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European Virtual Training Centre
for glass arts and techniques

Sweden Sand casting

HISTORY

Written and translated by Ole Victor

Bertil Vallien started casting glass in sand moulds at Åfors glassworks, Sweden, in 1968, without much support from the factory management. After much experimenting for many years he had his first success with sandcast glass at an exhibition in New York in 1983. Since then the success has continued both artistically and economically.

Casting metal in sand moulds is an ancient technique and even if sandcasting glass has been an industrial method since long ago, Bertil Vallien may well be the first to have explored the technique artistically.

After him many have followed and the simplicity of the technique makes it very popular, also in educational situations.