The Story of Rudolf and Leopold Blaschka

The "Botanical Wonders" (May 18 -- November 25, 2007) exhibition at The Corning Museum of Glass celebrated the singular triumph of glassmakers Leopold Blaschka (1822-1895) and his son Rudolf (1857-1939) and offered close-ups of the people and the craft process behind the glass flowers. Former curator David Whitehouse narrates.
See more at: www.cmog.org/collection/exhibi...

[@ElveeKaye]

These are stunningly beautiful, so delicate and realistic that they don't look like glass at all.

[@steiffbar]

Marvelous! I found the squids and octopus really enchanting! What gifts these two men had.

[@harvardmuseumofnaturalhist928]

The Glass Flowers gallery at Harvard Museum of Natural History in Cambridge, MA has just been reopened in May 2016 after a 6 month redesign and renovation. Some 2,000 of Harvard's 4,300 Blaschka botanical models are on permanent display in the original cases, which have been rebuilt with interior lighting and clear, non-reflective glass. The Glass Flowers look like they were just picked yesterday. There are also new cases to allow rotating displays of some of the models which have not been on display for over a decade. Current display is of the plants and their pollinators, orchids, bees, all amazingly realistic.

[@Jeromebakerglass]

wow what an incredible story !

[@Maerchenela]

wow - im very impressed - a wonderfull story
thx for posting this...

[@praaht18]

Fascinating and beautiful.

[@kayway9]

wow thankyoo for posting this..... veryinteresting thank you x

[@NotEvenThatsOdd]

Awesome.

[@3030COLTRON]

This is awesome

[@BradenHammondGlass]

very cool.... I've seen these displayed in Harvard.... Mind blowing!

[@scientifico]

I have wanted one of their models for years. I think I'd like to learn how to make glass creatures. Anybody know of a place on the east coast?

[@thatfunnykidwhoiscrazy2770]

2018 anyone

[@ThePetpeter]

@scientifico
I don't know much about the east coast. But my feeling is that Prague would be the ideal place to study the art of making fancy glass figures (I know that because I considered studying there as well). The Blaschka's also came from northern Bohemia and reflect the very old tradition of glass making in the Czech lands. Btw I myself am from Dresden and visited Harvard just to see the glass models, but couldn't find them. Are they presented in any museum publicly?