URANIUM GLASS CANDLESTICK, 1930's

The term uranium glass, to the collector, will always be associated with that oily, yellow-green, transparent medium known as Vaseline glass.

The chemistry textbooks tell us that uranium was discovered by the German chemist, Martin Heinrich Klaproth, in 1789, although this may not be the whole story. The element was named after the planet Uranus and what Klaproth reported to the Royal Prussian Academy of Science in that year was uranium oxide, which he had separated from the heavy, black mineral known as pitchblende. The element itself was not isolated until 1841, but this did not stop it from being used in glass-making. Items made using such elements mainly for the colouration have a unique trait, they glow under Ultra Violet light, they are not however usually very Radio Active, this one is unmeasured, as it is too weak. Uranium glass can still be purchased today because of its unique colour.

This item can be demonstrated.

• The Candlestick under UV light
  

A1454