Which ingredients are used to make the glass flux for enamelwork?

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Samson killing Philistines — Enamelwork Standing dish depicting Samson crushing the Philistines with the jawbone of an ass, enamel on copper by Pierre Courteys, c. 1580; in the Taft Museum of Art, Cincinnati, Ohio. Height 9.8 cm, diameter 22.9 cm.

To create the glass flux used in enamelwork, craftsmen melt together a specific combination of ingredients:

Flint or sand
Red lead
Soda or potash

These components are fused to produce a clear glass, often referred to as flux, frit, or fondant. The hardness of the resulting enamel is determined by the specific proportions of these ingredients. Harder enamels require higher firing temperatures but offer greater durability against atmospheric conditions, whereas softer enamels are easier to work with but more susceptible to wear and friction.1

Once the base flux is created, it serves as the foundation for colored or opaque enamels. Metallic oxides are added to the molten flux to achieve various colors, while substances like calx (a mixture of calcined tin and lead) are added to render the glass opaque.1