Uranium glass

What is uranium glass?

• Uranium glass is a glass containing small amount of uranium as a coloring agent and
• it emits the most sensitive beautiful green flourescence to human eyes under
• ultraviole tlight. This is because uranium atoms excited by absorbing energies of
• ultraviolet light emit green light to human eyes when they return to the original states.
• Therefore, uranium glass shines more beautifully under the direct sun light.

Brief history of uranium glass

• Production began in 1830s in Bohemia and spread quickly to England, France, Germany,
• Italy and others during the Century, because of the unique beauty of the glass. In the
• middle of 19the Century, it was introduced into America. Until the production was
• ceased in the World War II, it was loved by the people in the world as the most
• popular glass and many glasses such as tablewares, vases, and accessories were
• made. In Japan, uranium was introduced as a coloing agent together with the modern
• glass making early in the Meiji era, and many of uranium glasses such as tablewares,
• clocks and lights were produced during the Taisho era until the begining of the
• Showa era.

Presently ・・

• Since various countries tried to use uranium for military uses during the World War II,
• it became not possible to use uranium in glassworks. After the war, production was
• seldom, but recently it was revived in Czechoslovakia and America. In Japan, using
• uranium produced in a uranium mine in Ningyou pass, Kamisaibara, Kagamino-Cho,
• Okayama Prefecture, production of pure domestic uranium glass was started.

Safety of uranium glass

• Many people might feel "fareful" at the word of uranium, but it is not at all necessary
• to worry about its radiation, because the amount of uranium contained in uranium glass
• is so small. Uranium glass currently used in Fairywood Glass Museum contains so little
• uranium of 0.1 weight % that fore example, radiation from a wine glass is about the
• same order of magnitude to that of the radiation of 40Ｋ contained in a human body.
• Therefore, it is not at all problematic to use such glasses for deaily use as tablewares
• for eating and drinking.

Fairywood Glass

• "Fairywood Glass" is the uranium glass made in the glass studio of the Fairywood
• Glass Museum, by using the uranium of local product in Kagamino-Cho. The town
• named the uranium glass "Fairywood glass", because of the misterious fluorescent
• shine of the uranium glass that may remined people of a shining fairy in the dark.
• Fairywood Glass uses high quality materials so that glass shines beautifully.
• For increasing artistic values, decorations are made by such as cutting.