well end up with an etched interior. I can't tell you the number of decanters and vases I have to pass up because of that type of damage.
Don