The History of Inge-Glas®: Handcrafted German Ornaments Since 1596 | Faire Living

AN HEIRLOOM TRADITION SINCE 1596

There is a certain magic woven into the art of Christmas ornament making—an alchemy of glass, fire, breath, and heritage. Few families in the world have carried this craft forward as faithfully as the Müller-Bleis of Neustadt, Germany. Their workshop, Inge-Glas®, has been blowing ornaments by hand for over four centuries, making them the oldest glassblowing family in Europe and the guardians of a tradition that feels almost timeless.

At Faire Living, we are honoured to share their story on our shelves this holiday season.

The roots of Inge-Glas reach back to 1596, when small German villages in the Bavarian countryside began shaping thin threads of molten glass into decorative trimming for their Christmas trees. What started as a humble cottage craft soon grew into a regional art form—one passed from generation to generation.

For the Müller-Bleis family, this wasn’t just a livelihood. It became a legacy. Their family tree includes glassblowers, craftsmen, painters, and designers whose techniques have scarcely changed since the 16th century.

Each ornament today still begins the same way it did centuries ago: with a flame, a steady breath, and a practiced hand.

Inge-Glas ornaments are created one at a time, mouth-blown using a special clear glass they developed for exceptional clarity and light. Once blown, the ornament is dipped in sterling silver, a signature technique that gives each piece its luminous glow, then hand-painted in layers of fine details.

No shortcuts. No mass-production machinery. Just the patience and skill of artisans who train for years before painting their first piece.

This is why no two ornaments are ever exactly alike. Taking as many as 60 individual steps, and being completed start to finish by a single artisan, each one carries the subtleties of the craftsperson who shaped it.

In a season filled with shimmer and celebration, these pieces reflect something deeper: a craft almost unchanged by time, still held within one family, still shaped with intention and joy.

At Faire Living, we see these ornaments as more than holiday décor. They are heirlooms in the making—stories captured in glass. They bring history to the tree, warmth to a home, and a sense of continuity to the rituals of the season.