Glass is an oft forgotten stalwart of the Steampunk look (along with quartz), but the work that Andy Paiko does with glass, both one off sculptural and commercial pieces, serves to remind me just how Steampunk glass can be. From beautiful bell jars for placing items of sacred beauty or scientific wonder, to impractical glass chairs of stunning ornament, to the above glass seismograph – taking our feelings about delicacy and fragility and declaring them a feature, not a flaw. There’s an amazing collection of bell jars though, and I agree with the artist that:

“It seems that anything you venture to display behind glass instantly achieves the status of “sacred”.”

Also, do take a look at the pseudoelectrical devices – curious contraptions of glass and electricity under jars themselves and set to run off ultraviolet or infrared light (they feature Tesla coils, so it’s very much up our street, so to speak). Thank you greatly to Mr Greg who points out Mr Paiko’s work as a friend of a friend of the artist himself. Marvellous stuff!