Irradiating bottles?

[RED Matthews]

Well, I guess I should put in what little I know about this process. I bought a bottle one time because it was sole as irradiated. It also looked dazzling in the pictures and was when I got it. It is a quart whiskey with cut glass quality design in the glass. So I had to assume it has some lead in the glass. The color is a light purple I put in my bow window up in New York in the summer time. After I bought it (and it was like $28.including the shipping - I contacted the seller regarding the process, and he told me that he had done some of them in a sterilizing type piece of equipment. I neglected to ask what type of light was used.
I don't really like faking glass, but when I was traveling the world I saw a lot of old bottles on shed roofs, to get the SCA colorization. I have several fly traps, fishing floats and bottles that are SCA colored. I just looked up here by my computer and noticed a witches ball that is amethyst and neat. RED Matthews

 

[swizzle]

Wow, a lot of good info here guys. I really appreciate all of the comments and can respect anyone who is dead set against nuking glass. I actually like the idea of nuking wheatons. That could be sweet. Just out of curiosity how much would it cost to get set up with a small system. I know that nuking a bottle for several weeks can't be cheap that's why I'd load the box full of bottles. I'll make sure the box is sealed tight so that no light escapes and shut off the light before I open the box as well. Thanx again. Swiz

 

[cyberdigger]

Not sure if Wheaton bottles have manganese.. in fact I'm not sure I ever saw a clear one, they usually already come in flamboyant colors.. anyhow, here's some tech info I dug up:

"Decolorizers (Manganese Dioxide)
By adding certain other ingredients to a molten glass, it is possible to offset the greenish color and produce colorless glasses. Such ingredients are known as decolorizers, and one of the most common is manganese dioxide (MnO2). In chemical terms, the manganese acts as an oxidizing agent and converts the iron from its reduced state (which is a strong greenish blue colorant) to an oxidized state (which has a yellowish, but much less intense, color). In the course of the chemical reaction, the manganese goes into a chemically reduced state which is virtually colorless.

Manganese dioxide is believed to have been first used as a decolorizer as early as about the second century B.C. It was probably introduced as the mineral pyrolusite. From Roman times onward, glasses often contain about 0.5% to 1.0% manganese oxide (MnO). Later on, manganese dioxide (MnO2) was sometimes called "glassmakers' soap."

If pieces of decolorized glass containing reduced manganese are exposed to ultraviolet light for long periods of time, the manganese may become photo-oxidized. This converts the manganese back into an oxidized form, which, even in rather low concentrations, imparts a pink or purplish color to glass. The ultraviolet rays of the sun can promote this process over a matter of a few years or decades, thus accounting for the color of desert glass. The effect has been reproduced in the laboratory."FROM HERE

 

[cobaltbot]

I have no problem with the roof toppers. I just think its unnatural and I'm a nature guy.
Its like Michael Jackson trying to bleach himself, love the way God made you, Celebrate Yourself. I have a little experience at this, check out the vitaligo on my hand and the ugly green bottle!

 

[JOETHECROW]

I just think its unnatural and I'm a nature guy.

agree.

 

[RedGinger]

I don't care for it personally, but as long as you're not swindling someone with it, who cares? I mean, you could make a lot of money selling it to people who really like it. I've known a couple of women who love that purple glass, even when I have explained that it's not that old and the sun does that.

 

[Digswithstick]

Before pic .

 

[Digswithstick]

After . Done with germicidial uv light ,bought at lighting warehouse . I have figured out since posting these that if you put bottle directly on bulb if maganese content is high ,it only takes about a week to get them lightly colored (also helps to use aluminum foil instead of white paper).The light i use is only 18" - 15 watt single bulb,higher wattage gives quicker results and will darken more .It is surprising how many slicks can be saved for gifts or sales .Will post pic of some different ones .

 

[Digswithstick]

[]

 

[cobaltbot]

Digs, I have no trouble with SCA or using low bulbs to hasten SCA I just don't like the unnatural shades. For instance screwing up my fun by turning cobalt bottles wierd shades and having me not be able to tell a truly unique find from an artificial P O C. Oh, and the guys that purple historical flasks, thats just wrong IMHO.