A series of new glasses in the PbBr2-PbF2-P2O5 and PbO-PbBr2-PbF2-P2O5 systems has been prepared and characterized. The glass-forming regions have been explored and the stabilities of the glasses against crystallization studied. The composition, densities, characteristic temperatures, and the chemical stabilities against water of the glasses were measured. Most of the glasses in these two systems show strong stabilities against crystallization. Some of the new PbO-PbBr2-PbF2-P2O5 glasses are durable in ambient atmosphere and have densities up to 5.8 g/cm(3). The lowest glass transition temperature is as low as 210 degrees C. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.