The International Centre for Glass Art (CIAV) was quick to understand that moulds were vital to the preservation of the glassblowers’ art and know-how, so in 1999 the Centre decided to collect antique blow moulds to build up a repertoire of unique shapes.
The digitized moulothèque is not a remote object design tool, it is a technical resource facilitating an applied research that necessarily requires the presence of the creator(s) on site. It is indeed crucial, upstream of all projects, to understand the technical solfege of the CIAV of Meisenthal, to apprehend the mobilisable techniques in its workshops, the know-how of its glassmakers, the (im)possible of the material-glass…
But why create an account on the site of the moulothèque? By creating a personal or group account (which can be shared with others): it becomes possible to save molds in the wheelbarrow, from download scans (in .STL format), and cross-reference information (original glassware, height, width, original inscription, etc.). Your account becomes a wheelbarrow in which you can save Mold References for your current or future projects.