Kari Laurent wrote:
>
> Does anyone have a source for eisenglass? I'm told it's a type of plastic
> used in the "windows" of old cast iron woodstoves.
>
> Kari Laurent, Collections Manager
> Cave Creek Museum, Cave Creek, AZ
Kari,
It is spelled "isinglass." It is a translucent or transparent form of
mica, a group of mineral silicates. "Isinglass" crystals are
characterized by particularly large flakes that can be separated into
varying thicknesses. I believe that it had a higher resistance to heat
than the old glass (which was not crystalline in structure) and was
desireous in old ovens and stoves for use as a window. It is not rare,
and should be available from geological materials sources including
universities or other museums. You might pursue the issue on a rock
collectors web site.