Frequently Asked Questions

About Three for the Sea

Three for the sea is an eco-conscious Edinburgh-based online shop for lovers of washed up, man-made beach treasures. Whether you're a collector, a maker or just enjoy pretty things, have a browse and enjoy the pictures and stories. If you're curious about what I find, you might find it interesting to following me on Facebook or Instagram. 

You can also see the About Three for the Sea page or get in touch if you have any questions.

Do you have an Etsy page?

Yes I do. This website is where my shop lives. However, Etsy is a great way to fulfil orders outside the UK. If you would like to browse my shop, this website is the best place to look.

• If you require postage within the UK this website is the best place to purchase.
• If you require postage abroad, get in touch and let me know what you'd like to buy and I will make up a custom order for you that you can purchase via my Etsy shop.

This is a popular work-around for independent UK artists and makers to navigate complicated international selling regulations and taxes.

 

About the "Beach Treasures"

Please note that any information I share is to the best of my knowledge - gathered from books, groups, internet searches, blogs, people I've met and special interest groups that I follow. In no way am I an expert, or do I state anything as fact - merely a commonly agreed likelihood in most cases. I love learning about the things I find and the places I visit - I learn new things every day - so you're welcome to get in touch or follow me on Instagram if you have knowledge or stories of your own to share.

Where does sea glass come from?

Sea glass and sea pottery (and river glass and pottery) can find its way to the beach in many different ways - the likelihoods vary considerably depending on the regions. Some beaches contain sea glass from round glass fishing floats or the odd thing lost overboard near busy ports, and some beaches, such as the famous shores of Seaham, may have been used for dumping waste from glassworks, potteries or bottle factories. In some regions rubbish was barged out to sea and dumped directly into the ocean, which still sadly occurs in some countries today - although now with the inclusion of plastic and other harmful substances, the environmental consequences of this practice are far more grave.  Mostly, and especially around the Edinburgh beaches, the treasures found their way in the form of dumped trash or rubble. Sometimes this would be as local landfill. Where trash was burned and buried, and then through coastal erosion, it has eventually found it's way in to the sea as the sea cliffs are worn away.

How far does sea glass travel in the sea?

Whilst it's tempting to imagine antique shards tumbling their way along the ocean floor from far off lands, it's unlikely to have travelled far at all. That is, unless it travelled before it sunk. Much like the "message in a bottle" idea, floating objects such as in-tact glass floats have been know to travel great distances, whereas sunken treasures tend to remain pretty close to where they first landed in the water. 

Where do sea marbles come from?

There are three main types of sea marbles to consider - marbles from old Codd bottle necks and little ones from spray cans; clay marbles and children's playing marbles. There are many theories about how they come to be in the sea, so here are some of the common thoughts and ideas. As mentioned previously, there are those that have found their way via a refuse disposal practice, from dumps or rubble. Then there are the marbles lost by playing children - either washed down a gutter from a street game or used as sling shots to smash a broken crockery target or sink paper boats. The third type, however, the clay marbles are a little more mysterious. Many of these were undoubtedly painted and/or glazed with pretty colours and sold as playing marbles for children. Often known as commonies, they were far more affordable than the fancy glass ones, particularly for the poorer children. They could buy a bag of them for just a penny. It would make sense then that these would be very popular ammo for sling shot target practice. Examples of using clay marbles for games date back as far as Egyptian and Roman times. It is also thought that the transportation of these would serve as ballast for the empty leg of a ships journey. They would fill the barrels on the outward leg, then be sold to make way for the cargo on the return. 

What is "bonfire glass"?

Much of the man-made beach finds that wash up were originally discarded in old rubbish dumps. Large holes were dug and filled with collected rubbish, set on fire, then buried. In time, through coastal erosion these have become our grassy sea-cliffs that have gradually crumbled into the sea. Washed up marbles, bottles, beads etc can be melted for this reason, and wash up in a warped shape or in twisted, bubbled lumps, with bits of other melted material and ash still visible inside.

What is "TV glass"?

A popular bucket list item for beachcombers is "TV glass", which are shards from old black and white TV screens. The CRT (cathode-ray tube) TV sets had incredibly thick glass, layered like a sandwich, which can wash up as really beautiful striped shards. They are made up made up of a layer of strong grey leaded glass (or special barium-strontium glass) at the back, which would block most X-ray emissions. The front glass layer was clear, high quality glass. In the middle of the two glass layers is a thin line of phosphorus which would emit the light when struck by the electron beam to show the moving images.

Where do you find your treasures?

In the main, I keep myself to beaches in Edinburgh and the surrounding regions. I rarely travel further for beachcombing because I try to keep my carbon footprint smaller. If I use beach-materials from further afield, every effort will be made to identify this in my listings. Saying this, things can wash up that have been manufactured up from all over the world. For example, whilst most of the bottle glass may be local, I have found bottles with markings from all over the UK and Ireland, and many of the early marbles may have been manufactured in Germany and even Japan.

 

About Shaped Glass

How do you shape your glass?

I use a table-top wet-grinding machine, commonly used by stained glass artists, using a large diamond burr. 

Can you shape UV glass?

In short, no. I check glass before I shape it to ensure that it doesn't glow under UV torch light. Glass that glows under UV light is popularly known as "UV glass" and can often contain traces of uranium. Although the radiation from TV glass is thought to be safe enough to wear, I prefer not to release it's minute particles in my home through the grinding process. For this reason I do not grind UV glass. 

Can you shape my glass for me?

Yes I can. Some pieces may not be suitable - for example, if it's UV or too large or too thick or if your shaping specifications must be precise - and due to it's fragile nature, altering (and posting) glass will always contain an element of risk - but I do shape glass for people. If you'd like to explore this option, or find out more, get in touch and we can chat through your ideas.

Is all of the shaped glass flat?

No. The shaped glass and pottery collections I offer vary completely in shape & character. They are made up of gorgeous wibbly-wobbly, perfectly-imperfect pieces - great for silversmithing, drilling, wire wrapping, mosaics, arts and crafts or simply as pocket treasures. If you have specific requirements, let me know what you need them for I can answer any questions to help you work out if they are suitable - curved or flat; single or double-sided; fragile or robust; smooth or rough; even or lumpy. Since I work with glass myself, I am in a great position to understand your requirements and work with you to meet them.

Can you shape glass to order?

Within reason, yes. Subject to what I have in my collection, I often shape pieces to fulfil a customer's requirement. Certain pieces are rarer in Edinburgh than others, so if I do not have the kind of glass you're looking for, you may be able to source it from elsewhere and then I can shape it for you. Please be aware that there are no guarantees when working with glass, so every commission comes with an element of risk. Since everything I do is by hand and by eye, I also do not promise to meet specific dimension requirements. Please don't hesitate to get in touch to chat about this more if you have questions or ideas you'd like to explore.

 

About Jewellery

What metals do you use?

Most of the silver I use, including silver chain, is unhallmarked sterling (925) or fine silver (999) from UK supplier Cooksongold, although I also try to use local suppliers where I can. Most of the silver from Cooksongold is 100% recycled silver. I also work with brass, which may be paired with gold-filled chain.

How do I take care of my jewellery?

Most metals tarnish over time - particularly brass and copper. Certain things like, perfume, lotions or chemicals like chlorine will rapidly speed up wear and tarnishing. In the case of base metals, such as brass, you can embrace the tarnishing as part of the natural behaviours of the metal - although tarnishing will be more extreme if not regularly worn.  Store your jewellery safely in a dark place where it can't be crushed or tangle and ensure it's clean and dry when you put it away. If keeping brass gold and shiny is important to you, try storing it in a sealed bag, without air in it, to further minimise any oxidisation. You could also pop an anti-tarnish strip, available from retailers such as Amazon, to store in the bag with it. Treat chains gently - beware of tangles and snagging, and be careful not to squeeze or bump any settings. Sleeping in your jewellery increases risk of accidental damage and hair tangling. You can gently clean items with warm soapy water, pat dry and/or use a soft clean jewellery polishing cloth, but keep these practices to a minimum as they are also slightly waring also.

 

About Purchases

Do you post of outside the UK?

Yes. Since regulations and taxes in different countries can be very complicated and subject to regular change, I cannot currently fulfil your order from my website. Many independent UK artists face this issue, and there is a popular work-around. Simply let me know what items you would like to buy and I will set up a customised order for you that you can then purchase through my Etsy page. 

What postage do you offer?

The following are the standard delivery options for orders delivering within the UK for small parcels. Custom delivery options will be considered for larger orders or upon request, and will be agreed in advance. This can include options for higher compensation cover.

• Royal Mail 2nd Class Small Parcel Service (3-5 business days): £2.95 (Free for orders over £45) - compensation cover up to £20
• Royal Mail Tracked 24 with Signature Small Parcel Service (1 business day):  £5.25 - compensation cover up to £150

What's your returns policy?

I offer a standardised returns policy: 

Can't find your question?

Sorry if you can't find what you're looking for. Feel free to email your query or get in touch via social media and I'll get back to you as soon as I can.