Extrinsic Ornamentation of Glass In The Morgantown Area

Rebeccah J. Ball

Riverfront Museums, Inc . - Morgantown, West Virgini a Opening a window on the history of Monongalia County Extrinsic Ornamentation of Glass in th e Morgantown Area

By

Rebeccah Jane Louise Ball

Morgantown West Virginia 1960 Rebeccah J . Balls Extrinsic Ornamentation of Glass In The Morgantown Area was published as a typed document in 1960 as a thesis for the degree of Master of Fine Arts at West Virgini a University .

The typography and illustrations in this edition have been redone by volunteers on behalf o f Riverfront Museums, Inc .

Edition © 2001 by Riverfront Museums, Inc . All rights reserved . Third printing

Riverfront Museums, Inc . PO Box 469 Morgantown, West Virginia 26507-0469 Acknowledgments

The author realizes that the willing help and cooperation of numerous individual s has greatly contributed to the completion of this paper . Thus, to these many persons, sh e wishes to express appreciation . This extended family list includes several members of the authors family, Anita , Gator, Lucy, Patsy, J.P., and Talumatta; friends - Theodosia, Florence, Margaret, Josephine, and Gilbert ; the management and personnel of the eight local glass companies involved in this study, particularly Nick Dorohovich, George F . Jones, Senior, John R . Gentile, John E. Toth, Rose Marie Orosz, M .R . Davis, R . Emmett Lynch, John Wimer , Amer Lindquist, Samuel K . Hayden, Sylvia Long, Paul Sacco, Carl Sacco, and Delber t F. Howett; and her graduate advisor, Professor Charles E . Patton .

1 1 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Chapter Page I. Introduction . . 1 A. Purpose B. Methods and Procedure s C. History of Local Factories D. Procedures Preceding Ornamentation II. Cut Glass 1 1 A. Historical Developmen t B . Procedures

III. Engraved Glass . . . 16 A . Historical Development B . Procedures

IV. Etched Glass 22 A. Historical Development B . Plate Etching C. Needle Etching D . Frosting E. Flequing

V. Fused Decoration 29 A. Historical Development B. Silk Screening C. Spraying D. Decalcomania Applicatio n E. Gold, Silver, and Platinum Applicatio n F. Lustering G. Marbelizing H. Iced Decoration I. Enameling and Hand-Painting

VI. Paperweights 39 A. Historical Developmen t B. Procedure

Appendices 42

Bibliography . . . . 46

111

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure Page

1 . Morgantown and Area Glass Factories 3

2 - 3 . Processes Preceding Ornamentation 6-7

4. Glassblowing Tools 8

5. Glassworkers Tools 1 2

6. Seneca Glassware Cut Patterns 1 4

7. Rose Bowl 1 7

8. Copper Wheel Engraving 1 9

9. Etched Glass 24

10 Production at Davis Lynch 30

11. Decorated Lamp Parts 37

12. Paperweight Making 40

Chapter I Introduction

It is well known that West Virginia leads th e view, direct observation, and a study of specia l nation in the production of coal . She also leads factory information . To aid in the research of the nation in the making of glass, and one hal f this paper, several sources have been studied : of these glass plants are located in the Mon- books, periodicals, newspapers, booklets , ongahela Valley, stretching from Weston in the brochures and pamphlets . South to Morgantown in the North. Morgan- About twenty-five books are referred to at town produces the bulk of hand blown table and least once ; many of these several times, a fe w lighting glassware in the state . In eight of these constantly . The books mainly belong to th e factories there is extensive extrinsic ornamen- West Virginia University Library collection , tation of glass. and constitute a wide variety concerning th e After a piece of glassware is made and glass industry . Some are elementary in ap- annealed, it is necessary to finish or decorate i t proach such as Logans, How Much Do You in some way, even if only to remove the ponti l Know About Glass? and Diamonds, The Story mark roughness or to polish it. On the other of Glass. Nonetheless, they are interesting , hand the glassware may be elaborately de - informative, and good as beginning sources fo r corated . study. In this thesis an attempt has been made t o Several books include illustrations which explore and record the various processes o f aid in the understanding of the many types o f extrinsic ornamentation in this area . Extrinsic glass, both ancient and contemporary . The ornamentation involves the use of materials an d very finest illustrations are in Vavras, 5000 techniques of its manufacture, such as cutting, Years of Glassmaking. In this ten by fourteen etching, engraving, and fused decoration - or a inch book are over 500 illustrations, many ful l combination . Thus blowing, applied decor- page and in color. ation, and molded ornamentation are exclude d One of the major sources of reference fo r in the main study. However, a general this study is McKearins, American Glass . In it knowledge of glass making and its fabrication i s are 2000 photographs and 1000 drawings . helpful in the appreciation of ornamentation a s These illustrations are not as magnificent as all of the processes are related. For this reason, those in Vavras book but are pertinent to th e a part of this chapter is devoted to this. information provided in the book, which i s As an introduction to each chapter a histor y quite conclusive . It is listed in the biblio - of the process is given . It is especially inter - graphies of many other books on glass as a esting to note that basically the way of orna - prime source for information . menting has not changed through the ages. The As far as concise descriptions of majo r remaining part of the chapter is concerned wit h technical processes, Scholes, Modern Glass the way this ornamentation is executed at th e Practice is most helpful . It, too, is cited in various factories that do it . In some case s many bibliographies . comparisons are made ; otherwise, contribution s Several books are devoted to the study o f and procedures and simply stated or incor - one particular area such as Bergstroms Old porated with the historical treatment . Glass Paperweights ; Warmans American Cu t The method of attack has involved fou r Glass, and Daneils Cut and Engraved Glass . equally important procedures : research, inter- In most of the books, there is a conflictin g

1 spelling of certain terms . For example an of extrinsic ornamentation. This is the art o f annealing oven is a lehr, leer, or lear . There is paperweight making and has been include d also conflicting terminology . A workers area is because it is done in this area and is of loca l called a bench, chair, cradle, or table . A pontil interest and prominence. rod is also called a punty or puntee . However , The glass business has its own jargon . To there is no conflict within the same book, and the novice it is often technical and com - most include a glossary of the terms within that plicated . Throughout the paper, glass term - particular book . inology is used . Rather than to stop the train o f In some books such as Waughs, The Art of thought by defining each term as it appears, a Glassmaking, and Plauts Steuben Glass, an glossary has been included . The large numbe r artistic, yet prejudiced commercial ton e of words to be defined prevents their inclusio n prevails ; perhaps rightfully so . in the introduction as well as their repeate d The most valuable sources of informatio n definition throughout. The reader must re - concerning the specific procedures in th e member when he meets an unfamiliar term , extrinsic ornamentation of glass proved to be that it well may be a part of this jargon . If so, twenty-four booklets, brochures, and pamphlets . it is defined in the glossary . Also several Most of these are privately printed and no t illustrations have been used simply becaus e dated, but can be traced through the distributor. they are often more easily understood tha n The bulk of the important ones belong to th e prolix descriptions . Beaumont Glass Company . All that are cited The eight glass factories in this study in- are significant and important to the paper . The clude the Beaumont Company ; Davis an d others are significant in the full understanding o f Lynch Glass Company ; Gentile Glass Com- techniques . Most concentrate on but one area. pany, Monongahela Valley Cut Glas s The newspapers and periodicals referred t o Company ; Morgantown Glassware Guild , as compared to the books, booklets, brochure s Incorporated ; Sacco Glass Company, Senec a and pamphlets are more a matter of interest tha n Glass Company, and the Superior Cut Glass , importance to this study. Incorporated. The glass companies, especially th e "Glass is an inorganic substance in a Beaumont Glass Company, lent the write r condition which is continuous with and ana - booklets, brochures and pamphlets that tech - logous to the liquid state of that substance, but nically explained many procedures . Through which, as the result of having been cooled from observation, written procedures could be com - a fused condition, has attained so high a degre e pared and contrasted to the various orna- of viscosity as to be for all practical purpose s mentation . Thus, these two are incorporate d rigid."2 extensively. This is to say that glass is a metal such a s A considerable amount of the information i n steel, bronze, and brass . Glass has always had this paper is the result of personal interview an d a monetary value and at times a glass vesse l direct observation. Little reference is given to has been more precious than gold, yet no othe r this in the main report because of th e manufactured material is made from suc h complexities involved . The writer wants th e inexpensive, plentiful and availabl reader to know that material not footnoted wa s dients.3Authorities still speculate concernin e ingre g gathered by these two methods, and that n o its origins . It is generally accepted that during personal opinion or criticism is given. 70,000 B.C ., or earlier man shaped obsidian An additional chapter has been added whic h into tools and weapons . During 3,000 B .C., or does not fall precisely under the categorization earlier man first made glass, probably b y

2 Figure 1. Map of Morgantown and Area Glass Factories 1960 accident . Egypt in 1,200 B .C., was a center of the gas fields in that area, the company wa s glass manufacturing, and then in 300 B .C., a obliged to move . A prime factor in thei r Phoenician artisan invented the blowpipe . This, relocation from Ohio to Morgantown was th e in effect, threw glass production into the public abundant amount of gas flowing along th e domain, thus causing an industrial revolution i n riverside. This meant security for a long time . glass . Despite the fact that the raw material s Thus, on June 18, 1896, it entered into an were cheap and easily attained, glass before thi s agreement with the Morgantown Building and revolution was a luxury because of the man y Investment Company to erect a factory buildin g processes an article of glass had to go throug h and a fourteen-pot glass furnace for $20,000 . before its completion . The blowpipe eliminate d Along with a free site and cheap gas, th e at least half of the processes . Rome the n Baltimore and Ohio railroad, without charge , became a leading center in glass production . In transferred all movable equipment from 200 A .D., Rome developed the process o f Fostoria . blowing into molds, and in 1 A .D., the Roma n The original Beaumont Company was Empire produced the first glass that was at all founded by R .A. Canfield of New York . It was transparent, colorless and relatively free o f known as the Union Stopper Company whic h bubbles . made non-refillable stoppers for whiske y The glass industry spread throughout th e bottles . Mr. Canfield had Percy J . Beaumont , East and West, and artistically great advance s who had a glass plant at Grafton, Wes t were made, especially in Venice where a ver y Virginia, take over the plant in Morgantown . fragile and exquisite glass was produced . In For fifty three years the Beaumont Compan y 1674, England produced flint glass . In the has been making hand-blown glass products . sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, glas s In 1940, Mr. Beaumont put the entire became a tool of science, when the telescope , manufacturing program under one roof on th e microscope, and thermometer were developed . locale of the original plant on Beechurs t In America the first glasshouse was erecte d Avenue. at James Town, Virginia, in 1608, just a littl e The Monongahela Valley Cut Glas s more than a year after the first colonists arrive d Company was founded in 1912, by George F . from England . In fact this was Americas first Jones, Senior and his father . It is presentl y manufacturing establishment. In 1609 glass was located in Marilla and George F . Jones, Senior exported from America . The first centralize d is the head . manufacture was in New Amsterdam o n Twenty years ago Carl Sacco started th e Manhattan Island. The names Wister, Stiegel , Sacco Glass Company in the basement of hi s Boston and Sandwich became prominent i n home. Now it is located on a small building o n early American glass history . Jones Avenue. Since 1948, Carl has been From 1900 on, America has had un- assisted by his brother, Paul . believable progress in the field of glass . This is The Superior Cut Glass, Incorporated, i s known as the scientific era and covers not onl y located in a little yellow building in Star City . the application of fuel, but also the machinery During the midst of this study it changed hand s developed to manufacture glass automatically . This has led to an amazing mass production, an d Seneca - the name of an Indian tribe that figure d research and new developments continue to b e prominently in transAllegheny history . It is als o made.6 the name of the Ohio County in which th e Fostoria, Ohio, was the original home of th e company operated. Seneca Glass Company, but with the failure of

4 Formerly it had been the Merritt Cut Glas s 3. A gob is gathered on the end of a Company . It is owned by John E . Toth and Rose blowpipe (after the molten glass has Marie Orosz . cooled down) . The Morgantown Glassware Guild, Incor- 4. The glass is blown . porated, is the largest hand-blown glass factor y 5. The presser forms the stems . in this area. It is located in Seneca . The presi- 6. The footmaker forms the foot. dent is Samuel K. Haden. 7. It is placed in the lehr and annealed . The Davis and Lynch Glass Company i s 8. It leaves the lehr and is properl y located in Star City . The company was founde d tempered. in 1929, but did not move to its present locatio n 9. The top (that part of the product nex t until 1949 . Now it is undergoing expansion . to the lip of the blower which i s The owners are M .R. Davis, Senior, and R . extraneous to the mold), is cracke d Emmett Lynch. off. The Gentile Glass Company is owned an d 10. The sharp edge of glass is ground . operated by Mr . and Mrs. John R . Gentile . The 11. The edge is fire polished . factory is located on Industrial Avenue in Sta r 12. It is reannealed because of the hea t City. applied along the edge . The earliest need for glass in the trans- 13. It is now ready for decoration . Allegheny was for window panes and whiske y 14. The next steps depend on the type of flasks. Today, the needs have, of course , decoration that is to be employed . changed considerably . Before one can full y 15. Now.complete,10 it is ready to be sold understand or appreciate the extrinsic orna - mentation of hand-made glass, the processe s There are many recipes for making glas s preceding its ornamentation should be mad e and for all of them certain basic ingredients are known because each is a necessary process tha t essential. These are silica, usually in the form leads to a finished product . Since the extrinsic of sand, and alkalis such as potash an d ornamentation is the last of the processes, the n carbonate of soda or lime. Accessory a brief summary of the others should prov e ingredients, such as white oxide of arsenic , beneficial . alumina, nitre (salt peter), oxide of lead or of It is doubtful if there is another industry wit h manganese, borax or chalk, are mixed with th e so many divisions as the glass industry, becaus e essential materials according to the type of of the many processes for the production o f glass desired ." To make colored glass, metalli c glassware, technical requirements, skill, trainin g oxides of cobalt, iron, nickel, copper, man - and responsibility resting on the skille d ganese and chrome are mixed with the basi c craftsmen . Glass articles are made from the ho t batch to give all shades of color . The basic liquid glass ; thus, workers must depend on thei r kinds of glass are green glass, glass of soda, eyes and sense of touch for the production o f flint glass and lime . .9 many articles Practically all glass articles fall into one o f An item may be handled from twelve t o three main categories : 1) blown glass, 2 ) thirty-five times. Following are fifteen steps i n molded glass, and 3) pressed glass . the production of a goblet, from the time th e Blown glass is usually referred to as hand - batch is prepared until the product is finished . blown, free-blown and off-hand-blown . 1. The batch is prepared. Any piece so called is formed by blowing 2. The batch is refined and conditione d and manipulation with the tools of the craft for blowing. and without the aid of molds to give a

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(1) A Shop at work

(2) Blowing a bubble of glas s

(3) Shaping glass with a paddle

(4) Trimming with hand shear s

Figure 2. (5) Adding a handle Processes Preceding Ornamentation (6) Reshaping a rim

(7) Placing glass in annealing oven

(8) Grinding to remove pontil mark

Figure 3. Processes Preceding Ornamentation decorative pattern or either a partial or com - There are two approaches to the orna- plete final body form. It is the culmination i n mentation of glass : one, to employ decorativ e the art of glass-making, and its ornamentation i s devices to enhance the beauty of the metal an art in itself . itself; the other, to use the metal as a back- Molded glass is usually called blown- ground for decorative designs . molded. Glass may be molded for shape Applied decoration comes under the first only or in a full-size piece mold . Molds are approach. This type of decoration must be of two types : applied while glass is in its plastic state whe n Dip molds - in one piece and open a t glass on glass can be shaped by tooling or the top . imbedded by marvering. Piece molds - comprised of hinge d Also under the first approach comes pieces. Shape or pattern-producin g molded ornamentation . It utilizes wood, iron, molds account for most of the fin e or brass molds having a pattern or design cu t artistic glass which has survive d on the inside . It was a decorative techniqu e through.12 the ages used by skilled blowers to create some of th e Pressed glass is the last mentioned proces s most fascinating glass to come to us from th e and is the least complicated of the three . It late eighteenth and early nineteenth centur y consists of putting the proper amount of glasshouses. liquid glass into a mold, then thrusting a The second approach is extrinsic orna - plunger into the glass and forcing it t o mentation . After the making and annealing of assume the shape of the inside of the mol d glassware of various sorts, it is often desirabl e .13 and the outside of th e plunger to ornament or decorate it in some manner . The workers in the older glasshouses wer e Some of this decoration is done at the factor y divided into groups called shops . Each sho p where the glass is made. Other factories consisted of the master blower, called a gaffer , specialize in decorations using "blanks" and his assistants . The gaffer supervised al l purchased by a glass manufacture . 15 This type steps in fabrication, performed the final shapin g of decoration is not applicable to the glass in its and finishing . He was also responsible fo r plastic state . It involved the use of material s keeping the output of his shop up to the standard and techniques foreign to glass itself. This of the glasshouse . This same system is use d includes those processes covered in this thesis : today with variations made to suit the principa l cutting, decals, engraving, flequing, gol d departments, such as the Pressed Ware application, silkscreening, silvering an d Department, the Pressed and Blown Ware spraying . Department, and the Paste Mold Blown Ware Department ."

Chapter II Cut Glass

The earliest known cut glass may hav e when Stiegels glasshouse at Manheim , been made five or six hundred years Pennsylvania, was entering its most before the Christian era . Any incisory successful period. It ends in 1830. Pieces form of ornamenting glass with diamond from this period are rare . Generally the or hard metal point by a lapidarys whee l glass is of a good quality, although some was usually described by early historian s of it will show bubbles . Patterns included as being "cut." The first cut glass o f the use of the roundelet or kugel, th e which we have knowledge was made i n single star and panel curves . Rome. Many Constantinople craftsmen The second period started in 1830 an d were glass cutters. Modern glass begin s continued until 1880 . At this time, fin e with the sixteenth century when the art of line cuttings became popular . It is cutting and engraving was revived in doubtful if the cut glass industry could southern Europe . During the seventeenth have survived the competition of th e century, the Germans "rediscovered" th e pressed line glass of the 1860s, if the technique of cutting glass, and from here manufacture of lamps shades an d it spread throughout the British Isles an d chimneys had not come to the rescue . A was brought to America in the lat e lot of colored glass appeared during thi s eighteenth century . From the earl y period . nineteenth century on cutting was a mos t The cut glass of the third perio d important decorative device . brought about the greatest market th e "MCord and Shiner, manufacturere s industry has ever seen . During this period of Cut Glass, No . 3 7 Bank Alley, Bac k new and better glass sands were of the Merchants Coffee House , discovered, natural gas was used as fuel, Philadelphia. Setts [sic] Glass Executed and electricity was applied to the whee l to order at the shortest notice . lathes. Most important, though, no w Workmanship warranted equal to any i n many Americans could afford cut glass . It the world, or no sale ." had been a symbol of elegance and leisure , The preceding advertisement appeared now of prestige . The designs are comple x in the 1830 Philadelphia directory alon g ornate and intricate as motifs becom e with this one by Thomas F . Walker and combined. Company at No . 15 North Fourth Street : Fundamentally, there are two differen t "Heavy English Tale and Flint approaches to the design of cut glass . Tumblers, rough and cut bottoms, rin g A surface decoration carried out fo r and star bottom do ; rough and star the purpose of adding brilliance to th e bottom Decanters, Pocket Bottles , glass at the same time considering th e Flower Glasses, Lamp Shades ." shape of the object . The designs used followed those o f New forms created by the grinding England and Ireland . American cut glas s away of masses of glass . is classified in three main periods : the In both cases cutting glass often serves t o Early American Period, the Middle Perio d disguise imperfections of the metal. The and the Brilliant Period . first approach is the one mostly employed The first period begins about 1771 in the Morgantown area . .

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a. Glass cutters lathe for roughing b. Glass cutters smoothing whee l

Figure 5. Glass Cutters Tools - from American Glass The piece to be cut is first blown an d rough. A rougher holds the blank annealed by the same processes explained against a large rapidly moving iro n in the first chapter . Glass to be cut shoul d wheel, but the wheel does not actuall y be of a high quality, composed of heavy do the cutting . Instead, the glass is cu t lead flint or of a fine grade of potash, and by a stream of fine, wet sand that drip s should either be handblown or blown - from an overhead funnel onto the edg e molded. In order to withstand the treat - of the wheel and hence to the surfac e ment of roughing, smoothing, and polish - of the glass . The smoother refines th e ing, the glass should be thicker, stronge r rough stone cut and cuts the smal l and softer. In cutting, the glass is hel d lines or motifs indicated by the design . between the cutter and the wheel an d The rough, opaque white surface left pressed down against it. The speed of the on the glass by the abrasive wheel i s wheel controls to some extent the type of subsequently polished in order to cutting . restore transparency and luster to th e There are three types of cutting . glass. In some cases this rough , "Hollow" - produced by a wheel wit h opaque white surface is left on . In a rounded profile. The diameter of th e other cases after the glass is polished , wheel is in a vertical position . further decoration is cut on the sam e "Bevel" - produced by a wheel whic h piece and left unpolished for variet y is v-shaped. This is also called mitre and contrast . But when it is al l cutting, and accompanying it is th e polished, a prismatic brilliance i s danger that the wheel will penetrat e imparted to the glass. the vessel and ruin the blank . Four of the factories in the Morgan - "Panel" - which is flat or concave . It town area specialize in the cutting of produces concave flutes, plain flutes , glass. These four are the Monongahel a relief diamonds or bulls eye motifs . Valley Cut Glass Company, the Sacco There is less danger of penetratio n Glass Company, The Superior Cut Glass , since the wheel isnt as sharp as for Incorporated, and the Seneca Glas s bevel cutting . The diameter of th e Company . The first three concentrate only wheel lies in a horizontal position . on the cutting of glass and do no other All cut forms are produced by one or a form of decoration . Seneca specialize s combination of all of these types, and the not only in the cutting of glass, but also wheel varies in diameter and its profile o r blowing, etching and engraving . cutting surface corresponds to the pattern The Monongahela Valley Cut Glass of cutting desired . Company was founded in 1912, by Georg e Whatever the degree of cutting, th e F. Jones, Senior, and his father . It i s process is basically the same . presently located at Marilla in a larg e The areas to be cut are marked on th e building . It occupies one-half of the main glass with a special ink applied with a floor and all of the top floor. small brush . The forms of the design are cut b y This excludes the Gentile Glas s application of the glass to a slowl y Company where Mr. Peter Gentile is revolving wheel of sandstone o r prepared and able to cut glass but does carborundum . Many pieces, depending not do it extensively. on the type of cut, are first cut in the

-13- Figure 6. Some patterns cut by Seneca Glass Company There are twenty-five cutting units which The wheels used for fluting may vary fro m include all of the necessary cutting twenty-four to forty inches . Also, the equipment . At the present there are onl y width may vary considerably. about five handcutters employed . In a At the Seneca Glass Company ar e personal interview, Mr. Jones explained more than fifty units for roughing, cutting , that the foreign imported glassware ha s fluting, and polishing. The Monongahel a considerably damaged the sale of muc h Valley Cut Glass Company had twenty - American glassware. The facilities for five units ; Sacco Glass Company ha d cutting at all four factories far exceeds th e fifteen, and the Superior had eight . number of glass cutters . For instance, th e Twenty years ago Carl Sacco starte d Seneca Glass Company at one time the Sacco Glass Company, and for twelve employed over fifty hand-cutters . Now years has been assisted by his brother , they have only six . Also labor and Paul. They have always been associate d materials have so increased in cost that th e with glass and as young boys worked in large scale production of fine handmad e factories in Pennsylvania . The building and handcut glass is no longer profitable . they now occupy is of cement block and The Monongahela Valley Cut Glass has three stories. On the third floor th e Company is the only one in this are a office located . All of the cutting is don e which also uses an automatic cuttin g on the second or main floor, and on th e machine . There are fourteen of these ground floor the polishing and packing i s machines, and one can cut a certai n done . pattern in 300 glasses when in the same Before 1900 glass was polished o n amount of time a cutter can only cut 100 . wooden wheels which were made fro m But needless to say, this is not hand-cut willow, cherry, or other soft woods which glass. gave the glass a lustrous appearance . A Seneca Glass Company uses its ow n mixture of rottenstone and pumice wa s hand-blown glass for cutting . The othe r also used. It consists of a two-part three use blanks that they purchase from mixture of rottenstone to a one part other glass manufacturers, or fro m mixture of pumice with enough water companies that send their own blanks t o added to give it a muddy appearance . This be handcut and sent back . is channeled to fall on the wheel . This These four glass companies have cu t mixture is still used. It is applied b y hundreds of different patterns into glass - electric power with a wheel of cork and a ware and different demands call for ne w brush. For certain pieces of glass-ware a creations. Each company develops it s brush wheel is used to polish it, and own idea or someone elses into a n sometimes a wheel of wool, depending o n appropriate pattern . Currently, Seneca i s the need . At the Seneca Glass Company prepared to create over four hundre d instead of polishing all of their cut glas s patterns of glassware . If one desires a with this mixture much of it is given a replacement of a pattern twenty years old , hydrofluoric acid bath . The articles to be .3 Seneca is able to produce it bathed are placed in racks and soaked fo r All four companies use for cutting a fifteen minutes . The advantage of the acid composition wheel composed of carbor - bath process lies in its rapidity, thoug h undum and sandstone . These wheels vary hand polishing is preferred by many . in size from one to twenty-four inches . The Superior Glass, Incorporated, is

- 14 - located in a small yellow building in Star the handcut glass is ready to be packe d City. It is owned and managed by John B . and shipped. Not all are shipped withi n Toth and his daughter, Rose Marie Orosz . the United States . The Monongahel a All facilities are on one floor. The display Valley Cut Glass Company has sent cu t room and office are in front of the glass of the Leyton pattern to Caracas, building, beyond this is the packing area, Venezuela ; Superior Cut Glass, Inc ., has and beyond this the cutting room . A sent to Alaska; Sacco Company has sent special room in the rear of the building i s to Canada, Mexico and Puerto Rico ; and provided for the sole use of the designer to Seneca all over . Just recently Joh n mark the glass previous to its cutting . Wannamaker gave Seneca an order for Though this company, formerly called 218 dozen custom-made glassware o f Merritt Glass, changed hands in the mids t every size. This was an order from th e of my research, it did not change method . President of Liberia and is the officia l The lathes here as in the other factories ar e glass of the executive mansion . A desig n run by electricity . with crests was cut into every piece . " The earliest power used in England fo r Here in the United States, cut glas s cutting lead glass was a treadle . Treadl e from the factories in the Morgantown are a cutting was confined to more or les s goes to all states to supply fixture shops , simple motifs, such as panels and relief retail stores, hotels, private individual s diamonds. A little later apprentices turne d and other concerns . the lathes by means of a flywheel . The This handcut glass reflects more tha n speed of the wheel was often errati c two hundred years of expert craftsman - because the boys were not always stead y ship . Patterns are combinations of the old at their work. They became tired and lazy . motifs adapted to the simplicity of modem Even so, the motifs developed a sharper design. Mitre splits, panels, flutes, bull s line and cross hatching was possible . eye, and fringe motifs are still used, but i n Then water power speeded the wheel and combinations that do not interfere with th e .10 deeper and sharper motifs appeared basic and unified expression of the article After all the processes are complete, itself.12 Chapter III Engraved Glass

"Engraving, then, is in brief terms the Art o f Often it is difficult to distinguish with word s Scratch ." - Ruski n between the cutting of glass and the engraving of glass . James Plaut in his book, Steuben Diamond engraving is simply drawing upon Glass, says that the engraving of glass is t o or scratching the surface of glass with the point ordinary glass cutting what watchmaking is to of a diamond. During the period of the Roman riveting, so exacting and delicate is its Empire glasses were decorated by bein g execution . Glass may also be etched with aci d engraved with a sharp point, although it is no t or blasted with sand so as to appear "engraved ." known of what material this point was made . Such methods have much less subtlety an d During the second half of the sixteenth centur y finish. Wheel engraving is distinguished by the this method of diamond engraving originated . precision and firmness of its forms and edges , Diamond engraving seems to have gone out o f and by the fluidity of its curves . fashion when wheel engraving prospered, Actually, engraving differs from cutting i n particularly in Germany, towards the end of th e the size of the wheel used, and, consequently, in seventeenth century . the type of decoration possible . Usually when a Wheel engraving was employed during th e piece of glass in engraved, it is held under th e period of the Roman Empire. After its declin e wheel and pressed upward toward the engrave r this decoration was continued in Egypt an d and against the wheel . In cutting, the glass i s probably in both Iraq and Persia, but it was no t held between the cutter and the wheel an d until the end of the fifteenth century that the art pressed down against the wheel . In both cases , was revived in Europe . the wheels are revolving at a high speed, but the From the point of view of technica l engraving requires more time, skill, training and excellence, no wheel engraving can be fine r natural talent than cutting and compares with than that on many glasses engraved in Silesi a cameo sculpturing in its aesthetic appeal . The and Bohemia during the first half of th e result of the wheel engraving is a shallow eighteenth century . Many of the designs tha t intaglio, which, by an optical illusion, seems to were engraved were not original but were be in bas-relief, the most hollowed parts adapted by the cutter from pattern books such a s appearing to the eye as the most prominent . Neue Croteschgen-Werk, by Paul Decker or th e Glass was engraved in America in the late r Zierathen-Buchel vor Glasschniede r und years of the eighteenth century and its still being Kuntlser by Joh . Conradt Reiff, which were engraved, but the peak of production an d based on the original work of French engravers . popularity was reached during 1830 to 1880 . These designs were largely of conventional The earliest piece of this era are on clear glas s ribbons and foliage, not landscapes. and unpolished . Later, engraving was used on Drinking habits in almost any country have glass of two colors, usually blue or red on white , influenced glass production . It has been said or three colors, blue, yellow and white . The that Englands whole social history could be themes were mythological or historical . The told in terms of her drinking glasses made t o pieces most commonly engraved were match various drinks, such as beer, ale, cider , decanters, bottles, wine glasses, cologne bottles , wine, whiskey and gin . Many of these vessels cruets, and pitchers. bore engraved scenes, portraits and mottoes .

- 16 - Figure 7. The Rose Bowl - This engraved bowl was presented by President and Mrs . Eisenhower to His Imperial Highness, The Crown Prince of Japan , as a wedding gift . From Enjoying Steuben Glass In the Stiegel glass of the seventee n in the Morgantown area to employ an engraver hundreds, the copper wheel was used for glas s for the decoration of glass . His name is Ame r engraving. Now stone wheels of emery are als o Lindquist, and since 1929 he has been wit h used for this purpose . These wheels are very Seneca. In 1913 at the age of seventeen h e small in diameter and of various sizes an d came to the United States from Sweden, an d types, and part of the skill of the artist lies in th e already at this age he was well versed in th e selection of the wheel most suitable to his need s glass trade . His father was a glass cutter, and a t .3 of the moment the early age of seven years, Amer was workin g A. Jardel is one of the famous earl y in a factory . He was taught such things as American engravers . He was a French glass - markings by the apprentice method, and by th e worker who came to Pittsburgh in 1818, an d time he arrived in the United States he already opened a store . He advertised "to engrave an d had his union card. From 1913 until 1929 he execute everything that may be wished in hi s worked in various factories throughout the states line at a moderate price" ; also, "He has on hand and concentrated on specializing in engraving. and will constantly keep an assortment of When in 1929, Mr. Lindquist began to wor k elegant glassware of every description ." When at Seneca, he used engraving wheels of coppe r business was not good, this postscript appeared : and also of stone . But after this demand fo r "A few gentlemen can be accommodated with copper-engraved glass diminished and the stone ."10 genteel boarding wheel, which Mr . Lindquist prefers, survived . Later his pieces became recognized a s Steuben Glass still today employs the coppe r superb examples of his craft, and it became a wheel method when engraving its world famou s fad to own anything engraved by him . glass . Mr. Lindquist says there are no majo r Bakewell presented vases engraved by Jardel to differences between the two types of wheel Lafayette when he visited Pittsburgh in 1825 . " engraving and each is a delicate, technical Famous early American engravers are Loui s operation that requires skill and patience and Vaupel, Henry S . Fillerbrown and Josep h experience on the part of the engraver . The cut Locke. Several of the Leighton family wer e created by the stone is not as grey-white i n talented engravers . The William Leightons, appearance, nor is it as rough . It is more Senior and Junior, were engraving glass at the difficult to clean the accumulated dust fro m Hobbs, Brockunier Glasshouse in Wheeling , copper-engraved glass then stone-engraved . West Virginia, during the late years of the This smoother appearance also goes in a little Middle Period . William H. Morse, whose wor k deeper since stone is prone to cut deeper than is more recent (1915 to 1925) was one of the copper. Also the copper wheels get dirty an d .12 most skillful engravers in America n history are difficult to clean. There is little difference i n Presently, one of this countrys best size in that each size used depends on the typ e engravers is Joseph Libisch who began t o of cut desired . The diameters of the wheels may engrave glass at Steuben in 1921 . He began his vary from one-fourth inch to four or five inches . apprenticeship as an engraver at the age of 12 i n A stone wheel is wider than a copper wheel . Hungary. He apprenticed under master clas s Mr. Lindquist tells of four main types o f engravers in Vienna and Prague, then came t o stone wheels employed in the process of America and worked for several firms fro m 1920 to 1921 . He has executed many en- Seneca also employs Mr Lindquists two gravings designed by Steubens chief designer, brothers who occasionally engrave, but Arner i s .13 Sidney Waugh well-known as the main one . The Seneca Glass Company is the only one

-18- Figure 8. A copper wheel engraver at work in the Steuben plant at Coming , New York. From The Story of Steuben Glass engraving . One is a LINE which has a sharp blanks when concentration is to be centered on reverse V point and is used to engrave fine line s a special engraved area. This is true of glass Another is a MITRE and has the point of a articles where one side can be seen through t o forty-five degree angle. The PUNTY has a the other, such as a tumbler or goblet . With rounded edge and is used especially to for m such shapes, "spot" decoration is more effectiv e leaves on flowers . A fourth is called an EDGE than an all-over design unless a rhythmic o r because it provides an edge line on such motif s running band is employed. 14 Obviously, as leaves. Little lines can be shaped around the confusion would result when the two image s edge of any of these wheels which will in turn mingle and a centered area would not succeed. cause a like impression on the engraved glass. But with objects that one looks down upon like When this is done it is called a THOUSAND a bowl, tray or plate, then over-all decoration i n MITRE. The stone is determined by the shap e the form of motifs, subjects, or a combination , of the glass. For example, a glass that curve s is successful . inward calls for a deeper stone . The type of Presently, Mr. Lindquist is engraving a bow l stone used is emery . The stone comes in a form entitled Hunters Dream . It is sixteen inches i n not yet shaped for engraving . With patience, a diameter. For the past four years he has bee n skilled touch, and a black diamond, Mr. working on it in his spare time and hope s Lindquist will shape this form into one of th e someday to leave it to a museum . In it he listed shapes or a variation thereof . This is an attempts a movement of many species of game extremely difficult task and sometimes un - animals a hunter dreams of catching . The rewarding, especially when the stone breaks i n hunter sits in the middle as the animals parad e two near completion . around him. Engraved work is seldom polished, as th e In his earlier days he created a rose patter n grey-white appearance is one of its char - which he still uses to a large extent today . acteristics . Sometimes though Mr . Lindquis t Nature is his guide when it comes to creatin g will use cork wheels of appropriate sizes t o patterns . Mr. Lindquist has engraved almost all polish parts of an engraved piece . In this way types of flowers, leaves, and fruits . With he shades parts of the engraving to give an eve n various motifs he has engraved onto glass many more unusual effect. On occasion he will representational subjects such as an ice skater, a polish large areas of engraving in order to caus e girl feeding a deer, a Zodiac dish, and tw o more attention to fall on a grey-white engraved platters of the Lords Supper. area elsewhere on the same piece . It is quite difficult to engrave letters int o Always in this type of work there is th e glass, and a mistake is immediately evident ; yet, danger of silicosis . Thus, a steady stream of Mr. Lindquist has become quite skilled at this . water falls on the revolving wheel, to keep th e At one time, he engraved on forty-seven glas s dust down, whether in shaping, cutting o r bells, the names of the governors of each state, engraving . the particular state they represented, and th e Today, there is a tendency to engrave onl y date. These were the Christmas gifts from the a small area of a glass article . Otherwise, it Governor of West Virginia to each governor i n would be too expensive and the distribution o f the United States . Now, Mr. Lindquist en- engraved glass would be minimized . Actually graves all of the monograms for the Hous e though, Mr . Lindquist prefers a rhythmi c overall decoration when motifs are the mai n Mr. Lindquist is equipped to engrave at hi s decorative element . On the other hand, over-al l home as he has a lathe and well over on e decoration is not advisable on certain shapes of hundred stone wheels .

- 19-

Glass Corporation of Point Marion, Penn- as there was when he first came here in 1929. sylvania. Generally there is less engraving on one piec e Even though the demand for skilled glass than there used to be . In the display room ar e craftsmen has diminished, there is as much now several of his pieces with both over-all and spo t to keep him busy at the Seneca Glass Company decorations . Any of these he can duplicate . Chapter IV Etched Glas s

Etching is frequently confused wit h The trouble with the etching of glas s engraving because of its frosted in America in the late nineteenth centur y appearance . Etching and engraving ar e seems to have been that except for the by no means the same thing. Engraved work of Joseph Locke or Joh n glass is cut by a revolving wheel an d Northwood, it was not developed as a n etched glass is made by the applicatio n independent art, but used as an imitatio n of a corroding acid . of cutting . Etching was described i n Glass is readily attacked b y 1812, by Schoolcraft, who called i t hydroflouric acid . If the clear strong "engraving" in his manuscript o n acid is used, the resulting surface i s Vitreology: more or less roughened, largel y depending on the composition of th e When a vine or flower is required glass. A high lime content promote s upon the surface of a glass this (is ) this roughness, which gives to th e done by simply using a copper wheel grooves, etched by the acid, a trans - of the size of a cent, with water . lucent character called "color ." When The ornaments are, however, mos t sulfuric acid is added to the hydroflouric accurately engraved by the fluori c acid, the resulting surface is smoother. acid which is used in the same If the acid contains ammonium flouride , manner upon glass that aqua fortis i s forming a solution of ammonium bi - upon copper ; the surface is firs t flouride, "white acid," the resultin g covered with a coat of wax an d surface has a satin finish or matt rosin, and the figures drawn by shar p character.2 instruments that cut through an d Etching is often employed fo r remove the coating . The liquid aci d making graduation on technical glass - is poured on and immediately cor- ware and for applying various design s rodes the glass . When deep enough , like trademarks . The vapor of hydro - its effects are stopped by pouring on water.4 flouric acid will also etch glass pro - ducing a matt or rough surface . It is said that the use of hydroflouric PLATE ETCHING : acid was discovered by the Swedis h Plate etching in its simplest for m chemist Acheele in 1771 . Variou s was patented by James Napier in 1859 . experiments were made in its use in the He had learned the method in Glascow , late eighteenth century but were not Scotland. His idea was to fix a print o r successful in producing designs . Pellatt lithograph with printers ink to the said in 1349 : "Etching by fluoric aci d surface of the glass, by an ordinar y has been introduced, but its bite is not starch paste. After the applique was dry, sufficiently rough and is not foun d he subjected the entire piece to aci d effective for general purposes ." 3 Its use three times, and washed it with water . for decorating inexpensive tableware di d This method was not reliable and was not become general until the latter part soon replaced by the plate method . of the nineteenth century. Napier etchings were frequently on

- 21 - (a) Resist from plate on tissue-like paper to be placed on glas s

(b) Design etched into glass

Figure 9. Etched Glass - Design produced for the St . Regis Hotel by Morgantown Glassware Guild, Inc . flashed glass which gave a white frosted follows plate etching. White acid i s background a colored outline . Plate applied to relatively large areas, such a s etching, since the times of Napier s flower petals or panels in the original patent, has been done continuously i n plate design, while the rest of the ware i s America. protected. The white acid is usually Any designs can be reproduced o n applied as a paste, mixed with som e glass by plate etching . By photo - inert material like barium sulfate . Its engraving the design is reproduced on a action is fairly rapid and requires les s steel plate. The design proper is left at than one minute for a good satin finish . the normal surface, while the meta l The various qualities of etchin g between the designs is etched away to a depend entirely on the use an d depth of perhaps one millimeter by acid . composition of the resist, acid, and the The design is transferred to the glass i n method of applying the pattern . the following manner: A quantity of resist is rubbed on th e NEEDLE ETCHING : warm steel plate . Designs can be traced on glassware The excess is wiped off by a by etching through marks scratched b y smoothing tool . steel needles through the protectin g A sheet of thin tissue paper i s coating of wax on the ware . This resist rubbed on tightly against the plate . can be beeswax, paraffin, rosin , The paper is stripped away bringin g Burgundy pitch or mixtures . It is the resist with it . applied by dipping the glassware into a The paper is placed on the surface o f pot of melted resist . A revolvin g the glass . vacuum chuck holds the piece of ware The resist adheres smoothly to th e while square-ended needles of smal l glass . diameter touch the surface . The needle s The paper is removed (after wetting are stationary or have specific motion . with water or alcohol) . The needle plus the rotation produces a Part of the glass is left covered b y variety of designs . The ware is immer - resist except for the lines of th e sed for about ten minutes in hydrofluori c design. acid and then washed thoroughly wit h The remaining surface of the ware i s boiling hot water to remove all of th e protected by brushing hot resist on resist. This is the simplest technique o f it. etching and was followed by many earl y The ware is immersed in acid fo r American glasshouses including those a t about ten minutes . The acid for Sandwich, Cambridge, Pittsburgh, an d etching is contained in shallow pan s Wheeling. of lead or vulcanized rubber under a These early etchings can be hood or fume cabinet . The hands distinguished from engravings by th e should be protected by thick rubber needle-like tracery of the pattern . This gloves. is never deep, and the lines are ofte n The ware is washed thoroughly i n disconnected because little pieces o f boiling hot water to remove th e wax escaped the needle and held the resist.6 acid from the glass . Wine glasses, Sometimes a second etching process

- 22 - finger bowls, tumblers, and othe r in turn, will hand it down to whom h e lightweight bar and tableware were ofte n chooses . Whatever the formula, it wil l decorated by this method with designs be valuable to know because with it th e of loops and scrolls and fine lines . cost of the ink has been cut dow n Some of the finest etching result s incredibly . To use pure beeswax would when an artist cuts the pattern through cost $1 .25 a pound . But with this the wax resist without the aid of a formula it costs only twelve and a hal f stencil or pattern to guide him . Severa l cents. The wax used to cover the insid e artists in America free etched toward th e and remaining surface of the glas s end of the nineteenth century . One o f article is a mixture of beeswax, paraffin , them was Joseph Locke, a friend an d lamp black and rosin . When the glas s associate of Edward Drummond Libbey , cannot be dipped, the resist is put o n of the famous Libbey Glass Company . with a brush . Mr. Delbert F. Howett directs th e The type of plate used is polishe d plate etching at the Morgantow n steel. The average cost of a plate i s Glassware Guild, Incorporated . When thirty to forty dollars . To make a plate this factory was first established, it di d is a complicated photographic proces s needle etching along with plate or dee p following the original design first draw n etching. Over twenty years ago i t on white paper with black ink . The dispensed with the needle etchin g plates used are made at Martins Ferry, method. Ohio. For each line of ware it takes Twelve work in the plate etchin g about seven different patterns : one each department, including Mr. Howett, for goblet, saucer, sherbert, cocktail , printers, transfers, painters, etchers, an d wine cordial, five, nine or twelve-ounc e removers. The work is done in thre e footed. In some other cases one patter n different rooms . In the etching room, may be used for two types of glasses . In there are five compartments for acid other cases a more complete line may b e etching with hydrofluoric acid (7 0 required such as an addition of an oyster percent) . Occasionally, to make th e cocktail or parfait . The cost for plate s etching smoother, sulfuric acid is added . alone can run over three hundre d Ammonia fluoride can be added t o dollars . the acid to give the glass a satin finish . In the history of this glass factory After the glass is etched, it is put in col d there have been so many etchings water to stop the etching process . After required that the number of plates tha t it is etched, the glass is washed in a n have been used would be difficult t o automatic machine which sprays boilin g estimate . When a plate is no longe r water onto it in order to remove the wax , used, it is stored away with the wax stil l washes it with soap, and rinses it. The on it, for this will prevent it fro m plate etching processes at th e rusting. If for some reason it should b e Morgantown Glassware Guild an d cleaned, it is heated to melt and remov e Seneca are much the same . the wax, then cleaned with kerosene. The ingredients used to make th e The length of time that an articl e waxlike printing ink is a trade secret . It remains in the acid depends on differen t was handed down to Mr . Howett fro m factors including the type of glass used , his mothers side of the family and he, the desired depth, the desire d

- 24 - appearance and the acid mixture . The its supply . The first order, as Mr . acid bath lasts about fifteen minutes . Howett recalls, was for fifteen thousan d For white acid etching, ammoni a dozens of pieces. For the months of fluoride is added to the acid and th e June and July, they sent to the shi p article to be etched goes through a 3,000 dozens of pieces . The Moore an d double process . First, for about three McCormick is another steamship lin e minutes, it is given a regular acid bath , this factory supplies . then immersed in cold water . For Some railroads that use th e eighteen seconds it is dipped in the aci d Morgantown Glassware Guild etche d with the added ammonia fluoride, then glass include the Santa Fe, Illinoi s immersed again . This gives a satin Center, Delaware and Hudson, an d appearance to the glass. It is used more Baltimore and Ohio railroads . Depart - to cover large areas rather than detaile d ment stores also order, includin g work. And because of the work extr a Montgomery Wards, and Sears and process, it is more expensive . Roebuck. Continuous orders come from Most of the blanks used for etchin g some of the best known hotels and night come from Morgantown Glass Guild , clubs from the East to the West Coast - but many also come from outside "21" Club, Fifth Avenue Hotel , factories in Ohio and other parts of West Shelbourne Hotel, Colonial Restaurant , Virginia . Often the firm ordering etche d St. Regis Hotel, Neptune Inn , glassware sends its own blanks . Beefeaters Club, Pierre Restaurant, On an average day the twelv e Brake Hotel, Halfway House Hotels , workers will etch over three hundre d Romanoffs, Scandra, Desert Inn and the dozen blanks, but the demand fluctuate s Sheraton East Hotel . considerably . The busy season begins at This factory at one time etche d the end of August and runs throug h glassware of its own design to an orde r December. Certain situations can arise but found that this was not profitable as at anytime to make a difference in the often the etched ware might not sell . orders . For instance, Mr . Howett feels Now the etching is done only on an that the hotels he supplies in Chicago order basis. And as in other aspects of will be ordering more than the usual the glass industry, the demand for amount of etched glassware because of etching has decreased, but not so muc h the recent political conventions . An at the Morgantown Glassware Guil d order for a large hotel, firm boatline, o r because other factories discontinue d railroad is a continuing matter. It doe s etching, and it took over the orders. The not stop at the first order as they con - etched design is usually a spot design a s stantly need to be restocked. The opposed to the over-all. To cover the Baltimore and Ohio railroad may order glass with an etched design cost s five hundred dozens of glassware in a considerably more, and commerciall y month . If a strike develops, consider - the demand is less . For instance a doze n ably less is ordered . goblets with a spot design might cost In 1950, the Morgantown Glassware eight dollars while the same goblets wit h Guild supplied the passenger ship, the over-all design might cost eightee n USS United States, with etched dollars a dozen . glassware, and it continues to replenish Seneca Glass Company has bee n

- 25 - etching since the early nineteen The Beaumont Company does not work hundreds. They did needle etching unti l with small tableware glass as do th e about 1940. Now they concentrate on other two factories, but makes lam p plate etching . Mrs. Sylvia Lang has parts ranging from a small to a ver y been with the Company since 1924 and large size, difficult to manipulate . It has is the present head of the etchin g been frosting for many years. department . There are no majo r All types of lamp parts are etched to differences between Seneca and th e give them a frosted appearance . This Morgantown Glassware Guild. At includes crystal glass, opal glass, furlux , present three workers are employed i n and glass that has the color mixed in th e this department who on an average da y batch. First, it is dipped in the hot wate r can turn out from sixty to sevent y and then into a cleaning acid . This i s dozens of etched glassware . one-sixth percent of seventy percent The plates of steel are made at hydrofluoric acid ; the rest is water . Pittsburgh with the pattern supplied b y Then it is placed into a commercia l the purchaser . The wax used as resist i s frosting acid for at least forty-fiv e paraffin . In the etching solution sulfuri c seconds. To stop the etching, it is put i n acid is never added as at th e cold water . Finally, it is washed in ho t Morgantown Glassware Guild . Anothe r soapy water, rinsed and put on a table to difference is that the Etchin g dry. Department only uses blanks blown The crystal or colored glass does no t right at the Seneca Glass Company . take as long to etch, the furlux is etche d As at the Morgantown Glassware for one minute and the opal for abou t Guild, this Etching Department etche s two minutes. The lamp parts are frosted only to fill orders . It does not suppl y all over and there is no spotting or any railroad or steamship lines but i t stenciling of designs . Three hundred o f does supply the United States Steel, and the large-size parts or eight hundred of the American Iron and Steel . Two of the small size can be frosted in a day. their purchasers also have ware etched at Lamp parts are not ordered in such larg e the Morgantown Glassware Guild - quantities as tableware . Nor are they Romanoffs night club in California an d handled with the same facility becaus e at the St. Regis Hotel in New York. of their size . This frosted effect ca n Also it sends etched ware to the Essex serve as the complete decoration of th e House, Ritz Tower, Westbury, Sherato n part or it can be the base for furthe r Palace, and the Lawyers Club In Ne w extrinsic ornamentation. York. The Davis and Lynch Glass Company at Star City also etches lamp FROSTING: parts in the same way that Beaumon t A third company in Morgantown t o does. The work area is not as large . do etching is the Beaumont Company o n Since Davis and Lynch does not blo w University Avenue . The type of etching colored glass, they do not etch it. Opal it does is not plate etching, nor needl e glass and clear glass is etched . The opal etching ; rather it is a process called b y is etched from two to three minutes an d Beaumont, frosting . The result gives to on completion is called Bristol . The the glass a satin or frosted appearance . clear is etched twenty-five to thirt y

- 26 - seconds, and on completion is calle d lamp part is thoroughly cleaned . crystal Bristol . Second granules of animal fat are dissolved in ordinary hot water an d FLEQUING : heated until quite hot . After the glue has A method of decoration commonl y melted to a syrup consistency and whil e employed at the Beaumont Glas s it is still hot, a layer is applied by brush. Company is etching glass by means o f In about half an hour another layer i s glue. This they call flequing . This i s applied to give it a smooth, transparent not to be confused with the other type s coat of sufficient thickness . This is of etching already mentioned in thi s allowed to dry for twenty-four hours , chapter as they employ the use of a and for a few hours it is warmed b y corroding acid . This process uses glue controlled temperature . At Beaumont and replaces sandblasting . It is speedier , there is a special wooden cabinet for less expensive on a smaller scale an d glassware in the flequing process . The gives interesting effects . Beaumont uses glue through the effect of desiccation it to decorate lamp parts . The desig n detaches itself from the glass with a result looks like ferns or various shape s noise and removes numerous flakes fo r and sizes. Sometimes, the design has a glass. After all of the glue is off, the circular, narrow feathery appearance . lamp part is carefully washed and dried. Both clear and colored glass can b e It is important to use glass that is used. The glue adheres to the glass wit h thick enough because the extraordinary such firmness that upon being abruptly strength of the glue would otherwise separated, numerous glass scales o f cause the glass to break . At Beaumont .10 various thicknesses are detached the breakage is from five to ten percent. First in the process of flequing, the glass

Chapter V Fused Decoratio n

The big change in decorating procedur e silvers. Both extrinsically decorate lamp part s began in the early 1930s with the labeling o f only which go to lamp manufacturers who milk bottles with applied permanent lettering . assemble the lamps . These lamp Gradually the bottlers of soft drinks began to manufacturers order them in small or larg e adopt the applied color label. This not onl y numbers. A small order will consist of a dressed up the package, it eliminated the carton load of hand painted lamp bases . A nuisance of a paper label - coolers woul d large order may hit 5,000 and be for a stenci l contaminate the labels and they would have t o type sprayed ceiling light . Each factory uses be replaced . Because of this change in its own blown lamp parts for decorations . decorating procedure, many glass companie s Though most of the decorations in thi s have applied color decoration departments . chapter have been listed separately, this is no t The work has so expanded that today it i s meant to imply that a ware can have but on e probably the industrys largest secondary type of decoration on it . Many lamp parts operation . The success of the present fuse d have several types that are applied on etche d decoration has been due largely to th e or plain glass . Any of these processes can b e progress which the various colo r and often are combined . Even on sil k manufacturers have achieved in producin g screened pieces extra squeegee dots are added. enamels of greater durability than wa s Gold is used as an accompanying decoratio n imagined twenty years ago . And now thes e as well as independently . fused enamels have become a dominant facto r On decals gold is added to give the in glass . flowers a rhythmic flow . It is used fo r The decoration is carried out in a banding or horizontal and vertical lining . decorating lehr . At Beaumont the lehr i s Many sprayed lamp parts unless strictly eighty feet long . It differs from an ordinary utilitarian have other decoration applied t o lehr in that it must have a heating-up zon e them. Even the ones sprayed with a special some fifteen feet in length so that the ware paint like luster may have added decoration . may be heated gradually before reaching th e If the ware is decorated in diverse ways an d fire box proper . Here a temperature as high a s each way requires a different firin g the ware will stand without deformation i s temperature, then the ware may have to g o applied and then the ware passes on through a through a number of firings . If the cooling tunnel as in the ordinary annealin g decorations fuse at the same temperature, thi s process . then is, of course, not necessary . Each Various types of decorations are fused i n finished lamp part has had several factor s two factories in the Morgantown area - th e instrumental in its completion . Beaumont Glass Company in Morgantown, At Beaumont the decorating processe s and Davis and Lynch at Star City . Some type s take place in a very large room 70 x 120 . of ornamentation they both do include Nick Dorohovich, the head of the decorative spraying, handpainting, enameling, gol d processes at Beaumont does all of th e application, stamping, banding, decal and preparatory art work and chooses what type s icing. of fused decoration will be carried out on a In addition Davis and Lynch doe s certain ware in order to fill orders properly . stamping and Beaumont silk screens and The decorated ware is shown in large lamp

- 29 - Figure 10. Production at Davis and Lync h 1. Gatherer - gathers molten glass from furnace 2. Blocker - shapes initial gather and adds second laye r 3. Blower - inflates glass in cast iron mold 4. Glass cut off and transferred to annealing ove n 5. Solid color or tint sprayed on glas s 6. Hand decorators paint designs on glass 7. Hand decorators paint designs on glass 8. Final inspection after firing of paint shows in larger cities . One was held this past SILK SCREEN : June in New York City. Beaumont fills orders Silk screening is the most widely used for supply houses and lamp manufacturers . decorating process . More ware units are To carry out the desired decorations fiftee n screen printed than are decorated by any other workers are employed. Some specialize i n means. At first production was limited to fla t one thing such as spraying or silk screening . items, but later through the development o f The others may have to do several different suitable hand operated equipment, the proces s types of decoration depending on the demand . was expanded to such lines as - table turners , The special decorating lehr that is used a t milk and beverage bottles, and cosmetic jars . Beaumont is eighty feet long. Different type s The hand operated equipment has bee n of decorated ware call for various regulation s replaced considerably in the past years with a while in the lehr . Colored glass parts are semi-automatic decorating machine. 2 The sil k decorated as extensively as the clear lam p screening that is done at Beaumont Company, parts. When a piece is finished, its averag e though, is all done by hand . They silk screen cost is four or five hundred dollars to the lamp primarily to fill orders for EXIT lamps an d manufacturer . SORTIE lamps. The EXIT lamps go to At the Davis and Lynch factory in Sta r various supply houses throughout the country . City, a less modern decoration adorns the The SORTIE lamps go to certain Frenc h lamp . It is generally a floral pattern . Though speaking parts of Canada (Sortie means exit) . Davis and Lynch can do and have done othe r The shapes of both of these are the same - types, for commercial reasons it sticks to this . triangular, and the word is printed on bot h At Beaumont various subjects adorn lamp s sides. At Beaumont for the screening process , and just geometrical design is used . New a design is drawn and prepared by a devices are employed extensively to achieve photographic process . At one time other new effects. The head of the decoratio n processes were used, but this is superio r department at Davis and Lynch is M. R. because of speed and because fine lines can b e Davis, Jr. The company was founded in 1929 , reproduced . Technically this is the process : and since 1935 it has decorated lamp parts . It The screen is first coated with gelatin, an d has occupied its present buildings since 1949 . made light sensitive by the addition of a There are two buildings - one for blowing an d dichromate . If a positive or plate is laid ove r one for decoration . The offices and packin g this screen and exposed to light, the gelatin i s rooms are in the same building in whic h rendered insoluble, except where it i s decoration takes place . protected by the design . Treatment with col d Various operations take place in differen t or warm water removes the gelatin from th e rooms. All of the painting is done in one design, exposing the screen for the passage o f room, the spraying in another, and the firing in the "paint" or suspension of the powdere d still another. About thirty women execute the enamel in essential oils . To dry, the exces s work. The one lone man is the sprayer . The water is blotted with a newspaper and the sixty-five foot long decorating lehr is alway s screen is set aside to dry. 3 The object is place d full, and it takes a lamp part about an hour and in contact with the screen . A squeegee, on th e a half to travel through it. The cost of a upper side of the screen, causes the paint to finished lamp with its decoration may run flow through the meshes transferring a thi n from five dollars to seventy-five dollars . layer to the glass surface. The ware is then sent though the decorating lehr at the highes t temperature it will stand without deformation .

- 31 - The vehicle becomes vapor, any varnish gum s a comparatively simple means of creatin g that may be used are decomposed and burne d over-all color effects which would not b e away, and the enamel fuses permanently to th e achieved by incorporating the color directly in .4 glass surface the glass itself. It is used effectively on glass Squeegee oil is the oil vehicle with whic h tableware, mixing bowls, vases, and jars . the ceramic color is mixed in order to prepar e Along with the decorative value of the color it to paste mixture for screen printing, and a also serves a utilitarian value in glass good squeegee oil should volatilize com - illuminating ware as it provides ligh t pletely before enamel fusing temperature i s dispersion and soft illuminating effects . reached and produce no blistering of the color . Already it has been shown how a t It should print sharply and not run . It shoul d Beaumont the spray is used to give an opacit y be odorless and unaffected by moisture, and i n to the EXIT and SORTIE lamps for bette r case a second color application is necessar y transmission of light . More often the outsid e the first must dry properly . is sprayed, either all over or partially . Squeegee lusters of the same color can be Sometimes it is sprayed all over, and then mixed to produce intermediate shades . vertical scratches, such as a comb might make , However, mixing lusters of different colors are scratched into the surface of the pain t together will not usually produce the expected . before it is fired, to give an interestin g Thus, when a red and dark blue luster are appearance. When the illuminating ware i s combined, the mixture fires out dark blue, no t sprayed partially on the outside, a stencil i s purple . After firing, the luster film is highl y used. The stencil is made of lead, and is use d transparent and has a metallic iridescence; to cover that part of the lamp not to b e thus, uniform thickness is important . sprayed. Beaumont prepares large quantitie s Before the EXIT and SORTIE lamps are of ceiling lights by using a stencil and the n silk screened, they are sprayed inside for a n spraying . These stencils after a few doze n opaque effect . Otherwise, the light would be lamps have been sprayed must be changed . too bright. The paint to spray the inside of the When the stencil is to be cleaned, it is heate d lamp is a ceramic paint . It is a chalky mixture to melt the paint and then the excess is wipe d made up of water and lead . When fired, it i s off. like porcelain . A special mold is made to hol d The spraying set-up at Beaumont consist s the lamp while it is silk screened . They are of a spray booth with a spray gun, air pressure , done with either red letters on white or whit e regulator, supply of color, revolving turntable , letters on red. After one side is finished, it i s a means of ventilation to completely remov e turned over and the other side is completed . A the spray fog, and stencils if necessary . skilled worker is able to complete 300 in a Beaumont has three spray booths and two day. The Beaumont Glass also silk screen s sprayers . Also, in another part of the factory with gold . Usually the design is an all-ove r there is a semi-automatic spraying machine line type motif. Beaumont is the only factory used to fill large orders of continuous lines . in this vicinity to use the silk screen method. This machine can spray twelve lamps a minute. They do not spray everyday at Beaumont as Davis and Lynch do . Since non e SPRAYING: of the glass they blow is colored, they find i t The spray method is the second mos t necessary to spray any desired backgroun d important decorating process from th e colors . They also spray foreground color fo r standpoint of volume. The spray gun provides decorative effects . By hand, the spraying i s

- 32 - completed in a few seconds . The gun i s spattering . These two techniques involve the connected to an air pressure supply an d use of the same materials as in spraying, but i n adjustments are made with the various valve s comparison it is an art on the part of th e are regulators . It is necessary to hold the gun operator who must control volume of flow of about a foot away from the lamp . The firs t paint and manipulate with skill the sprayin g squeeze of the trigger should not be directed at equipment. " the lamp because the first hit of paint come s Veiling gives a thin line, thread y out in the form of a slug. This is owing to th e appearance to the glass with lines of all shape s elastic nature of the medium and will occur o n going in all directors . Spattering gives the every new squeeze of the trigger . 8 Because of effect of its name - spotted or polka dot . Also, the rapid drying of the paint a certain amoun t with the spray gun a mist appearance can b e of it will accumulate and harden on the nozzl e had. With misting, the distance from gun to of the spray gun . This must frequently be object is six to ten inches . In the other wiped away to maintain clean spraying . techniques it is twelve to fifteen inches . In Turpentine used to be the basic spra y veiling, rubber cement is added to the paint to medium, but now it is a mixture of three part s make it come out in threads ; otherwise, as of water to one part of alcohol . The average soon as it hit the glass it would come off. color sprayed with this mixture dries to a Colors available for veiling and spatterin g somewhat powdery surface and is quite easil y from the Engelhard Industries, Incorporation , scratched or finger-marked prior to firing. in New Jersey, include Bright Gold, Brigh t Thus, certain binding agents are added to th e Gold to resist etching, Bright White Gold, Re d color mixtures in small percentages . Colors i n Luster Ruby, Black Luster and Gold Bronze , the spraying operation tend to develop a fil m .12 and Veiling Brigh t Gold in the cup of the spray gun because of the ai r The spray booth for veiling and spattering pressure exerted on the surface . It is, is more confined than for ordinary spraying . therefore, necessary to shake the spray gu n In both cases though the color is reclaime d vigorously every so often. 9 The agitator in the and used over since only sixty or sevent y five-gallon tank keeps the paint mixed, or els e percent of the atomized color adheres to th e the lead would go to the bottom . The object object. By reclaiming, from ninety to ninety- to be sprayed is slowly turned after the gun is .13 five percent, of the overspray can b e saved triggered, and sprayed all over or with the us e At Beaumont a special little booth is set up fo r of a stencil . If the object has an opening at th e the purpose of veiling and spattering . top, a piece of wood is fitted into it to keep the When working with gold, there is no need fumes from the inside . The procedure for for a fan for ventilation because there are n o spraying is the same at both factories, an d escaping fumes . The object to be veiled or extra guns are kept on hand for other effects . spattered is set on the turntable or a pedesta l Immediately after use, the gun should b e on the turntable . Just so it is placed in such a cleaned in a solvent of turpentine by the use o f way that the whole area to be sprayed i s a bristle brush . The entire cleaning job can b e exposed. done in two or three minutes . This is These spraying techniques can be used on necessary because of the tendency of the paint almost any type of glass - some with greate r .10 to harden rapidly in contact wit h air success than others. This is learned through Spraying is done at Beaumont to produc e experimentation. For this, a practice mediu m two other decorative effects - veiling and .14 can be purchased that has no preciou s metal

- 33 - DECALCOMANIA : water soluble coating is removed with water . Much decoration at Beaumont, and Davi s The ware is thoroughly washed to remove al l and Lynch calls for decal work. A decal is of the gelatin coating from the color fil m printed in several colors and is precisel y before the ware is allowed to dry ." When it i s covered with line and shading not possible b y dry, it is placed in the lehr and is fired . In other decorating means. 15 There is also an al l both processes the drying usually takes severa l gold decal which leaves outlines that can b e hours. filled in with color . All of the decals are applied by hand to the glassware . The decals GOLD, SILVER AND PLATINUM : are ordered in different sizes with variou s Metals like gold, silver and platinum ma y subjects . The most used at the two factorie s be applied decoratively to glass by mixing th e are two to four inch flowers and floral designs . precipitated metal or some pulverize d Several of these are placed around a lamp part . compound of it with a small quantity of a lo w Usually, the water slide off method is used . melting borate "flux," then with a vehicle tha t But whatever the method, the surface must b e .18 will disappear on firing completely free of grease and dirt. Ancient glass was often decorated wit h In the water slide-off method the subject i s gold leaf. Sometimes the leaf was glued to a cut from the sheet and placed in a shallow pa n piece of glass with honey and then a patter n of water . In about ninety seconds the color traced or cut into the leaf, and over the gol d film can be released from the backing paper . design would be a layer of hot glass . This The decal should not be soaked too long a s made a sandwich of gold protected by glass , this can cause the color film to float away the piece fired and further decorated wit h from the paper and in turn remove th e translucent colors . The Arab craftsmen adhesive which is necessary for holding th e became quite expert at this . Glass with film of color on the ware . 16 Next, the entir e Oriental designs of superb richness were use d piece is placed over the area to be decorated , .19 in the court and mosque face up, and the backing paper is slipped ou t During the Middle Ages, Italian artists from under the color film . After the color fil m made pictures of religious subjects in gold o r is adjusted on the ware, it is important that al l silver on the back of panels of glass in th e of the water and air bubbles are worked out b y same manner that the Romans had done . The means of blotting paper or a damp spong e parts of gold and silver not required wer e which is patted on the decal from the cente r removed. What was left was drawn upon wit h towards the edge. All of the excess water an extremely fine point which made fine line s should be sponged from the surface to avoi d or spaces in which coloring matter wa s water marks . applied . It was on completion given a coat o f Another type of decal is printed on duple x protecting material, applied to stone or backed paper which has been given a water soluble by a layer of glass . This process is describe d coating . The surface of the ware to b e by Cennino Cennini in his Libro dell Arte decorated is varnished with a thin coat o f written at Padua towards the end of th e decal size which has been diluted with forty t o fourteenth century . He offers this advice , fifty percent turpentine . After the size ". . .this is delicate work . It must all be don e becomes tacky in a few minutes, the cut out unhurriedly and with great delight an d decals are applied with the printed surface pleasure . And I give you this advice: that on against the tacky size . The decal is rubbe d the day before you think of working at this , until it thoroughly adheres to the size. The you hold your hand in a sling, or in you r

- 34 - bosom so that the blood is well rested and rid left. The gold and platinum can be applied b y of fatigue."20 several methods. The three main ones are Much German and Italian glass of th e brushing, stamping, and spraying . sixteenth century was gilded. The gilt wa s When the coating dries within an hour, i t often mixed with other decorative techniques . is fired. 25 Beaumont applies gold to all type s In Knuckels Ars Vitraria the author gives the of glass in various ways - such as vertical , recipe "for making a specially curiou s horizontal or veiled lines of various widths . drinking glass." 21 This is a double glass with Some lamp parts are banded . Some are one smooth glass fitting into a larger smooth decorated with subjects . Various factors wil l one. Inside the larger one is a painting whic h affect the appearance of the gold - sometimes has been etched into with a needle to give a it will be metallic and other times opaque . If veined appearance . On the back, gold or an enamel is used as a base, an opaque effec t silver was applied with linseed oil . The appears. outside of the smaller glass was also covere d During the process of firing, ventilation i s with gold or silver foil . The glasses were fit extremely important . A supply of fresh ai r together with the upper rims cemented with a along the firing level of the lehr decidedl y mixture of powdered chalk and lacque r improves its brilliance and adherence . The varnish . Most of the glasses made in this wa y lehr at Beaumont has a special chimney fo r were made during the eighteenth century , this purpose . The time cycle depends entirel y usually in the Bohemian and Silesian glas s on the ware to be decorated. districts. Several other curious methods were .22 popular during this period LUSTER : Permanent gilding fixed with heat is sai d Luster is a decoration of delicate metalli c to be the invention of a Spaniard, Do n tints. It comes commercially prepared i n Digismondo Brun, during the eighteenth many colors and can be applied by hand or century. An example of his work is a bow l spray. 26 Beaumont does a considerable amoun t with cover and tray of plain glass all decorate d of lustering, all by hand . Davis and Lynch in gold. 23 Possibly gilding was not done in ou r applies luster with a spray . They often dab it glass factories before 1820 . Some say that with paper after it is sprayed to give an Stiegel and Amelung glass may have bee n unusual effect . The lamp part to be lustered is gilded, but there is no positive evidence . first cleaned and dried. The luster is applied There is much evidence that it was use d with a camel-hair brush evenly and in a extensively during the Victorian era an d medium strength as the lamp part revolves on without much rhyme or reason from th e a hand turntable . Beaumont has more demand standpoint of design. Women or girls were for the mother of pearl luster than any other . ."24 usually employed to "gild th e lily Available luster colors are ruby purple, ruby , Both Beaumont and Davis and Lynch do a rose red, deep cranberry, purple, sherry brown , considerable amount of decoration with gold , mother of pearl, iridescent light blue, ros e silver, and platinum, but in both cases it i s pink, blue amethyst violet, golden orange , restricted mainly to lamp part decoration an d cranberry, light cranberry, rose purple an d is rarely used for commercial decoration . The sapphire . paint used is a commercial mixture . Liqui d Bright Gold is used more extensively than an y MARBELIZING : other gold preparation. It is essentially a gol d To marbelize glass gives to it an appear- resinate and when it is fired a gold like film is ance of marble with veins running through it .

- 35 - Marbelizing liquid comes commercially pre - fully developed until after the ninth century pared and is used in connection with gold an d when the glassmen of the Near East took u p often with luster. the art of decorating vessels with translucent First in the procedure, gold is applied to enamels. These enamels, made from finely the glass. When the gold becomes tacky the powdered and easily melting glass mixtures , marbelizing liquid is applied . This is allowe d were dissolved in a cement, and applied wit h to dry and then it is fired. a brush.30 In another method luster is applied and i s The execution of French enameling in th e dry in twenty or thirty minutes, whereupon th e sixteenth century is more delicate than the marbelizing liquid is applied to it and allowed Italian. The color is usually blue, red, white to dry. On top of this goes the gold . and a dull yellow with some panels of scrol l In the first method the gold coating work. The subjects are usually figures , produces a veined effect - fine veins if th e dressed in the costumes worn in France durin g gold coating is weak and wide veins if th e the reign of Henry II . These examples are gold coating is strong . The second method rare. Any enameled glasses that were in use i n produces.27 a wider or bolder crackl e finish Germany before 1540 were imported . Later When working with large objects, it i s enameled glasses were made in many district s sometimes necessary to thin the paints to throughout Germany. The first district to do permit easier brushing . The gold is thinned enameling was probably Bavaria. Other with a special essence and the marbelizin g important districts were Bohemia, Silesia , liquid is thinned with water . Other methods Hesse, Baxony, Fitchel Mountains, an d and mixtures of application are also devise d Brandenburg . Some glasses were painted an d and practiced at Beaumont . given a cost of protective material instead o f .31 being fired ICED DECORATION : In the United States, enameling of glass i s This is a semi-rough embossed decoratio n largely a Dutch and German heritage . This with a frosty appearance. It is obtaine d technique may have been used in the earl y through the use of colorless granular low New Amsterdam and New York glass houses . melting glass . First the area to be covered i s In colonial America, the decoration o f given a coat of a tacky printed oil and the glassware was never of the ambitious natur e "ice" is placed over the tacky surface. 28 Firing current in Europe. 32 The German, Dutch, and is carried out in the same way as for color . Italian workmen who were imported to Beaumont often uses iced decoration in America by Stiegel gave the glass a definit e combination with other decorations . foreign flavor. Stiegel was the first glas s maker in this country to use colored enamel s ENAMELING AND HAND PAINTING : for decoration . Six opaque colors wer e Glass painting is a very old art which employed - white, yellow, blue Nile greens , originated in Egypt . The vessels were colore d brick red and black . The first enameled glas s with natural dyes which were attached wit h was advertised by Stiegel in February, 1773 . varnish, and also in a way which today we cal l The men who enameled were Henry Nissile , the cold method of painting. This means tha t Joseph Welsh, Sebastian Witmen and Marti n Yetters.33 the ware was not fired after it was painted . In Rome enamel colors were used which coul d Enamel for painting is made of pulverized .29 be baked and added durability to th e glass glass of a type easily melted . It is colored by However, the use of glass enamel was not the addition of metallic oxides and made t o

- 36 - Figure 11. Painted lamp parts produced by Davis and Lynch Company . 1 - 2 Hand painted ball globes and bases, shown with mounting hardware . 3 - 4 Hand painted lamp chimneys. flow from the brush like any other paint b y oil occurs. After about ten minutes in the mixing glass with a solution of gum arabic or preheat zone, the glassware is fired at th e some equivalent medium. After the glass has maximum temperature it will stand from fiv e been decorated, it is fired slowly. This cause s to twelve minutes . The temperature the n the enamel to melt and become a part of th e declines at a rate slow enough to permit goo d heat softened glass . Thus, was glass enamele d annealing. 37 At Beaumont the area to be .34 in past ages and thus, is it enamele d today enameled is marked on with chalk or blac k From a chemical standpoint there are two wax crayon . Both will come off in the firing. types of glass enamels, resistant and non - If a design is of great complexity is to go o n resistant . The resistant to a degree resist s the lamp base, it is stenciled on . Both at attacks by acid and alkalis, while the latter Beaumont and Davis and Lynch, enamel i s does not . Before 1935 resistant type enamels used as a backing for an opaque gold . were unknown but by 1940 they were Today handpainting on glass is less artisti c available. Now more than ninety percent o f than it was at one time. It consists o f the enamels sold are of the resistant type . In symbolic reproductions of floral patterns an d dinnerware the enameling should be resistan t adding color as a fill in of prints . Davis and because of the acids in different foods . Also , Lynch handpaint extensively . There are over the atmosphere will have an effect on th e twenty women in their handpainting room . .35 enamel if it is no t resistant Two do work on one specific lamp part . One Glass enamels are supplied as powder, may paint the flower and the other will pain t squeegee paste, thermoplastic solids or in a on the trimmings . The time it takes depend s vehicle consisting mainly of alcohol an d on the size of the lamp and the amount o f water. The main requirement of enamel i s painting to go on it. One lady originates th e that it should fuse at a much lowe r design from which dozens up to hundreds ma y temperature than the glass which it decorate s be copied free hand . The paint used is of an so that it can be fired without causin g oil base . It comes in powder form and i s deformation. In firing, sufficient ventilation is mixed. With this, shading can b e important so that solvents and decompositio n accomplished. At Beaumont handpainting i s products can escape rapidly . The solvents done to fill orders and is execute d vaporize first in the preheat zone ; as th e accordingly. The design varies and is most temperature rises, decomposition of th e often other than floral reproductions . resinous portion of the CHAPTER VI Paperweights

The finest antique paperweights were produced by master craftsmen and represente d The important centers for English paper- the highest expression of the skill and the art of weights were London, Bristol, Nailsea an d the glass maker. Paperweights are interesting Stourbridge . The Bristol paperweights show a because of the many varied, detailed motifs cameo of glass, silvered and mounted upon a magnified under glass . lump of clear glass, and the effect is quit e Most paperweights are made by building pleasing . Sometimes these glass cameos wer e rather than blowing . This is called OVERLAY . placed on vases . Air bubbles in glass are due to insufficien t In the Morgantown area, Mr . and Mrs. John cooling of the metal . Tiny dewdrops o n Gentile own a glass factory in which the y flowers and leaves are produced deliberatel y specialize in the making of paperweights . The with drops of alcohol or by piercing - with a factory is located on Industrial Avenue in Sta r special tool . City. Mr. Gentile comes from a long line o f The first paperweights came from th e glass workers. He was apprenticed in the art French factories of St . Louis, Baccarat, an d under his own father. Together they made Clichy during the mid 1800s . Paperweights paperweights at the Morgantown Glassware served as bases for many articles useful in their Guild, Incorporated, during the 1940s . Mr. day. These articles were often embellished afte r Gentile has been making paperweights at th e the manner of paperweights, or paperweights Star City factory since 1950 . Though he were incorporated into them . Some example s specializes in making weights, he can also are wig holders, ink bottles, vases, mante l make many other objects of glass such a s ornaments, door knobs, door stops, and newe l candle holders, pencil holders, ash trays, an d posts. All of the snow weights were made i n lamp parts . A small quantity of glass is cut at France. the factory by his stepson . Eighty-five percent In America the Sandwich Glas s of his trade is for paperweights . paperweights were produced from 1826 to 188 8 The weights are made completely by han d by an Austrian, with an unpronounceable name , with the tools originally used three generation s who called himself Timothy Collins, and also b y ago ; a cut-down tool, fruit-wood molds , Nicholas Lutz . These weights were especiall y blowpipe, pontil rod, shears, tong, and marver. fine . Other American names associated wit h The dies used are made by August Christoph . paperweights include the Pairpoint Compan y The ingredients used to prepare the batc h established in New Bedford, Massachusetts, i n include tank lime, silica sand, live flux, sod a 1865 ; the Whitehell, Tatum Company , ash, nitrate soda, and chemical compounds fo r established at Millville, New Jersey, in 1849 ; luster and decolorizers . and the Ravenna Glass Company . William Zick, Junior, makes paperweights a t Such individuals as Francois Pierre, Joh n the Morgantown Glassware Guild on Thursda y Hopkins, John A . Gillerland, Christia n and Friday nights . He makes a smalle r Doerflinger, Marcus Kuntz, and Emil Stanger quantity than Mr. Gentile, but produces the m contributed to the art of paperweight makin g by the same method. during the 1800s and early 1900s .

- 39 - Figure 12. Paperweight making - Mr. John Gentile in the chair working a weight with a wet wooden stick . These double overlay weights are made like th e For the last time it is shaped . older ones - by building not blowing . Following It is removed from the pontil rod by a shar p are the steps involved preceding the cooling blow of a metal tool against the end of th e process, in the making of a pencil holde r rod into the sand, and is taken to the leh r paperweight which is a specialty of thi s and goes through the annealing process . company . The pontil rod when removed leaves a A gob of molten glass is gathered from th e rough mark which is later ground away and day tank . This tank holds enough molte n smoothed. It eaves a small circular depres- glass for one to three days work . ion which marks it as hand-made glass . It is marvered. When Mr. Gentile is marvering he works at This is pressed in a mold that has littl e the finishers chair, sometimes called a cradle . steel-like needles sticking up . Later this wil l By the next day the paperweights have bee n give a bubble like appearance when i t properly annealed and are ready to be smoothe d receives another layer of glass . and polished. He has managed to learn t o An overlay of liquid glass is added. reproduce two famous paperweights, th e It is marvered again . Millville Rose and the Flying Goose . At pre- More bubbles are added in the same way a s sent, Mr . Gentile is working on paperweight s step three. The size of the bubble depends for the 1963 West Virginia Centennial . He on the size of the needles and how deepl y estimates that in the next three years over 200 0 they penetrate into the glass . weights for this occasion will be made . In It is given a final overlay of glass . 1961, the Civil War Centennial begins an d It is shaped by rolling in an open mold of lasts for four years. For this celebration, he fruit wood . estimates 5,000 weights will be made . The glass is pierced with an ice-pick lik e The whole process preceding the annealing instrument to make places for pencils . requires only ten minutes . During his ten-year Once again, it is shaped. career, Mr . Gentile has made and sol d The pencil holder indentations are pierce d approximately 10,000 weights . again with a sharper instrument .

At this point if a specific design other tha n bubbles is desired, then the molten glass i s pressed into a mold which has a design on th e bottom in intaglio. This is called a die. The design depends on the weight to be made (it may be a flag; an emblem of an organization or a motto). Inside the intaglio portion are bits of glass which may be multi-colored or one color, thus creating a relief of the desired design o n the gob of glass. This eventually will be given an overlay of glass.

- 41 -

APPENDICES

APPENDIX A

Superior Features of Fine Glassware:

Handmade (hand-blown, hand-pressed, hand-decorated ) More carefully finished, highly polished, rigidly inspected for rough edges an d defects . Contains costlier ingredients and requires more time and skilled craftsmanship i n production, which adds to the price . More distinctive patterns and shapes styled by designers . Cuttings, etchings and other decorations are more intricate and elaborate , requiring skilled workmanship . Higher permanent luster and greater clarity . Brand names signify high standards of quality maintained through many years o f making fine glassware . APPENDIX B GLOSSARY

This glossary is compiled from the glossaries of Bergstroms Old Glass Paperweights ; Daniels Cut and Engraved Glass ; and McKearins American Glass .

ANNEALING: the gradual cooling of hot glass in the lear . BATCH : (frit) the mixture of material used for glass . BATTLEBORE : a wooden paddle used to flatten the bottom of vessels and feet . BLANK: an uncut glass vessel designed for decoration . BLOCK: wooden tool used as hand mold to give symmetry to offhand pieces . BLOWN : glass that is gathered on a pipe and blown into shape by a workman . BLOWPIPE : a hollow rod used to inflate the glass object and attached opposite th e pontil rod . BULLS EYE: (roundelet, kugel) American term for concave, round-ball motif . CAMEO : cased glass on which top layer is sculptured leaving figure in relief o n background of another color. CHAIR: (cradle) wooden bench with slanting arms at which the gaffer works whil e fashioning on object . CRYSTAL: natural rock crystal ; fine colorless or clear glass . CULLET: broken glass used as an ingredient of a batch . CUT: glass decorated by application to a moving wheel . DIAMOND CUT : surface scratched with a diamond point in a decorative pattern , used by Amelung and Stiegel . DIP-MOLD: one-piece mold open at the top . ENGRAVING : decoration by application to a series of small copper or stone wheels . ETCHING: decoration applied through corroding action of hydrofluoric acid or th e like. FIRE-POLISHING : reheating of finished vessels to obliterate marks left by tools o r molds and to obtain a smooth even surface . FLASHING: coating of one color with a thin layer of another . FLINT GLASS: (lead, lead flint) metal made with oxide of lead as the flux and san d as the silica . FLUTE : a vertical panel cutting usually used without other decoration . FLUX: an alkaline or metallic substance, such as potash and carbonate of soda an d oxide of lead, added to the batch to fuse the silica . FOOTMAKER: glass worker who makes feet, handles, tops, et cetera . FULL-SIZE Piece Mold : Mold composed of two or more pieces and the approximate size of the finished article. GAFFER: master blower, or head of a shop . GATHER : blob of molten metal which clings to end of blowpipe ready for blowing . Glossary, con t

GATHERER: assistant to the gaffer who makes the gather on the blowpipe . GLASS : "A substance, the principal and essential constituents of which are silica an d an alkali ..." (Ures Dictionary of Chemistry, Art, Glass) GREEN GLASS : glass in its natural color ; generally made from coarser and les s pure materials than those used for fine wares ; also called bottle glass. LEAR: (leer, lehr) an annealing furnace, arch or oven . LIME GLASS: metal made with soda and lime as a flux according to a formul a discovered by William Leighton in 1864 and producing a glass as clear as lead glas s though not so resonant and heavy . LIPPER: small wooden device used to form a wide lip on a pitcher . MARVER: metal slab on which gather of metal is rolled after it is taken from furnac e and before it is given to the gaffer to be blown . METAL: a glass, either in the molten or hard state . MITER : stone most commonly used in cutting . Also used to describe the dee p incisions made with miter wheel, as miter cutting . MOLDED GLASS : blown glass ornamented and/or given partial or final body shape by the use of molds. MOTIF : one of several figures used in glass patterns . OBSIDIAN : a volcanic glass . OPAL: non transparent glass - may be white or colored. OVERLAY: a colored coating of clear glass applied after weight is finished and before faceting . PANEL CUTTING: long scooped out indentations, concave flutes . PARISON : an inflated gather of metal . PART-SIZE MOLD : small dip-mold or piece-mold used to impress a design on th e gather. PASTE-MOLD : a mold of wood or iron lined with a paste made of beeswax, rosin , and other ingredients . PATTERN GLASS: (pressed) molten glass dropped into a pressing mold where it is pressed by means of a plunger into the pattern previously cut into the sides of th e mold or the plunger . PIECE-MOLD: mold composed of two or more pieces ; either part-size or full-size. PONTIL: (puntee, puntee rod) long solid iron rod, occasionally a hollow rod, use d principally to hold a vessel during the finishing processes after it has been whette d from the blowpipe . PONTIL: (puntee mark) the scar or mark left on a finished article where it has bee n snapped off the pontil rod. POTASH : an ingredient sometimes used in place of soda ash ; acts as flux and give s ring to glass . PUCELLAS : iron spring tool for shaping blown glass . RESIST : wax coating to protect glass from action of acid in etching bath . ROCK CRYSTAL: (quartz) natural quartz rock .. Glossary, con t

ROUGHER : glass cutter who puts the first heavy incisions in glass with an iron wheel. SERVITOR: the blower who is first assistant to the gaffer . SILICA : sand, essential ingredient of glass . SHOP: a gaffer and his assistants ; a gatherer, a servitor, and a boy usually calle d taker-in, and others if the nature of the work requires more . SODA ASH: sodium carbonate used as flux to start melting of batch . SODA GLASS: glass in which the principal flux is soda ; carbonate of lime, usually the second alkaline base . SUPERIMPOSED : decoration such as swagging and lily-pad formed by tooling a second DECORATION : layer of glass on the body of the piece . TEAR: bubble of air imprisoned in glass either accidentally or by the deliberate nicking of the glass while molten . BIBLIOGRAPHY Books

Beard, Alice and Francis Rogers . 5000 Years of Glass . New York: Frederick A. Stokes Company, 1937 .

Bergstrom, Evangeline H . Old Glass Paperweights . New York: Brown Publishers, 1947.

Buckley, Wilfred. The Art of Glass . New York: The Phaidon Press, 1939 .

Callahan, James Morton. History of the Making of Morgantown, West Virginia . Morgantown, West Virginia: Morgantown Printing and Binding, 1926 .

Daneil, Dorothy. Cut and Engraved Glass . New York: M . Barrows and Company , Incorporated, 1950.

Diamond, Freda. The Story of Glass . New York: Harcourt, Brace and Company , 1953 .

Harrington, Jean Carl . Glassmaking at Jamestown . Richmond, Virginia : The Dietz Press, Incorporated, 1952 .

Hunter, Frederick William . Stiegel Glass. New York: Dover Publication , Incorporated, 1950 .

Ace, Ruth Webb. Sandwich Glass. Massachusetts: Framington Centre, 1939 .

Logan, Harlan . How Much Do You Know About Glass . New York: Dodd, Mead and Company, 1951 .

McKearin, George S., and Helen McKearin. American Glass. New York: Crown Publishers, 1941 .

Moore, N. Hudson. Old Glass. New York: Tudor Publishing Company, 1939 .

Morley, Christopher and Louella B . Everett (eds .). Bartletts Familiar Quotations . Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1942 .

Plaut, James Sachs . Steuben Glass. New York: I. Billner and Company, 1951 .

Scholes, Samuel Ray . Modern Glass Practice . Chicago : Industrial Publications , Incorporated, 1946 .

Vavra, Jaroslav R . 5000 Years of Glass Making . Cambridge, England . W. Heffer and Sons, Ltd., 1954. Newspapers

Pittsburgh Press, February 16, 2958 .

Dominion News, Morgantown, June 28, 1954 .

New York Times, February 1, 1948 .

Periodicals

"Blueprint for Selling More Table Glassware" Department Store Economist . (n. p.) (n . d.).

Buechner, Thomas S . "Art in Glass," Art News Annual . (1955). Pp. 136-150 .

. "Glass Today," Art News Annual . (1955) . Pp. 151-15 6

"Crystal Masterpieces," Design LVII (September, 1956) . Pp. 22-3.

Doctorow, Donald (ed .), "Glass Manufacturers," American Glass Review (1958) .

"Machine Application of Decals," The Glass Packer (January, 1957) .

Miller, R. J. "Screen Painting with Bright Gold," The Glass Packer. Parts I and II (June, 1954) .

Morgantown District Industrial and Business Survey . Morgantown, West Virginia , (1921) .

Remington, V . H. "Some Current Methods of Glass Decorating," The Glass Industry, (1937) .

"Seneca," Tableland Trails, Vol. 2, No . 3 (1958) .

Booklets, Brochures, Pamphlet s

"Bright Platinum Films on Ceramic and Glass," New Jersey : Engelhard Industries . (Mimeographed )

Cook, Harry H . "A Story of Glass," American Flint Glass Workers Union of Nort h America. Toledo, Ohio: (n. p.), (n . d.) .

"1960 Decor," Morgantown Glassware Guild, Incorporated, Morgantown, West Virginia : (n. p.), (n. d.).

Carney, Charles F . "Nonunionism in the Glass Industry," Unpublished Masters thesis, Wes t Virginia University, Morgantown, 1958 . "Chromoveil," Technical Bulletin, 139 . Maryland : Pemco Corporation . 1953. (Mimeographed)

"Etching by means of glue," (n . p.), (n. d.) on file at Beaumont Glass Company .

"Fine Arts Festival," Morgantown, West Virginia : West Virginia University Publications , November 13-21, 1958 .

"Permanent Gold Labeling and Decorations on Glass Containers ." New Jersey: Engelhard Industries, Incorporated, (n . p .) . (Mimeographed )

Hall, Gordon J. "An Exploratory Comparison of Conditions in a Union and Nonunion Glas s Plant." Unpublished Masters thesis, West Virginia University, Morgantown, 1958.

"How to Apply and Fire Decalcomania ." Ohio: Commercial Decal, Incorporated, (n . p.). (Mimeographed)

"Instructions for the Application and Firing of Slide-off Decal ." Ohio: Commercial Decal , Incorporated, (n . p.). (Mimeographed )

"Luster Colors ." New Jersey: Engelhard Industries, Incorporated . (n . p .). (Mimeographed)

"Luster Colors for Glass." New Jersey: Engelhard Industries, Incorporated . (n. p.). (Mimeographed )

"Marbelizing Decorations ." New Jersey : Engelhard Industries, Incorporated . (n. p.). (Mimeographed )

"Screen Printing with Bright Gold ." New Jersey: Engelhard Industries, Incorporated . (n. p.). (Mimeographed)

"Screen Star ." New Jersey : Bond Adhesives Company, (n .d.) . (Mimeographed )

Simmons, Harold Champion . "A Study of Light as a Medium of Creative Expression in th e Visual and Practical Arts ." Ann Arbor, Michigan: Doctoral Dissertation Series, University Microfilms, 1956 .

"Squeegee Luster Colors ." New Jersey: Engelhard Industries, Incorporated . (n. p.) . (Mimeographed)

"Veiling and Spattering Information ." New Jersey : Engelhard Industries, Incorporated . (n. p.) . (Mimeographed)

CITATIONS

CHAPTER 1

1. Charles F . Carney, "Nonunionism in the Glass Industry" (unpublished Master s thesis, West Virginia University, Morgantown, 1958), p . xi ("Reports of th e Officers to the Eighth International Convention," American Flint Glass Worker s Union of North America, held at New York City, June 10, 1957).

2. Harry M. Cook, A Story of Glass (American Flint Glass Workers Union of Nort h America), p. 1

3. Harlan Logan, How Much Do You Know About Glass? (New York: Dodd, Mea d and Company, 1951), p. 22

4. Alice Beard and Francis Rogers, 5000 Years of Glass (New York: Frederick A . Stokes Company, 1937) . p. 4 1

5. Jean Carl Harrington, Glassmaking at Jamestown (Virginia: Dietz Press, 1952) , p . 3

6. Logan, op. cit., p. 20.

7. Tableland Trails, Monongalia Issue, Vol . 2 (Cumberland, Maryland, 1958), p . 95

8. Ibid., p. 164

9. Cook, op. cit., p. 2.

10. Tableland Trails, Monongalia Issue, Vol . 2 (Cumberland, Maryland, 1958), p . 97

11. George S . and Helen McKearin, American Glass (New York: Crown Publishers , 1941), p . 7 .

12. Ibid., p . 26

13. Logan, op. cit., p. 35 .

14. Cook, op. cit., p . 3 .

15. Samuel Ray Scholes, Modern Glass Practice (Chicago: Industrial Publications , Inc., 1946), p . 198

CHAPTER II

1. Edwin C. Warman, American Cut Glass (Pennsylvania : Varman Publishin g Company, 1954), p . 7.

2. Dorothy Daniel, Cut and Engraved Glass (New York : M. Barrows and Company , Inc., 1956), p . 23.

3. N . Hudson, Moore., Old Glass (New York : Tudor Publishing Company, 1939), p. 278.

4. Daniel, op. cit., pp. 25-27 .

5. Sidney Waugh, The Art of Glassmaking (New York : Dodd, Mead and Company, 1951), p. 22

6. James S . Plaut, Steuben Glass (New York: Dodd, Mead and Company, 1951), p. 1 5

7. Personal Interview with glass cutter, Ralph Patt, Seneca Glass Company, July , 1960.

8. Tableland Trails, Monongalia Issue, Vol. 2 (Cumberland, Maryland, 1958), p . 98

9. Daniel, op. cit., p. 56

10. Ibid., p. 5 1

11. Tableland Trails, Monongalia Issue, Vol . 2 (Cumberland, Maryland, 1958), p . 98

12 . Daniel, op. cit., p. 307

CHAPTER III

1. Christopher Morley and Louella B . Everett, Bartletts Familiar Quotations (Boston : Little, Brown and Company, 1942), p . 553. (John Ruskin, Ariadne Florentina, Lecture I) .

2. Milfred Buckley, The Art of Glass (New York : The Phaidon Press, 1939), p . 1 6

3. Ibid., p. 57

4. Ibid., p. 59.

5. Freda Diamond, The Story of Glass (New York: Harcourt, Brace and Company, 1953), p. 49.

6. Plaut, op. cit., p. 15

7. Vaughn, op. cit ., p. 26.

8. Daniel, op. cit., p. 143

9. Frederick William Hunter, Stiegel Glass (New York : Dover Publications Incorporation, 1950), p. 200.

10. Daniel, op. cit., p . 62

11. Ibid., p . 62

12. Ibid., p. 62-64

13. Plaut, op. cit., p. 1 9

14. "Crystal Masterpieces," Design LVII (September, 1956), pp . 22-23 .

CHAPTER IV

1. McKearin, op. cit., p. 3 2

2. Samuel Ray Scholes, Ph . D., Modern Glass Practice (Chicago: Industria l Publications, Inc., 1946), p. 200

3. McKearin, op. cit.

4. Daniel, op. cit., p. 64

5. Ibid., p. 67

6. Scholes, op. cit., p. 20 1

7. Ibid., p . 20 1

8. Scholes, op. cit., p. 200

9. Daniel, op. cit., pp. 65-7 0

10. "Etching by Means of Glue," (n .p.), (n .d.), p. 495

CHAPTER V

1. V. H. Remington, "Some Current Methods of Glass Decorating," The Glass Industry, 1937, pp. 1-8 .

2. Ibid., p. 2

3. "Screen Star," (New Jersey : Bond Adhesives Company), p . 1 .

4. Scholes, op. cit., p. 4

5. Remington, op. cit ., p . 4 .

6. "Squeegee Luster Colors," (New Jersey : Engelhard Industries, Incorporated) , p. 2.

7. Ibid ., p. 4.

8. "Veiling and Spattering Information," (New Jersey : Engelhard Industries , Incorporated), p . 2.

9. "Veiling and Spattering," Technical Bulletin, No. 138, (n .p .), p. 3 .

10. Ibid ., p. 4.

11. Ibid, p . 3 .

12. "Veiling and Spattering Information," (New Jersey : Engelhard Industries, Incorporated), pp . 1-2 .

13. Remington, loc . cit.

14. "Veiling and Spattering Information," (New Jersey : Engelhard Industries , Incorporated), pp . 1-2 .

15. Remington, op. cit ., p. 7 .

16. "Instructions for the Application and Firing of Slide-off Decal, (Ohio : Commercial Decal, Incorporated), p . 1 (Mimeographed )

17. "How to Apply and Fire Decalcomania," (Ohio : Commercial Decal , Incorporated), (Mimeographed)

18. Scholes, op. cit., p. 202 .

19 . Beard and Rogers, op. cit., p. 115

20. Buckley, op. cit., p. 14.

21. Ibid., p. 62.

22. Ibid., p. 63

23. Moore, op. cit., p. 96.

24. McKearin, op. cit., p. 33.

25. "Permanent Gold Labeling and Decorations on Glass Containers," (New Jersey : Engelhard Industries, Incorporated), p . 1 . (Mimeographed )

26. "Luster Colors," (New Jersey : Engelhard Industries, Incorporated), p . 1 .

27. "Marbelizing Decorations," (New Jersey: Engelhard Industries, Incorporated) , p. 1 .

28. Remington, op. cit., p. 6

29. Jaroslav E . Vavra, 5000 Years of Glassmaking (England: W. Heffer and Sons , Ltd., 1954), p. 44.

30. Vavra, loc. cit., p. 6

31. Buckley, op. cit., pp . 15, 40, 55.

32. Beard and Rogers, op. cit., p. 11 7

33. Frederick William Hunter, Stiegel Glass (New York: Dover Publication s Incorporation, 1950), p . 203.

34. Beard and Rogers, op. cit., p. 119.

35. McKearin, op. cit., p. 59 1

36. "Color on Glass" The Glass Industry (November, 1959), p. 648.

37. Ibid., p. 650.

38. Remington, op. cit., p. 6.

CHAPTER VI

1. Evangeline H . Bergstrom, Old Glass Paperweights (New York : Brown Publishers, 1947), p . 12.

2. Ibid., pp. 91-103 .

3. H. Hudson Moore, Old Glass (New York : Tudor Publishing Company, 1939) , p. 158 .

Rebeccah J. Balls Extrinsic Ornamentation of Glass In The Morgantown Area was written in 1960 as a thesis for the degree of Master of Fine Arts at West Virginia University .

From 1896 to the 1980s, Morgantown was known world wide for th e production of a wide range of glass products ranging from windows t o lead crystal stemware. Many of these were decorated after the initia l blowing or molding process . This book provides an illustrate d introduction to the various processes used to decorate glass, both i n Morgantown and throughout the world .

In addition, it provides an historic record of glass production i n Morgantown about 1960.

Riverfront Museums, Inc. PO Box 469 Morgantown, West Virginia 26507-0469

Opening a window on the history of Monongalia County