This paper reports the production of both samarium and dysprosium glasses in the composition of 44.5B(2)O(3) + 44.5P(2)O(5) + 10R(2)SO(4) (where R = Li, Na, and K). For these optical glasses, physical, absorption, and photoluminescence spectral properties have been studied. On excitation with 402 nm, the Sm3+ glasses were found to be orange fluorescent in color and the richness of that color was high in the K+ glass, compared to the Li+ and the Na+ glasses. Similarly, on excitation with 398 nm, the Dy3+ glasses were fluorescent yellow in color and that color was more rich in the K+ glass.