MOSSER CAT CENTRAL - Unique Factory Traits

Unique Factory Traits

In this section, we will cover all the unique traits that can occur during the manufacturing process. There are many reasons why they occur, which will be discussed below. Often, Mosser cats with these traits look a little different from the typical cat. It's a reminder that these wonderful cats are completely handmade, one at a time. Because of this, no two are identical. Collectors often feel that these cats with unusual differences simply have more character due to their uniqueness. Pictured below is a note Mosser Glass used to include with their catalog.

Why do some cats have pointed ears and others have more rounded ears?

One of the most frequently asked questions is: Why do some cats have more rounded ears than others? These same cats often have smoother facial features with fewer crisp details than their pointy-eared counterparts. Pictured above, on the left, are two Apple Green Carnival cats from the same batch. The cat on the left has traditional pointed ears with very crisp facial features all the way down to the whisker bumps on its muzzle. The cat to the right has softly rounded ears that almost resemble a teddy bear; its facial features are more smooth with less detail present. A wonderful worker from Mosser Glass was kind enough to answer this age-old question below.

After the Mosser cat is first pressed into the mould, the glass needs a few minutes to cool. As the glass begins to cool, it hardens just enough to be extracted from the mould. Metal tongs wrapped in cloth are used to carefully remove the Mosser cat since the glass is still soft enough to be damaged. Glowing a fiery red-orange, the cat is placed inside a cylindrical hose (pictured right). This hose gently pumps air around the figurine to help cool the glass further. A torch with a steady flame sits right above its head. This ensures that the fragile ears (the easiest part to crack) don't cool off too quickly and cause stress to the glass.

If tiny cracks are noticed in the ears, then a worker will apply more heat to the torch to reheat the ears. This intense heat remelts the glass just enough to remove the cracks while still retaining its shape. This is why some of your Mosser cats have rounder ears and smoother facial features than others. After this process, the Mosser cat is moved to the glazer. Please feel free to check out our in-depth look at the creation process of these colorful felines by clicking here: "How It's Made"

Excess Glass or Glass Bubble on Tip of Ear.

Some cats have an excess amount of glass or a glass bubble on the tip of the ear (top image). It seems to favor the right ear, but it can be located on the left as well. Mosser Glass confirmed that the cause was from the mould itself. These moulds often have multiple moveable parts that swing open to allow for careful removal of the glass figurine once it's pressed. Look closely at your Mosser cat; see the tiny little seams? That's where the mould pieces fit together to make your cat. There are mould seams along the edges of both ears, as pictured in the bottom image. Sometimes, when the glass is pressed, tiny amounts of glass can seep between where the seams meet at the tips of the ears.

Mosser Glass says that these glass bubbles are too thick to melt off under a torch. They don't appear on every cat but have been occasionally present from the vintage cats up to the newer releases, such as the crystal cats that Rosso Glass ordered in 2023 to airbrush. These small glass bubbles are sometimes referred to as an "earring" by collectors and often seem to give the cat extra character. Either way, it does not detract from the value.

What Causes a Leaning or Droopy Cat?

The Mosser cat on the left has normal posture and height. The one on the right leans to the side and has a shorter stature. Even the face is turned up more, almost as if he is stargazing. The back is also more rounded and pronounced. Leaning or droopy cats occur when the glass is still too hot when the cat is removed from the mould. The freshly pressed glass tends to sag slightly when this occurs. This issue is also present in some Fenton pieces as well.

Although these leaning cats are more vertically challenged, they can look quite charming with the way they gaze up at you. Most long-time collectors have at least a few of these cats in their collection.

What Causes Black Specks on the Glass Surface?

Perhaps you've noticed tiny black specks on your Mosser cat, like the one pictured above. You've tried to wash them off, only to find out that they're permanent. What are they? These tiny black and sometimes brown specks occur during the glassmaking process. They are caused by iron or carbon that has loosened from the glass mould when the cat is being pressed. They are present on the surface of the glass only. They are completely harmless and do not affect the integrity of the glass.

Why Does My Cat Have Bubbles Inside the Glass?

Chances are that you own at least one Mosser cat that has a bubble or two inside the glass. This is caused by air being trapped in the glass as it's being picked up on the punty in a winding motion. The punty is a rod with a ceramic ball on the end that's used to gather glass from the furnace. The glass is gathered on the end of the ceramic ball. Other causes of bubbles are trapped gases in the melted glass.

The bubbles fall into two categories. "Blisters," which are classified as a bubble that's 1/16th of an inch or larger, and "Seed," which is a bubble that's smaller than 1/16th of an inch. Neither of these is harmful to the integrity of the glass unless they are located extremely close to the surface of the glass, which could allow it to break open. This is a very rare occurrence, though.

The Mosser cat pictured above has examples of both Blisters and Seeds. Many collectors appreciate the occasional bubble in their Mosser cat, as it's a reminder that they are individually handmade.

Why is There Color Variation Between Cats That are Supposed to be the Same Color?

Pictured above are two Alexandrite Mosser cats. Translucent Alexandrite glass appears lilac (or sometimes pink) in natural sunlight or yellow artificial light. It looks smokey blue in fluorescent/white light. This is due to the presence of Neodymium oxide (Nd²O³) in the glass. Some cats are naturally more purplish, while others look more pink. The more purple cats have a stronger reaction to the fluorescent lighting and turn a brighter blue. Mosser Glass says that the color variation is due to the amount of glass that's in the tank. If the tank is very low (almost out of glass), this will cause variances in the color. A freshly mixed tank of glass can also have the same effect.

Other potential causes, according to Fenton's Glass Engineer Howard Seufer, are the following: Variations in times and temperatures of glass production, and variations in the melting and fining of the glass batch in tanks and pots (as mentioned above). Also due to the sensitivity of the materials used in the glass formulas, including variations in the chemicals used in the batch and/or the composition of any cullet glass that might have been included.

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