Glass Artist Joe Winterbower is still in his studio making glass boro vortex marbles!

I recently received a  question from someone  asking what the glass from Italy was that my husband uses for his marbles and I got to thinking, does borosilicate come from Italy or around here. I never really thought about it until now, because he uses Moretti  and Effreti glasses and they are from Italy. But as I looked into it, Moretti and Effreti glass is soft glass that he uses for beads, although you can use it for marbles and paperweights. I have a beautiful paperweight made of soft glass and it's amazing.
But just to set the record straight, Joe uses the hard glass for all his marbles and paperweights. That would be Borosilicate and I guess it's made here. I can't figure out exactly where, though, and why there are so many different names for it. I do know he doesn't use Chinese glass.
If anyone can explain where it comes from I'd love to hear!
I really try. heh.
Jan, drowning in a sea of glass.

Pink is such a calming color and Joe's pink vortex marbles are just that. They are really deep and totally stunning with the rainbow dichro inside. He will be making more since so many people seem to like them. The white Christmas globes are a hit, too. And since Christmas is my favorite time of the year, we have the globes on sale on our web site. There will be more to come in the coming months before Christmas and lots of specials! So keep us in your favorites and don't miss out!

 Joe has us on a fast track to Marble Heaven. The guy truly loves vortex marbles and he can't stop making them, so we have put up a website, with the help of Pappashop, and are now selling them there.  Also, The Real Mother Goose in Portland, Oregon have them on display as well as PDX. So, I have to say that we are having a great time with this whole thing. The response has been encouraging and we appreciate every person that has oohed and ahhed over them. We had a great time in our booths at the NW Jamboree and The Art and Air Festival, too. I ate too much, tho. I love the food at those things. lol.
 The website, www.leapinglizardglassart.com, is coming along with frequent changes as this is our first one. I will be populating it through the months ahead and will also have some Christmas specials as well as here on eBay. So check us out!