Coralene Decoration of Ceramics & Glass
Coralene describes a special decorating technique producing a raised or beaded texture used on fine glass and ceramic wares. It was popular during the Victorian era from 1850 to 1900, although it was also used in earlier periods by Japanese artisans and others and has been imitated in later eras.
Coralene decoration was applied primarily to premium wares like satin glass or peach blow because it involved three separate steps in the production process. First the desired design was painted on the piece using a thick enamel paint. Second, tiny glass beads were pressed into the paint, and, third, the piece was again fired to permanently afix the decoration. The glass beads – most often gold, white, opalescent or clear – frequently “melted” in the process forming one rough textured continous design – often a branching motif resembling coral growths, a possible source for the name coralene.
Later wares imitated the original coralene technique by applying dots of paint instead of beads. Some manufactures, including those producing Nippon wares, achieved much the same look with clay slip applied in relief motifs, a process called moriage (although traditional coralene decoration is also found on Nippon).
Reproduction wares with the coralene “look” have entered the marketplace. The relief decoration, however, has either been painted on the piece or uses beads glued to the surface. In neither case have these pieces received a second firing so the decoration may be easily flaked off.