Hand Blown Mexican Glass

The first glass made in North America was in Mexico in 1535 by artisans brought by the Spanish from Europe. Although these original glassworks were short lived, glassblowing was reintroduced into Mexico hundreds of years ago and flourished, due largely to the simplicity of the ingredients and the ingenuity of the Mexican arts and crafts tradition. Today Mexico is well known for affordable, rustic handblown drinking glasses, many of them characterized by a cobalt blue band at the rim. To create different colors, various metal oxides are added.

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Small amounts of iron and sulfur will achieve amber and brown effects while green and aqua glasses require iron. Light blues need copper, while dark blues contain very small quantities of cobalt. Pastel colors can also be achieved by adding crushed glass of the desired color. Regular tours to the Glass Factory with a bilingual guide are available or you may take a taxi and run on your own time. The best time to go is between 6 am and 2 pm, while the place is humming with activity. Watching the artisans at their craft is mesmerizing, the technique fascinating. The well stocked shop features functional items like glasses, plates and pitchers as well as decorative items. When buying more porous hand-blown glass for daily use, it's a good idea to buy extras; they chip easily. Custom orders can take time depending upon how busy the factory is.