crystal ball question

Hello,
I see you have discussed crystal balls before, but i am still stumped
as to what i have. I bought a sphere about 10 years ago at a resale
shop. The diameter is approx. 18". It is very pretty and fairly heavy.
I do not think it's quartz because of some tiny pin point sized bubbles
inside. The bubbles are not concentrated in one area, rather they are
spread around inside. From a few feet back you barely notice the
imperfections but they are there. This is certainly not crystal clear
glass, but it is still very pretty.

Can anybody help advise me as to what they think I might have? I can't
seem to find balls quite this large online, and I'm not really sure how
to research this. I was considering selling it, but i'd like to know
what I'm selling first. Thanks so much.
Socal

Well, if it is 18" in diameter and solid and either glass or rock crystal,
it would weigh about 283 pounds.
http://users.ticnet.com/mikefirth/techspec.htm#MATH which is well beyond
"fairly heavy".
Therefore it is hollow glass or plastic, hollow rock crystal not being
possible without a hole.
Weigh it and divide by the volume to get the overall density. And/or try
floating it in a bathtub. If it is hollow, it should float. In fact, it is
most likely a glass fishing net float from Japan. If it is glass and is 18"
in diameter and the glass is 1/4 inch thick, (est.vol. 254.5 cu.in. x 0.087
#/cu.in ) weighs about 22 pounds or if 3/8" thick about 33 pounds.
Check your measurements.

--
Mike Firth
Hot Glass Bits Furnace Working Website
http://users.ticnet.com/mikefirth/hotbit46.htm Latest notes

"socal" wrote in message
oups.com...
Hello,
I see you have discussed crystal balls before, but i am still stumped
as to what i have. I bought a sphere about 10 years ago at a resale
shop. The diameter is approx. 18". It is very pretty and fairly heavy.
I do not think it's quartz because of some tiny pin point sized bubbles
inside. The bubbles are not concentrated in one area, rather they are
spread around inside. From a few feet back you barely notice the
imperfections but they are there. This is certainly not crystal clear
glass, but it is still very pretty.

Can anybody help advise me as to what they think I might have? I can't
seem to find balls quite this large online, and I'm not really sure how
to research this. I was considering selling it, but i'd like to know
what I'm selling first. Thanks so much.
Socal

agree with Mike.....

here on the beach in OREGON, (however rare now) all manner of floats used to
wash in.
there are "new" ones being made for the "tourist trade".
usually old ones are sandblasted a little and you may even find the blowers
mark on an old one.

26 years and have not stumbled over a glass one.......
neighbors have many and I "believe" that there is some affinity
involved.....perhaps the floats" know" that I break glass and stay away from
me.
I have drilled 1/8NPT holes in about 10 of them over the years to adapt for
a lamp base.so far ONLY A HISS WHEN THE AIR ENTERS THEM.

HNY..............

Hello,
Thank you for your replies. I am sure this thing isn't hollow. wouldn't
it be obvious. It is solid and round. It looks just like the crystal
quartz balls I see advertised online execept for the tiny little
bubbles inside. Now- for the measurement-- II took a tape measure and
measured all the way around (as if I was measuring my bicept) and it
was 18 inches around. Am I measuring it wrong?
As for weight, I put it on the bathroom scale and I know that's really
not the right type of scale, but it weighs about 7 pounds.
Ok, what am I doing wrong ;-)
Thanks!!
Socal
(is there a way to post a photo on this board?)

PS. I majored in journamlism. I just checked your weblink with all
those numbers and my head almost exploded. Numbers are not my
specialty.
Socal

Ok,
I just had my genius husband measure the ball. He says it's 6" in
diameter. The bathroom scale may not be registering the weight properly
but I don't think it's more than 10 lbs max. I don't have a postage
scale at home Anyway, I was confusing diameter and circumference :-(
Sorry about that.

So back to my original question-- do you think it could be glass or
lead crystal. If it were quartz would I still be seeing the tiny air
bubbles? I'm just curious as to what it is. When I bought it i just
thought it was pretty, but I'd like to know what I bought!! Thanks so
much.
Socal.

See, you answered your own question. If you had said circumference in the
first place, we would have divided by PI (3.1416....) to get a bit under 6"
for 18" circum. I have not seen enough quartz/rock crystal to know if it
has bubbles as defects, but it makes it far more likely that it is glass. I
have one about half that size with well organized bubbles in it that my
sister sent me. Made in China. Besides the decorative bubbles, also has
small seed bubbles.
One web site has Chinese 6" clear crystal for $400. That is the
competition. If you look at this page
http://www.mineralminers.com/html/rkxsphs.stm you will see what rock crystal
costs and what the flaws are (and what they offer to counter the
reconstituted Chinese quartz)

--
Mike Firth
Hot Glass Bits Furnace Working Website
http://users.ticnet.com/mikefirth/hotbit46.htm Latest notes

"socal" wrote in message
oups.com...
Ok,
I just had my genius husband measure the ball. He says it's 6" in
diameter. The bathroom scale may not be registering the weight properly
but I don't think it's more than 10 lbs max. I don't have a postage
scale at home Anyway, I was confusing diameter and circumference :-(
Sorry about that.

So back to my original question-- do you think it could be glass or
lead crystal. If it were quartz would I still be seeing the tiny air
bubbles? I'm just curious as to what it is. When I bought it i just
thought it was pretty, but I'd like to know what I bought!! Thanks so
much.
Socal.

Thanks!! I hate math :-(

Practice makes for friendlier relationships.

--
Mike Firth
Hot Glass Bits Furnace Working Website
http://users.ticnet.com/mikefirth/hotbit46.htm Latest notes

"socal" wrote in message
ups.com...
Thanks!! I hate math :-(