(SOLD) Slag Glass Pendant with Wave Charm 495

Though beautiful, Leland slag glass is not really a true gem, nor is it sea glass. It is in a category all its own. Truth is, Leland Slag is byproduct of smelting iron-ore, which they don't do anymore, thank goodness! This byproduct was thought of as waste. 145 years after being cast aside, this beautiful stone that has earned a spot in my lineup. This simple pendant is highlighted by a wave pendant, invoking memories of time on the Lake Superior shore. Can't you hear the waves lapping at the shore when you close your eyes?

LELAND BLUE (ANTIQUE FOUNDRY GLASS) c. 1875-1900
This unique “gem” is a byproduct of the short-lived days of smelting iron ore in Northwest Lower Michigan. The ore from the Upper Peninsula’s Mesabi iron range arrived in Leelanau Co. by schooner. A charcoal made from beech and maple hardwoods plus a local limestone flux were used to refine the ore; the slag byproduct was considered waste and dumped into Lake Michigan. This material ranges in color from black to green, to blue and purple, with the various shades of waterlike blues being the most prized and rare. Under 2% of the slag created was blue, depending on environmental factors. The lucky and determined beachcomber may still find pebbles along the shore.