The Glass Studio, Toronto

Hand bevelled, leaded glass is a spectacular art glass tradition dating back over a century. Thick, clear glass is hand-ground at a steep angle and then polished to a brilliant, refractive finish.  Regrettably, most bevelled glass today is mass-produced using thin glass in standard shapes and patterns called "bevel clusters." They are an inexpensive but poor imitation of the best bevelled glass from a century ago. The difference is due to the glass thickness, hand-polishing techniques, and design originality.

The Glass Studio in Toronto was one of only a few studios in Canada to offer custom bevelled glass. In 1982 we were fortunate to acquire a set of three antique Henry Lange bevelling machines. Made in Chicago in the early 1900s, this machinery produced the highest quality bevelled glass available. The hand-bevelling process required five distinct stages: blank cutting, steel grinding, stone smoothing, cork polishing, and felt buffing. We utilized 8mm glass for our custom work—twice the thickness of commercial bevel "clusters." Depending on the shape and complexity, a single handmade bevel took anywhere from 30 minutes to several hours to fabricate. Each piece was finished with optical-grade cerium oxide for incredible brilliance and sparkle.

Following the initial blank cutting, the shaping process began on a "roughing" wheel—a solid, 24-inch cast iron disk machined perfectly flat. Grinding the glass edges against this steel surface was the first of four wheel-shaping steps. A silicon carbide and water slurry acted as the abrasive to grind away the glass and establish the initial bevel angle. The second step used a vintage "Newcastle" sandstone wheel from England to smooth out the roughness left by the steel. Sourced from a long-exhausted quarry, this rare stone gave our bevels a unique brilliance noticeably superior to those produced by modern diamond wheels. For the third stage, the Henry Lange machine spun a solid, six-inch-thick cork wheel charged with a water and pumice slurry. This step transformed the satin, opaque surface left by the stone, leaving the glass almost clear. The fourth and final step used a traditional Denver Glass Machinery felt wheel charged with optical-grade cerium oxide powder. This removed the remaining slight haze, producing a brilliant, sparkling, and refractive edge. Thomas Smylie began hand-bevelling in 1981, mastering this rare skill over a 42-year career as a glass artist and personally crafting thousands of the studio's custom pieces.

Some of the studio's very best hand-bevelled work was on display at the studio's showroom - called 'The Showroom Collection' - now available for sale on this website!