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Traditional craft of Mallorca

Vidre bufat (Mallorcan blown glass)

At a glance

An iron rod is inserted into the molten glass; The teacher blows at the other end and the glass swells. It is turned, cut, shaped with tongs and shovels, and…

Crafts
Traditional craft of Mallorca
Artisans in the register
38 · Palma, Algaida, Consell, Esporles, Manacor
Words
arca, bufar, canya, forn, gresol, marbrejar
18-10-29-Mallorca- Gordiola -RalfR-DJI 0242
18-10-29-Mallorca- Gordiola -RalfR-DJI 0242 — Ralf Roletschek, Resolution restricted-by-sa, Wikimedia Commons

What it is and technique

An iron rod is inserted into the molten glass; The teacher blows at the other end and the glass swells. It is turned, cut, shaped with tongs and shovels, and annealed so that it does not break. Typical Mallorcan colors: greens and blues.

Short story

Gordiola dates its origin to 1719 (oven in Palma, request of the craftsman Blas Rigal; another source cites a Catalan trading partner). Transfer to Algaida in the 70s (1973 or 1975 depending on source).

Chronology:

  • 1719: oven in Palma (origin claimed by Gordiola).
  • 18th-19th centuries: the house remains in the family; use parts (bottles, glasses, lamps).
  • 1973 or 1975: transfer to Algaida (sources disagree).
  • August 2021: Representative Demonstration of the PCI of Spain (BOE).
  • December 2023: UNESCO registers blown glass (candidacy from 6 countries).
  • 2023: «Mallorca Manifesto for glass» (GE-IIC).

Where and who today

  • Gordiola Art Glass — Algaida (Manacor road km 19). Eleven generations; Visitable workshop and glass museum on the upper floor. Next to La Granja (Segovia), one of the two great centers of Spain. vidrios-gordiola
  • A guide also mentions Lafiore and Menestralia; I have not verified its current status. lafiore

State

I live, but very focused on a company. Recognitions: Representative Manifestation of the PCI of Spain (BOE, August 2021) and UNESCO registration in December 2023 (multinational candidacy with Germany, Czechia, Finland, France and Hungary). Some press says "UNESCO 2021": it is a mistake, it confuses the state declaration.

Contemporary Updates

"Mallorca Manifesto for glass" (GE-IIC, 2023). Pending: designers who have edited pieces with Gordiola.

Process step by step

1. Fusion: sand, fluxes and recycled glass are melted in the oven (around 1,100-1,300 °C; check Gordiola's data).

2. Pick up the baton: the teacher turns the reed inside the crucible and takes out a drop of glass.

3. Marbrejar: rolls the drop on a plate to center it.

4. Blow: first bubble; It is reheated in the mouth of the oven as many times as necessary.

5. Form: with tongs, shovels and wet wooden paddles; sometimes inside a mold.

6. Pontell: a bar is glued to the base to release the rod piece and open the mouth.

7. Handles and applications: hot glass beads added.

8. Annealing: slow cooling in the ark so that it does not break.

Forms and objects

  • Gerres and bottles, ampoules.
  • Glasses and cups.
  • Llànties and lamps.
  • Porrons (to verify current production).
  • Characteristic colors: Mallorcan greens and blues.

Vocabulary

  • vidrier: master glazier.
  • forn: melting furnace.
  • gresol: crucible.
  • canya: blow tube.
  • posta: collected glass drop.
  • marbrejar: rolling the glass on a plate.
  • pontell: bar to hold the piece at the base.
  • recuit: annealed.
  • arca: annealing oven.
  • bufar: blow.
  • pinces / tenalles: forming tools.

Geography

  • Algaida (Manacor road, km 19): Gordiola.
  • Origin in Palma.
  • Raw materials mostly imported (to be verified); the craft and the form are local.

Xifres

  • 1719: claimed origin.
  • 11 generations of the same family.
  • 1 large active workshop (Gordiola). Lafiore and Menestralia: status to be verified.
  • UNESCO 2023; State PCI 2021.

Why is it design

  • Form from the gesture: the piece comes from the breath and the turn, not from the plane.
  • Circular material: the glass is remelted.
  • Identity color: greens and blues recognizable as “Mallorca glass”.
  • Risk: an asset supported by a single house.

For the project

  • Possible piece: glass/bottle for a Mallorcan product (oil, wine, water) with recycled glass from the island; designer × master glassmaker collaboration.
  • Contact: Gordiola (Algaida).
  • Background question: a world heritage trade supported by a single house: how is the handover ensured?

Frequently asked questions

What is Vidre bufat (Mallorcan blown glass)?

An iron rod is inserted into the molten glass; The teacher blows at the other end and the glass swells. It is turned, cut, shaped with tongs and shovels, and…

Who practises Vidre bufat (Mallorcan blown glass) in Mallorca today?

The Balearic Islands Crafts Register lists 38 artisans linked to this craft, in Palma, Algaida, Consell, Esporles, Manacor.

What are the traditional words for Vidre bufat (Mallorcan blown glass)?

Some words: arca, bufar, canya, forn, gresol, marbrejar, pinces / tenalles, pontell.

Sources

Working text from the Disseny Indígena knowledge base, machine-translated from Spanish.

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