George & the Big Blue Bottle

Museum glassmaker George Kennard, with the assistance of other Hot Glass Show staff, recently made a giant champagne bottle for our friends at Celebrity Cruises (we provide Hot Glass Shows on three Celebrity Cruise ships). The bottle is completely blown by hand, without a mold or any special equipment – not an easy feat!

Making an elegant champagne bottle that is well shaped and will hold the cork in the neck with just the right diameter, no leaks, will hold the stopper wire, and is strong enough stand up to the tremendous pressure of a champagne is a technical feat that George does not take lightly. He puts an extra deep kick in the bottom of the bottles along with lots of heavy glass to take advantage of the tremendous strength of glass when it is placed under compression.

The bottles are filled with sparkling wine from local Glenora Wine Cellars, and they’ll be used by Celebrity Cruises for the July inauguration of their new ship, Celebrity Silhouette.