THE LAUZON GLASS STUDY GALLERY The Lauzon Glass Study Gallery Albert and June Lauzon collected early American glass together for twenty-five years. They spent summers touring New England, searching out estate sales, antique shops, and auctions, where they acquired bottles, decanters, pitchers, and lamps, among other glass objects. Their collection is particularly rich with examples of early nineteenth-century glass blown in hinged molds—forms notable for their distinctly American patterns. The Lauzons came to know the Clark in 1975, when they lent some of their collection to the institute for display. After Albert’s death in 1978, June donated a portion of their collection to the Clark, and over the next three decades she continued to give objects and financial support for the acquisition of American glass. Her generous contributions also included funds used toward the construction of the Clark Center. The Lauzon Glass Study Gallery highlights glass from their collection, as well as glass from other sources, and tells the story of the production and social use of glass in early America. A note about attribution: Early American glasshouses rarely marked their wares, so attributing pieces of glass to specific factories can be challenging. When a color of glass, particular form, or mold pattern is known to hail from a specific factory, that factory is given credit for the production of the ware. We use “probably” and “possibly” to indicate levels of certainty in attribution. Glass molds were often made for use at one factory, but the popularity of a design encouraged other factories to produce similar molds. Sometimes, too, glass workers might leave a factory, take molds with them, and then use them elsewhere. These facts make attributing pieces to particular factories difficult: sometimes the closest attribution for a piece is the region in which the piece was likely made. The first successful glass factories were built on the East Coast of the United States, with a gradual spread west. New England includes Massachusetts, Connecticut, Vermont, and New Hampshire; Mid-Atlantic signals production in New Jersey, eastern Pennsylvania, and Maryland; and Midwest alludes to factories in western Pennsylvania and Ohio. 1 Early Imported Glass It took time to establish successful glass manufactories in America, so in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries consumer demand was largely met by importing glass from Europe. Before the American Revolution, glass was imported from England; later from continental Europe, especially Germany and Bohemia. Imported glass was cheaper and of higher quality than early domestic products. Most early American households owned at least one glass bottle that was used to hold cordial, wine, gin, or brandy. Tumblers, also imported, were used to drink many beverages, including ale, beer, and cider. 1 Germany or Bohemia 3 England 6 Germany or Bohemia Two Tumblers Cream Pitcher Cordial Bottle c. 1780–1820 c. 1810–30 c. 1775–1810 Colorless nonlead glass Cobalt-blue glass Colorless glass, enamel, and pewter Skilled workers decorated these The Albert and June Lauzon Collection of tumblers by holding the finished Early American Blown Glass, 1981 Gift of Milton W. Alexander, 1973 glass against the sharp edge of a 1981.114 1973.20 spinning stone wheel in order to etch designs upon their surfaces. The engraver created the desired 4 United States or Europe 7 Germany or Bohemia pattern by shifting the position of Assembled Flagon and Stopper the glass as well as the pressure Cordial Bottle against the wheel. c. 1900–50 c. 1775–1810 Cobalt-blue glass, brass, and cork Sapphire-blue glass and enamel The Albert and June Lauzon Collection of Early American Blown Glass, 1981 The Albert and June Lauzon Collection of This bottle was embellished 1981.72, 1984.106 Early American Blown Glass, 1996 with enamel paint, a decorative 1996.14.9a–b technique popular in German and Bohemian glass production 2 Germany or Bohemia during this period. A woman in a 5 Probably England Mug and Cover brightly colored dress is painted on one side. On the other, German c. 1780–1820 Pitcher text proclaims: “It is painful to c. 1820–40 Colorless nonlead glass live without someone.” The bottle Cobalt-blue glass was broken and has been recently The Albert and June Lauzon Collection restored, with blue epoxy resin of Early American Blown Glass, 1981 The Albert and June Lauzon Collection of 1981.120a-b Early American Blown Glass, 1981 filling in for missing glass shards. 1981.135 The Albert and June Lauzon Collection of Early American Blown Glass, 1996 1996.14.11 8 Germany or Bohemia 12 England 14 Northern Europe Tumbler Wineglass Two Decanters and Stoppers probably 1920s c. 1750–75 c. 1825–50 Colorless nonlead glass Colorless lead glass with opaque Colorless glass The Albert and June Lauzon Collection white glass threads in stem The Albert and June Lauzon Collection of Early American Blown Glass, 1981 The Albert and June Lauzon Collection of Early American Blown Glass, 1996 1981.102 of Early American Blown Glass, 1996 1996.14.17a-b, 1996.14.1a-b 1996.14.31 9 Germany or Bohemia 15 Probably England 13 England Tumbler Two Salts c. 1780–1820 Two Wineglasses c. 1790–1820 Colorless nonlead glass 1750–75 Cobalt-blue glass The Albert and June Lauzon Collection of Colorless glass with opaque white Gift of Milton W. Alexander, 1973 Early American Blown Glass, 1985 glass threads in stem 1973.28, 1975.6 1985.73 Perhaps inspired by Venetian or Bohemian examples where opaque 16 England 10 Probably Germany threads of glass were used to embellish glass forms, eighteenth- Salt Tumbler century English glassblowers c. 1775–90 incorporated enamel canes into c. 1775–1825 Colorless glass Colorless glass and enamel hot, liquid glass, manipulating them to create complicated Gift of Milton W. Alexander, 1973 Gift of Milton W. Alexander, 1974 twisted patterns for wineglass 1973.18 1974.12 stems. This style of decoration was popular in Colonial America, and many wineglasses were imported 11 Bohemia from England as a result. Decanter and Stopper Collection of Bennington Museum, Bennington, Vermont. Gift of Mr. and c. 1790–1820 Mrs. Stephen Greene Colorless nonlead glass 1974.74.1, 1974.84 The Albert and June Lauzon Collection of Early American Blown Glass, 1981 1981.79a-b 17 Probably England 21 Germany or Bohemia 24 United States Salt Cordial Bottle Sugar Bowl c. 1770–1810 c. 1775–1810 1800–40 Colorless lead glass Colorless glass, enamel, and Cobalt-blue glass The Albert and June Lauzon Collection of pewter Gift of Milton W. Alexander, 1973 Early American Blown Glass, 1982 The Albert and June Lauzon Collection 1973.26 1982.57 of Early American Blown Glass, 1996 1996.14.14 25 Possibly Newcastle-on-Tyne, 18 Germany or Bohemia England 22 Probably Germany Tumbler Cream Pitcher c. 1780–1820 Tumbler c. 1790–1830 Colorless nonlead glass c. 1775–1825 Cobalt-blue glass Colorless glass and enamel Gift of Mrs. Devereux Butcher, 1980 Gift of Milton W. Alexander, 1973 1980.10 The Albert and June Lauzon Collection 1973.27 of Early American Blown Glass, 1986 1986.123 19 Germany or Bohemia Two Tumblers 23 Germany or Bohemia c. 1780–1820 Colorless nonlead glass Two Bottles Mid–late 19th century The Albert and June Lauzon Collection of Early American Blown Glass, 1981 Colorless glass, pewter; colorless 1981.67, 1981.127 glass, silver The Albert and June Lauzon Collection of Early American Blown Glass, 1996 20 Germany or Bohemia 1996.14.28; 1996.14.29 Tumbler c. 1780–1820 Colorless nonlead glass Gift of Milton W. Alexander, 1973 1973.16 36 Free-Blown Glass Free-blown glass is shaped without the use of molds. Once the ingredients for glass are melted together in a furnace, a glassblower gathers a small glob of the molten mixture on the end of a metal blowpipe. After removing the glass from the furnace opening (called the glory hole), he or she blows into the pipe, expanding the glass. With such tools as pincers, jacks, and shears, and by using gravity or swinging the blowpipe, the glass blower shapes the material into the desired form, often returning the glass to the furnace for reheating in order to make the glass malleable. Free-blown glass might be embellished by applying threads of glass to an object while it is still hot; once cool, free-blown glass might be engraved with designs or painted with enamel. 26 South Boston Flint Glass Works 27 South Boston Flint Glass Works 28 New England Boston, 1813–1827 Boston, 1813–1827 Bottle Thomas Cains, lessor, Thomas Cains, lessor, c. 1790–1830 1813–1819/20 1813–1819/20 Olive-green glass Or Or The Albert and June Lauzon Collection Phoenix Glass Works Phoenix Glass Works of Early American Blown Glass, 1996 East Cambridge, Massachusetts, East Cambridge, Massachusetts, 1996.14.27 1819/20–1870 1819/20–1870 Thomas Cains, proprietor until Thomas Cains, proprietor 29 Western Pennsylvania or Ohio 1865 until 1865 Bottle Sugar Bowl and Cover, Lamp 229 c. 1810–50 Decanter and Stopper c. 1813–30 Aquamarine glass c. 1813–35 Colorless lead glass The Albert and June Lauzon Collection Colorless lead glass The abundance of whale oil in of Early American Blown Glass, 1996 1996.14.3 The chain decoration on the belly the early nineteenth century and cover of this sugar bowl and stimulated the production of on the body of this decanter was glass lamps to light American 30 New England a signature design of Thomas homes. The “mercurial” rings Cains, an English glassblower who and “strawberry” chain on this Bottle became the proprietor of two glass lamp are typical of glass produced c.