Mercury glass makes a comeback

If you’ve never heard of mercury glass (also called silvered glass), it just means that you weren’t born in the 19th century! Genuine mercury glass is a decorative, double-walled, hand-blown glass that has a layer of mercury or silver sandwiched between the layers. The term “mercury” is a bit misleading; elemental mercury is not used in the creation of this kind of glass, although early versions may have contained it. “Silvered” glass is made with a silver nitrate solution, and is not genuine silver, either.

Mercury glass was made as a tarnish-free alternative to silver, and was also used as a “cheap” substitute for genuine silver. Household objects like doorknobs, glasses, vases and candlesticks were prime candidates for mercury glass. As it began to fade from popular favor, mercury glass could be found in purely decorative objects like Christmas ornaments.

Original mercury glass is now a popular antique find. Because the glass was usually not perfectly sealed, antique mercury glass can tarnish or deteriorate. Delamination is also a common issue among antique mercury glass pieces.

Painting on glass

Some crafters like making their own faux mercury glass using mirror spray paint. This paint will adhere to glass, but doesn’t bond permanently, so the mirror effect will be vulnerable to impact damage and delamination over time.

True glass paint, like Glassprimer™ glass paint, makes a permanent bond with glass surfaces. This exceptional paint allows you to apply paint in any color to any glass surface. In addition, special frosting finishes allow painted glass to take on the appearance of frosted glass.

Glassprimer™ glass paint will not peel, chip or fade. It also provides exceptional UV resistance. This allows the paint to retain its color, even when exposed to direct sunlight. It can also help control solar heat gain, which reduces energy consumption.

Used in a decorative capacity, Glassprimer™ glass paint performs well in high-humidity areas like kitchens and bathrooms. It will enable you to create beautifully decorated, cost-effective glass surfaces for walls, cabinet fronts and countertops.

If you’d like more information about decorating with Glassprimer™ glass paint, please visit the rest of our site. If you’d like to purchase Glassprimer™ glass paint, please visit our online store .

Photo Credit: Cheryl, via FreeImages.com