Glass of Zhabinsky factory
One of the first Russian glass factories was located on the Luga River in the village of Zhabino. It was active from the 1700s to the early 1730s. The factory produced green and crystal glassware, as well as «window circles» and mirror glass. Currently, the products of the Zhabinsky factory in museum collections, with rare exceptions, are not identified. More than 200 glass samples found at the site of the plant have been studied. Two types of ash matter were produced there - yellow-green low-alkaline glass with soda additives and «red lead material», which has a green color. Ash glass was used to make bottles and other utensils. «Crystal matter» is represented by potash and potash-lime glass, which was used to make expensive dishes. Most of the finds of such glass have an azure color, as it is colored with pyrite ore. By adding sulfur to such glass, an amber-colored glass was obtained. Produced at the factory and cobalt blue glass, made with potash. Unexpected were the findings of lead crystal, which was used for casting mirrors.