How many lamp workers are there in the US?

**bowlpusher** · 10-06-2015, 03:53 PM

I would have to guess that there are about 50,000 lampworkers at the present time. What do you think? Is there any way to calculate? How many lamp workers do you think live in your state? I have always been curious. I have no real idea how many are in Michigan. People always pop out of the wood work.

**emergensee** · 10-06-2015, 03:59 PM

I say maybe around 20,000

**LooseSeal Baller** · 10-06-2015, 05:57 PM

i would guess way lower...if each state has 100 that would be 5000, and i think that is an over estimate, but i have no real way of gauging

**Swim** · 10-06-2015, 06:12 PM

I can tell you several states, that I personally know do not have 100 flame workers. Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama, Arkansas. Probably a lot more on that list.

**Swim** · 10-06-2015, 06:13 PM

they dont have one hundred when you put them all together. Maybe 25 people between those four states

**PyroChixRock** · 10-06-2015, 06:38 PM

But then there are places like Eugene and Denver where you can toss a rock and hit a glassblower, and another one when it bounces off the first one.

**brads** · 10-06-2015, 07:53 PM

Originally Posted by discretionglass

they dont have one hundred when you put them all together. Maybe 25 people between those four states

Really? And exactly what research did you do to come up with that number - "I don't know them, so they can't exist?"

I have 18 people on my beadmaking mailing list for those states alone. Based on your wild assed guess, that means that roughly 70% of the lampworkers in those 4 states have signed up for my list. Yeah, right...

And my list is an extremely small subset of the total - basically, people interested in 104COE striking silver glass, who know about me and want to receive mailings, and took the time to sign up for my mailing list. Nor does that count any scientific glassblowers at universities (and I know there are at least a few), lampworkers enrolled in university glass programs, the local Tom, Dick, or Harriet quietly blowing glass out in the woods - or cities - somewhere, any boro workers who don't give a rats ass about soft glass, or any of the MANY people in those states you don't "personally" know.

Given those figures and the criteria for being on my list, your number is crap. There are a lot more lampworkers around than you know about.

**Mr. Larry** · 10-06-2015, 08:42 PM

I have no empirical evidence, but I would guess that there are a hundred of us here in Asheville.

**Dan Kooper** · 10-06-2015, 08:45 PM

I have 7 artists working in my shop including me. 3 other artists stopped in to visit today also from the area. Michigan glass scene is pretty big.

**Mr. Larry** · 10-06-2015, 08:50 PM

Dan, I am from Deerborn Michigan. Really cool to hear there's a scene.

**vetropod** · 10-06-2015, 09:20 PM

I know that there are at least 12.

**Simian** · 10-07-2015, 05:58 AM

I would guess 100k or so. It is a totally arbitrary guess extrapolated from my gut feeling based on a hunch I am sure might be right.

**D. dino i ninjah** · 10-07-2015, 06:15 AM

What r the qualifications for being a lampworker ? Full time artist making a living ? Or like took a class five years ago and talks about it at the bar more than actually does it ? Bead ladies who make 20 beads a year ? The scientific glass workers in every major college and university? The guys who used to do it and were good .. but do something else now ?

A fuck ton ?
Tooo many ?
More than anyone thinks?
Do those guys even count ?
Are u serious their selling 1 little bead for 2x the price of a pipe ?

**Swim** · 10-07-2015, 09:46 AM

Originally Posted by brads

Really? And exactly what research did you do to come up with that number - "I don't know them, so they can't exist?"

I have 18 people on my beadmaking mailing list for those states alone. Based on your wild assed guess, that means that roughly 70% of the lampworkers in those 4 states have signed up for my list. Yeah, right...

And my list is an extremely small subset of the total - basically, people interested in 104COE striking silver glass, who know about me and want to receive mailings, and took the time to sign up for my mailing list. Nor does that count any scientific glassblowers at universities (and I know there are at least a few), lampworkers enrolled in university glass programs, the local Tom, Dick, or Harriet quietly blowing glass out in the woods - or cities - somewhere, any boro workers who don't give a rats ass about soft glass, or any of the MANY people in those states you don't "personally" know.

Given those figures and the criteria for being on my list, your number is crap. There are a lot more lampworkers around than you know about.

I am 100% right about Louisiana and Mississippi, and farely sure about the other two. I sell to 90% of the shops in these 2 states (just production handpipes, nothing special to brag about) and I have gotten to know my shop owners. Shop owners are going to tell you about other glass artists for the most part, that is how I met the ones I know about. I have traveled and learned from the other artists. I only actually know of half the number I stated, so that left room for double the artists that I actually know of. Also, I counted every aspiring artist. I know 4 off the top of my head that have better skills than me. It does not matter if you agree or not. There are other misquoted numbers in this threas as well. There has gotta be over a thousand in the Asheville area. Meh, whatever dude, maybe this is a glass blowing Mecca on the gulf coast, and I am just not meeting them.

**Simian** · 10-07-2015, 09:59 AM

Originally Posted by discretionglass

I am 100% right about Louisiana and Mississippi, and farely sure about the other two. I sell to 90% of the shops in these 2 states (just production handpipes, nothing special to brag about) and I have gotten to know my shop owners. Shop owners are going to tell you about other glass artists for the most part, that is how I met the ones I know about. I have traveled and learned from the other artists. I only actually know of half the number I stated, so that left room for double the artists that I actually know of. Also, I counted every aspiring artist. I know 4 off the top of my head that have better skills than me. It does not matter if you agree or not. There are other misquoted numbers in this threas as well. There has gotta be over a thousand in the Asheville area. Meh, whatever dude, maybe this is a glass blowing Mecca on the gulf coast, and I am just not meeting them.

Shop owners and welding/oxy suppliers will give you some numbers but there are a ton of guys selling online and using cons to power things so they never interact with the shop owners.

**JayBoogie** · 10-07-2015, 10:26 AM

I only know of 3 other people in Louisiana that still do boro work, 3 people in New Orleans that do scientific work (there's probably more I just know about these guys because they were regulars at a buddy of mines restaurant there) and 2 soft glass workers, one of which is now retired. I'm sure there are more people I haven't found out about yet down here but I have been trying to find artist for a few years now. There was also some chick who started to blow glass in my town a few years ago but gave up really quick. I'm going to check out her equipment later today and see if I can buy anything. I have spoken with a stained glass artist who knows a ton of other glass artist in the state, and she had only heard of one hot glass worker and that's the chick who gave up. So I think the numbers about Louisiana and pretty close. I can't see there being for than 15 lamp workers here in LA

**Nomad** · 10-07-2015, 10:38 AM

There are about 2000 pipe makers on glass pipes.org but that site is old....

**lost nebula** · 10-07-2015, 02:58 PM

I would guess that there are less than 1000 lampworkers here in Australia, although I only know of less than 50. Pipers are rare on this side of the pond, soft glass beadmaking and fusing is what everyone does here.

I also would have guessed 100,000 for the US lampworkers.