Verrerie en Bois (Wooden Glassworks), l’Operation de recevoir le, Pot rouge sortant de la Carcaise, Plan et Coupe de la Caraise ou Four à cuire les Pots (Pl. X) (The operation of receiving the red pot coming out of the kiln, plan and section of the kiln or oven for baking the pots)

Description

This engraving depicts the removal of special refractory crucibles (large ceramic vessels used to melt raw glass) from high-temperature furnaces in wood-fired kilns, along with a technical cross-section and plan of the furnaces. In the upper scene, workers pull the crucible from the furnace using long wooden wedges and metal-tipped rods, while the two lower technical drawings show both a cross-section of the crucible and the architectural anatomy of the furnace structure. This scene highlights the high temperatures, mastery, and coordination required in glassworks of the period. These large crucibles, composed of stone, earthenware, clay, and quartz, faced constant heat exceeding 1,000°C, losing their form and strength after several production cycles. Consequently, they had to be removed and replaced at regular intervals. The "removal of the crucible" operation depicted in this engraving was considered one of the most dangerous stages in the glass production chain in the 18th century.