Cameo glass

Cameo glass is a very fancy type of glass that's been around for a very long time. It's called "cameo" because the glass is carved or etched with a design that looks like it's popping out from the rest of the glass, like a cameo jewelry piece.

The first step in making cameo glass is to gather a big glob of molten glass on the end of a long tube. Then, you use a tool called a "stuffer" to add a contrasting color of glass to the outside of the blob. This colored glass is called the "overlay."

Once the overlay is on the glass blob, a skilled glassworker will start carving away the colored glass to create the design they want to appear in relief. They do this by chipping, grinding, and polishing the glass with special tools. This process is kind of like carving a pumpkin, but with a lot more precision and patience.

After the design is carved, the glass is cooled slowly in an oven called a kiln to make sure it doesn't crack or break. Once the glass is cool, it can be polished and refined even further to really make the intricate details stand out.

Cameo glass can be used to make all sorts of beautiful things like vases, bowls, and even lampshades. It's a really fancy and special type of glass that takes a lot of skill and patience to make.