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Fostoria Glass Company

The Fostoria Glass Company was a manufacturer of pressed, blown and hand-molded glassware and tableware. It began operations in Fostoria, Ohio, on December 15, 1887, on land donated by the townspeople. The new company was formed by men from West Virginia who were experienced in the glassmaking business. They started their company in northwest Ohio to take advantage of newly discovered natural gas that was an ideal fuel for glassmaking. Numerous other businesses were also started in the area, and collectively they depleted the natural gas supply. Fuel shortages caused the company to move to Moundsville, West Virginia, in 1891.

Fostoria Glass Company
Company typePrivate company
IndustryGlassware
FoundedDecember 15, 1887 in Fostoria, Ohio (December 15, 1887 in Fostoria, Ohio)
FounderLucian B. Martin, William S. Brady
Defunct1986
Headquarters
Key people
Lucian B. Martin, William S. Brady, Charles Foster, William A. B. Dalzell
Products
Number of employees
1000 (at peak in 1950)

After the move to Moundsville, the company achieved a national reputation. Fostoria was considered one of the top producers of elegant glass. It had over 1,000 patterns, including one (American) that was produced for over 75 years. Showrooms were located in New York, Chicago, Dallas, San Francisco, and other large cities. The company advertised heavily, and one of its successes was sales through bridal registries. Fostoria products were made for several U.S. presidents. The company employed 1,000 people at its peak in 1950.

During the 1970s, foreign competition and changing preferences forced the company to make substantial investments in cost-saving automation technology. The changes were made too late, and the company's commercial division was losing money by 1980. The plant was closed permanently on February 28, 1986. Several companies continued making products using the Fostoria patterns, including the Dalzell-Viking Glass Company and Indiana Glass Company—both now closed.

Background edit

In the last half of the 19th century, labor and fuel were the two largest expenses in U.S. glassmaking.[1] People with the knowledge necessary to make glass were difficult to find. Management at Wheeling's J. H. Hobbs, Brockunier and Company had a policy of using skilled glassworkers from Europe, who would train the local employees—resulting in a superior workforce.[2] In the 1860s, Wheeling, West Virginia, became a "hub for chemical and technological improvements to the composition of glass and the development of furnaces, molds, and presses" for making glass.[3] By the end of the 1870s, the Hobbs glass works became the largest glass maker in the United States.[4][Note 1] One of the earliest places to which the Hobbs glass making talent spread was Bellaire, Ohio, located in Belmont County, across the river from Wheeling and Ohio County.[Note 2] Former employees of the Hobbs glass works became the talent that established many of the region's glass factories, and many became company presidents or plant managers.[2]

Transportation resources were also important to the glass industry. Waterways provided an efficient and safe way to transport glass, especially before the construction of high-quality roads and the railroad system.[Note 3] As the railroad industry developed, it also became an important transportation resource. By 1880, almost all of the nation's top ten glass producing counties were located on a waterway. Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, (which includes Pittsburgh) was the nation's leading glass producer based on value of production. Ohio's Belmont County and West Virginia's Ohio County, separated by the Ohio River, ranked 6th and 7th.[9]

Since fuel was one of the top two expenses in glassmaking, manufacturers needed to monitor its availability and cost.[1] Wood and coal had long been used as fuel for glassmaking. An alternative fuel, gas, became a desirable fuel for making glass because it is clean, gives a uniform heat, is easier to control, and melts the batch of ingredients faster. Gas furnaces for making glass were first used in Europe in 1861.[10] In early 1886, a major discovery of natural gas occurred near the small village of Findlay, Ohio.[11] Communities in northwestern Ohio began using low-cost natural gas along with free land and cash to entice glass companies to start operations in their town.[12] Their efforts were successful, and at least 70 glass factories existed in northwest Ohio between 1886 and 1900.[13]

Beginning edit

 
1882 Ohio railroad map for area around Fostoria

The Fostoria Glass Company was incorporated in West Virginia in July 1887.[14] The founders of the Fostoria Glass Company were drawn to Fostoria, Ohio, to exploit the newly discovered natural gas. The new firm also received cash incentives of $5,000 (equivalent to $169,556 in 2023) to $6,000 (equivalent to $339,111 in 2023). The plant was located on Fostoria's South Vine Street and the town was served by multiple railroads. The factory's furnace had a capacity of 12 pots, and originally employed 125 workers.[15][Note 4] Production of tableware, bar goods, and lamps began on December 15, 1887.[15]

The glass men that formed the new company had gained their experience from working at the Hobbs, Brockunier and Company glass plant in Wheeling. Lucian B. Martin, the company's first president, had been a sales executive at the Hobbs works.[3] William S. Brady, the company's secretary, had worked as a financial manager there and more recently managed a glass plant in Wellsburg, West Virginia.[18][3] James B. Russell and Benjamin M. Hildreth had worked at the Hobbs plant, and Russell had also worked at a Pittsburgh glass works.[15] German-born Otto Jaeger had been head of the engraving department at the Hobbs works.[19] Former Ohio governor Charles Foster, son of the city of Fostoria's namesake, was added to this group of glass industry veterans to form the new company's board of directors.[15]

Henry Humphreville, who had worked at Brady's Riverside Glass Company in Wellsburg, was hired as plant manager, and offered some diversity with his additional experience working in Pittsburgh—the nation's other center of glassmaking innovation.[3] Many of the employees hired for the startup were from the Wheeling area.[3] At least 20 "first class workmen" joined the company from Bellaire, Ohio, which is across the Ohio River from Wheeling.[Note 5] Henry and Jacob Crimmel were "key craftsmen in the early period of the company" and both had worked at Belmont Glass Company in Bellaire and the Hobbs plant in Wheeling.[21] The Crimmel brothers had also been involved with the startup of the predecessor to the Belmont Glass Company.[22] Crimmel family recipes for glass were used in the early days of the Fostoria Glass Company.[23]

Early products edit

 
Etched stemware

The company advertised as a manufacturer of pressed glassware, and specialties were candle stands, candelabras, and banquet lamps.[24] The first piece of glass pressed at the plant was a salt dip, pattern number 93. A popular early pattern called Cascade looked like a swirl and was used for candelabras and ink wells. It was also used for tableware such as containers for sugar, cream, and butter.[25] Cascade was the first tableware pattern made, and it continued through the years under different names.[26]

The company had many talented designers. Among them was Charles E. Beam, who was the head of the company's mold shop and eventually added to the board of directors. Beam's specialty was designing dishes with animals as the covers, and one of his creations that is "highly-prized" by today's collectors is a dish with a dolphin covering.[27] Beam received a patent in 1890 for a glass mold that would enable pieces of chandeliers and candelabras to have small holes.[28] Company president Martin was also a talented designer, and he patented the Cascade ink well (called an inkstand) in 1890 and a paper weight with swirl sides in 1891.[27][29][30]

The company's first Virginia pattern was introduced around Christmas in 1888.[Note 6] This pattern was quickly stolen (or "pirated") by a rival company. Fostoria Glass copied the copy, and named this purportedly new pattern Captain Kidd. Eventually this same Virginia/Captain Kidd pattern was also called Foster or Foster Block in honor of Charles Foster. An advertisement for the Captain Kidd pattern featured a butter dish, spoon dish, a sugar bowel, and a creamer.[31]

Fostoria's Valencia pattern, number 205, is often called Artichoke because of the shape of the overlapping leaves on the bottom half of the glassware.[33] This pattern was advertised in China, Glass and Lamps magazine in early 1891.[34]

The Victoria pattern is popular with collectors, and a wide variety of products were made with this pattern.[35] It is the only pattern that was patented by the company. Its appearance has a strong resemblance to a French company's pattern, and Fostoria Glass had some employees from France's glassmaking region.[35] When the company moved to Moundsville, all of the molds for this pattern mysteriously disappeared. The missing molds were never found, and the Victoria pattern was never produced again.[36]

Move to Moundsville edit

 
Advertisement from 1906

Northwest Ohio's gas boom was short lived, as gas shortages started occurring during the winter of 1890–91. During April 1891, Fostoria Glass executives decided to move to Moundsville, West Virginia, because of the availability of coal as a fuel for the plant—and $10,000 cash (equivalent to $339,111 in 2023) offered by the community.[37] In addition to the cash incentive, the company was also offered a 10-year supply of coal at a low price.[38] The move was announced in September 1891. The Fostoria plant was sold to a group of investors led by Fostoria Glass executive Otto Jaeger, and his new company was named Seneca Glass Company.[39]

In early December, the move to Moundsville was delayed by a restraining order when several members of the Crimmel family, who owned stock in the company, filed suit. The Crimmels, who were also employees of the company, claimed shareholders should have been consulted for the move.[40] The attempt to stop the move was unsuccessful, and the restraining order was lifted to enable the company to move by the end of the month.[41]

The company's first Moundsville furnace had a capacity of 14 pots.[Note 7] Coal was not used directly as a fuel for the furnace. Instead, the furnace burned coal gas made from the local supply of coal.[44] About 60 workers from the Fostoria glass works moved with the company to the Moundsville location.[39]

Moundsville operations edit

 
Some Fostoria oil and electric lamps and hand-decorated vases, 1904

In 1899, the company became associated with the National Glass Company, which was a corporate trust. Co-founder Lucien Martin left the firm in 1901 to work in Pittsburgh for National Glass. Another co-founder, William Brady, also moved to the Pittsburgh firm a short time later.[45] Despite the association, Fostoria Glass Company did not become part of the National Glass Company.[46]

William A. B. Dalzell joined the company as general manager in 1901.[47] Dalzell was from Pittsburgh, and his initial experience in the glass industry was with Pittsburgh's Adams and Company. The Dalzell brothers had been involved with the glass business as owners and management in West Virginia and Ohio.[Note 8] When Fostoria Glass became associated with National Glass in 1899, Dalzell was working at the trust as manager of the western department.[45] When he joined Fostoria Glass, he brought Calvin B. Roe, who had been a bookkeeper and plant superintendent at Dalzell's Ohio plant. Dalzell quickly ascended to vice president.[47] Under Dalzell's leadership, the Fostoria Glass Company gained a national reputation. Dalzell served as president and/or chairman from 1902 until his unexpected death in 1928.[49]

In 1903, the company already operated two large furnaces when it added a three-story brick building that housed a new 14-pot furnace.[50] One trade magazine believed that the addition made the company "probably the largest independent flint glass concern in the country...."[51] By 1904, the company had 800 employees.[52] Products made as of 1906 included decorated lamps, globes, shades, blown and pressed tableware, high grade lead blown tumblers, stemware, and novelties.[53] At that time, a trade magazine said that the company "makes so many lines of glassware, all so perfectly, and markets its output so successfully to all classes of buyers, that no name is better known to all classes of trade."[54]

Moundsville Products edit

 
Fostoria American pattern

Fostoria was considered one of the top producers of elegant glass.[55] However, Fostoria glassware is also found on lists of Depression glass.[Note 9] The company had over 1,000 patterns, including many designed by artist George Sakier. An example of a glass pattern design by Sakier is the Colony pattern 2412. This pattern was produced in crystal from the 1930s until 1983. It was reissued as Maypole in the 1980s using colored glass.[58] Patterns can be a style of glass, an etching on the glass, or a cutting on the glass.[Note 10] Some of the most successful Fostoria patterns were American, Kashmir, June, Trojan, and Versailles.[55] Pattern 1861 was named Lincoln, and 1861 is the year Abraham Lincoln became President of the United States.[61][62] The pattern was used for pressed tableware. It was pictured on the front page of the Crockery and Glass Journal on January 4, 1912.[63]

From the beginning of the Moundsville operations until about 1915, Fostoria focused on oil lamps and products for restaurants and bars—especially stemware and tumblers.[21] In 1915, Fostoria introduced its American pattern (pattern number 2056). This glass pattern was used for stemware and tableware, and continued to be produced until 1988.[64] Described as "block geometric", its appearance was very different from other patterns when it was introduced. Most glass made with the American pattern was produced using Fostoria's high-quality crystal formula.[65] American became Fostoria's most famous pattern.[66] Management around this time was still led by W. A. B. Dalzell as company president. Vice president was C. B. Roe, and A. C. Scroggins Jr. was the secretary and treasurer. W. S. Brady was still listed as on the board of directors.[67]

Prohibition diminished the market for commercial barware, causing Fostoria to put more emphasis on tableware for the home. Their initial target market was the higher-quality portion of the home market.[21] In 1924, the company became the first glass manufacturer to produce complete dinner sets in crystal ware.[68] In 1925, the company introduced dinnerware in colors. A national advertising campaign was started in 1926 to promote the complete dinnerware sets.[64] Fostoria was also a major contributor to the creation of the bridal registry.[64] Clear and pastel dinner sets became very popular, although expensive. This led to low cost dinner sets being made by injecting molten glass into an automated pressing mold. The product often had minor flaws, so "lacy" patterns were often included in the mold, or etched onto the glass, to hide imperfections.[56]

By 1926, the company had 10,000 different items in its catalog, and employment before the Depression peaked at around 650 people.[21] Among the etching patterns introduced by Fostoria during the 1920s were June, Versailles, and Trojan. The June pattern, which was made from 1928 to 1951, was etched on stemware and tableware.[69] It is one of the rare patterns that can be dated based on color of the glass.[70] The Versailles pattern, made from 1928 to 1943, was another etching pattern. The etchings were mostly on plates and dishes. The glass product with the etching was made in many colors.[71] The etching pattern called Trojan was made from 1929 to 1943. The Trojan etchings were mostly on plates and dishes. Original glass colors were rose and topaz. Gold tint was used in some of the last years of production.[72] By 1928, Fostoria was the largest producer of handmade glass in the nation.[64]

Depression and post-war edit

 
Advertisement from 1948 Ladies' Home Journal for Fostoria's Chintz pattern

During the Great Depression the company made glassware for the higher and lower cost segments of the market. Two popular Fostoria etching patterns were Navarre and Chintz. Navarre was made from 1937 until 1980. Some of the pieces were etched onto the Baroque glass pattern, but others were on more modern glass patterns. The product was originally made in crystal, but later on a few pieces with color.[73] The Baroque glass pattern was made by Fostoria from 1937 to 1965, and used for stemware and many types of tableware.[74] The Chintz pattern was made from 1940 to 1973. This etching pattern is a drawing of branches leaves and flowers, and was usually on the Baroque glass pattern.[75] The Colony pattern discussed earlier was introduced around this time.[Note 11] Another long-lived glass pattern, Century, was introduced in 1949 and made until 1982. It was used for stemware and tableware.[77] Advertising during the 1940s included photos in the Ladies Home Journal.[78]

Production peaked in 1950 when Fostoria's 1,000 employees manufactured over 8 million pieces of glass and crystal. A combination of quality products and national advertising helped the company continue to be the largest manufacturer of handmade glassware in the United States. Every American president from Dwight D. Eisenhower through Ronald Reagan had glassware made by Fostoria.[68] Long-lived patterns introduced during the 1950s included Rose, Wedding Ring, and Jamestown. Rose was a cutting on stemware and tableware, and it was produced from 1951 to 1973.[79] Wedding Ring was a decoration on stemware and tableware that was produced from 1953 to 1975. Jamestown was a glass pattern for stemware and tableware, and was used for numerous products from 1958 to 1982. The glass used was crystal and seven colors of glass: amber, blue, green, pink, amethyst, brown, and ruby. Among Jamestown stemware, ruby is valued higher than other colors by collectors.[80] Among the milk glass patterns, Vintage was used for tableware and a few types of stemware from 1958 to 1965.[81]

In the 1960s and 1970s, the company's marketing campaign expanded to include boutiques and display rooms within jewelry and department stores. Fostoria's top customer in 1971 was Marshall Field's. It was Marshall Field's that had created a bridal registry in 1935, which was important to manufacturers of tableware for the home.[82] Fostoria also published its own consumer direct magazine, "Creating with Crystal", during the 1960s and 1970s.[83] The Woodland glass pattern, not to be confused with the Woodland etching from the 1920s, was introduced in 1975 and made until 1981.[84]

Morgantown edit

In 1965, Fostoria purchased the Morgantown Glassware Guild, which had also been known as the Morgantown Glass Works. Morgantown was a leader in barware and also made tableware. First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy had chosen Morgantown glassware for official White House tableware, and Fostoria sought to capitalize on this. Glassware from Morgantown could be sold as stylish entry-level tableware for the home. This segment was profitable for Fostoria for only two years, as department stores eliminated secondary sources and restaurants began switching to machine-made glass. Fostoria closed the Morgantown factory in 1971.[85]

Decline edit

 
Fostoria's American pattern

In 1950, company president David B. Dalzell had said the Fostoria's competition came from "three sources: other companies in the domestic trade, imports, and automatic machinery."[21] During the 1970s, changing preferences and a substantial increase in imports of machine-made lead-crystal tableware forced the company to make significant investments in machinery. This late attempt to be more competitive by automating more of the manufacturing process unsettled the labor force, and the company faced strikes during the early 1970s. By 1980, the company's commercial division was unprofitable.[86]

In 1983, Fostoria sold its factory to Lancaster Colony Corporation of Columbus, Ohio. However, Lancaster Colony shut down the Fostoria Glass factory permanently on February 28, 1986. At the time, Kenneth B. Dalzell, the fourth generation of Dalzells at Fostoria Glass, was head of Fostoria operations.[49] Dalzell purchased the assets of Viking Glass company of New Martinsville, West Virginia in April 1987, and renamed the company Dalzell-Viking.[87] Fostoria inventory and molds were sold to several companies, and Dalzell-Viking was one of the purchasers.[33] The American, Baroque, and Coin patterns were thereafter produced by others, including Dalzell-Viking. Some of this glassware produced at Dalzell-Viking was made by former Fostoria employees using Fostoria molds—making it difficult to differentiate from glassware made at the Fostoria plant.[64] Dalzell-Viking closed in 1998.[88]

See also edit

Notes edit

Footnotes edit

  1. ^ The Hobbs glass works, located in South Wheeling in Ohio County, West Virginia, was renamed numerous times over a period of about 60 years. Some of the names were Barnes & Hobbs; Hobbs & Barnes; Hobbs, Brockunier & Company; and Hobbs Glass Company.[5]
  2. ^ Bellaire is located in the Ohio coal belt, and therefore had a fuel source for local factories.[6] By 1881, Bellaire had 15 glass factories, and was known as "Glass City".[7]
  3. ^ An example of the importance of waterways can be observed in February 1912. It was reported that because of ice on the Ohio River, 600 barrels of glassware from the Fostoria Glass Company were waiting shipment at the Moundsville wharf.[8]
  4. ^ A pot was essentially a measure of a glass plant's capacity. Each ceramic pot was located inside the furnace. The pot contained molten glass created by melting a batch of ingredients that typically included sand, soda, and lime.[16] Stationed around each pot was a team of laborers that extracted the molten glass and began the process of making the glass product.[17]
  5. ^ Deacon Scroggins, Jack Crimmel, and Hayes O'Neal were the first class workmen cited in a Bellaire newspaper article about the move. One author believes "Jack" Crimmel is probably Jacob Crimmel.[20]
  6. ^ Murray discusses the Virginia pattern, and identifies it as pattern number 140. He also shows an advertisement for the Virginia pattern in an 1889 edition of the Crockery and Glass Journal.[31] Long and Seate do not identify this pattern, but list a Virginia plate etching as pattern 267 that was made from 1923 to 1929. They also list a Virginia glass pattern, number 2977, that was made from 1978 to 1986.[32]
  7. ^ Sources do not always agree on the number of pots for the first furnace. Rider says 16 pots.[38] Lucht says 14 pots.[42] A trade magazine describing the firm in 1912 mentioned a 14-pot furnace, but did not mention one with 16-pots.[43]
  8. ^ Three Dalzell brothers (Andrew, James, and William) and a banker from Pittsburgh founded the Dalzell Brothers and Gilmore Glass Company in Wellsburg, West Virginia, during 1883. In 1888 (after the death of Andrew Dalzell) they received incentives to move their company to Findlay, Ohio. The company name was changed to Dalzell, Gilmore and Leighton, after well-known glassmaker William Leighton Jr. joined the firm from the Hobbs Glass works.[48]
  9. ^ By the 1990s, the phrase "elegant glassware of the Depression" was being used to describe the better quality glass made at the same time as Depression glass.[56] Thus, some of the patterns made by Fostoria using crystal glass are listed in books about Depression glass.[57]
  10. ^ Etching refers to using acid to alter the surface of glass.[59] Engraving or cutting glass refers to using a tool to carve into the glass.[60]
  11. ^ Long and Seate list the Colony pattern (number 2412) as manufactured from 1940 to 1973.[76] Schroy says the pattern was produced from the 1930s to 1983.[58]

Citations edit

  1. ^ a b United States Department of Commerce, Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce 1917, p. 12
  2. ^ a b "South Wheeling Glass Works". Wheeling Daily Intelligencer. 1873-12-12. p. 3.
  3. ^ a b c d e Fones-Wolf 2007, pp. 85–86
  4. ^ Skrabec 2007, p. 73
  5. ^ "Hobbs Brockunier Glass, Wheeling, WV 1886". Ohio County Public Library. Retrieved 2013-11-24.
  6. ^ McKelvey 1903, p. 79
  7. ^ Revi 1964, p. 69
  8. ^ "Around the Glass and Lamp Factories". Crockery and Glass Journal. Whittemore and Jaques, Inc. 1912-02-15.
  9. ^ United States Department of Commerce, Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce 1917, p. 11
  10. ^ United States Department of Commerce, Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce 1917, p. 36
  11. ^ Paquette 2002, pp. 24–25
  12. ^ Paquette 2002, p. 26
  13. ^ "O-I [Owens-Illinois] Retiree's Quest to Clear up History of Glass Industry Develops into Book". The Blade [Toledo]. 2002-09-24. Retrieved 2020-01-09. He found that more than 70 glass factories - he calls them glasshouses - sprang up in northwest Ohio between 1886 and 1900, giving the region a true claim to be called the "glass center of the world".
  14. ^ Paquette 2002, p. 179
  15. ^ a b c d Paquette 2002, p. 180
  16. ^ United States Department of Commerce, Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce 1917, p. 67
  17. ^ United States Department of Commerce, Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce 1917, pp. 71–74
  18. ^ Murray 1992, p. 40
  19. ^ "Otto Jaeger - Founder of Fostoria, Seneca, and Bonita Art Glass". Ohio County Public Library. Retrieved 2018-05-07.
  20. ^ Murray 1992, p. 41
  21. ^ a b c d e Venable et al. 2000, p. 174
  22. ^ Paquette 2002, p. 248
  23. ^ Murray 1992, pp. 61–62
  24. ^ Murray 1992, p. 39
  25. ^ Murray 1992, pp. 43–44
  26. ^ Murray 1992, p. 42
  27. ^ a b Murray 1992, p. 45
  28. ^ US patent 442,599, "Glass-mold", issued 1890-12-16.
  29. ^ US patent 19,953, "Inkstand", issued 1890-07-01.
  30. ^ US patent 444,647, "Paper Weight", issued 1891-01-13.
  31. ^ a b Murray 1992, pp. 46–47
  32. ^ Long & Seate 2003, pp. 181–182
  33. ^ a b Lechner & Lechner 1998, p. 67
  34. ^ Murray 1992, p. 56
  35. ^ a b Murray 1992, pp. 48–49
  36. ^ Murray 1992, pp. 59–60
  37. ^ Paquette 2002, p. 181
  38. ^ a b Rider & Grubber 2018, p. 48
  39. ^ a b Paquette 2002, p. 182
  40. ^ "(No title, lower right corner of page 22)". Paint, Oil and Drug Review. Chicago: D. Van Ness Person. 1891-12-16.
  41. ^ Murray 1992, p. 58
  42. ^ Lucht 2011, p. 7
  43. ^ "Still Expanding". Crockery and Glass Journal. New York: Whittemore and Jaques, Inc. 1912-01-11.
  44. ^ Fones-Wolf 2007, p. 87
  45. ^ a b Fones-Wolf 2007, pp. 93–94
  46. ^ Lechner & Lechner 1998, p. 68
  47. ^ a b Paquette 2002, p. 65
  48. ^ Paquette 2002, pp. 61–62
  49. ^ a b Paquette 2002, p. 183
  50. ^ "Notes from the Glass Factories (next page)". Glass and Pottery World. Chicago: Porter, Taylor and Company. 1903-09-01.
  51. ^ "News from the Glass Factories (next page)". Glass and Pottery World. Chicago: Porter, Taylor and Company. 1903-04-01. Retrieved 2018-04-30.
  52. ^ "Glimpses of Glass Makers". Glass and Pottery World. Chicago: Porter, Taylor and Company. 1904-08-01. Retrieved 2018-04-30.
  53. ^ Fostoria Glass Company (1906-01-01). "Fostoria Glass Company advertisement on page 39". Glass and Pottery World. Chicago: Porter, Taylor and Company.
  54. ^ Fostoria Glass Company (1906-05-01). "Glimpses of Glass Houses". Glass and Pottery World. Chicago: Porter, Taylor and Company.
  55. ^ a b Prisant 2003, p. 93
  56. ^ a b Kovel & Kovel 1991, p. 3
  57. ^ Kovel & Kovel 1991, p. 13
  58. ^ a b Schroy & Warman 2013, p. 124
  59. ^ "Corning Museum of Glass - Acid Etching". Corning Museum of Glass. Retrieved 2018-05-28.
  60. ^ "The Fitzwilliam Museum: Techniques of Glass Engraving". University of Cambridge. 2010-06-14. Retrieved 2018-05-28.
  61. ^ "The New York Crockery and Glass District (2nd page, right column)". Crockery and Glass Journal. Whittemore and Jaques, Inc. 1912-03-07.
  62. ^ "Abraham Lincoln's Inauguration March 4, 1861". America's Story from America's Library. Library of Congress. Retrieved 2020-01-07.
  63. ^ "Crockery and Glass Journal (front page), Fostoria Quality Excels". Crockery and Glass Journal. Whittemore and Jaques, Inc. 1912-01-04.
  64. ^ a b c d e Sullivan 2010, p. 188
  65. ^ Schroy & Meyer 2017, p. 37
  66. ^ Long & Seate 2003, pp. 6–8
  67. ^ "Fostoria Glass Co". Moody's Manual of Railroads and Corporation Securities 1916 Vol. III. New York: Moody Publishing Company. 1916. Retrieved 2008-05-11.
  68. ^ a b Schramm 2004, Ch. 4 of e-book
  69. ^ Long & Seate 2003, pp. 92–93
  70. ^ Kovel & Kovel 1991, p. 48
  71. ^ Kovel & Kovel 1991, pp. 86–87
  72. ^ Kovel & Kovel 1991, p. 85
  73. ^ Kovel & Kovel 1991, p. 58
  74. ^ Long & Seate 2003, pp. 16–18
  75. ^ Kovel & Kovel 1991, p. 26
  76. ^ Long & Seate 2003, p. 53
  77. ^ Long & Seate 2003, p. 46
  78. ^ "Yours, for a toast to charm (advertisement)". Ladies' Home Journal. Philadelphia, PA: The Curtis Publishing Company. April 1948.
  79. ^ Long & Seate 2003, p. 141
  80. ^ Long & Seate 2003, pp. 90–91
  81. ^ Long & Seate 2003, p. 181
  82. ^ Venable et al. 2000, p. 305
  83. ^ Rinker 1997, p. 97
  84. ^ Long & Seate 2003, pp. 188–189
  85. ^ Venable et al. 2000, pp. 177–178
  86. ^ Venable et al. 2000, p. 178
  87. ^ "[blank]". American Glass Review. Commoner Publishing Company. 1988.
  88. ^ Schroy 2001, p. 244

References edit

  • Fones-Wolf, Ken (2007). Glass towns: industry, labor and political economy in Appalachia, 1890–1930s. Urbana, IL: University of Illinois Press. ISBN 978-0-252-03131-1. OCLC 69792081.
  • Kovel, Ralph M.; Kovel, Terry H. (1991). Kovels' Depression Glass & American Dinnerware Price List. New York: Crown Publishers. p. 250. ISBN 978-0-51758-444-6.
  • Lechner, Mildred; Lechner, Ralph (1998). The World of Salt Shakers: Antique & Art Glass Value Guide, Volume 3. Paducah, KY: Collector Books. p. 311. ISBN 978-1-57432-065-7.
  • Long, Milbra; Seate, Emily (2003). The Fostoria Value Guide. Paducah, KY: Collector Books. p. 206. ISBN 978-1-57432-583-6. OCLC 229317585.
  • Lucht, Ralph K. (2011). Arnold Fiedler: Glass and Marble Maker Par Excellence. Bloomington, IN: AuthorHouse. p. 27. ISBN 978-1-456-73702-3. OCLC 761194444.
  • McKelvey, Alexander T. (1903). Centennial History of Belmont county, Ohio and Representative Citizens. Chicago: Biographical Publishing Company. pp. 833. OCLC 318390043. Centennial history of belmont county.
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  • Prisant, Carol (2003). Antiques Roadshow Collectibles: The Complete Guide to Collecting 20th Century Toys, Glassware, Costume Jewelry, Memorabilia, Ceramics, and More. New York: Workman Publishing. p. 589. ISBN 0-7611-2887-5.
  • Revi, Albert Christian (1964). American Pressed Glass and Figure Bottles. New York: Nelson. OCLC 965803.
  • Rider, Gary L.; Grubber, Karen (2018). Marshall County. Charleston, South Carolina: Arcadia Publishing. p. 127. ISBN 978-1-54022-875-8. OCLC 1038801924.
  • Rinker, Harry L. (1997). Stemware of the 20th Century: The Top 200 Patterns. New York: House of Collectables. p. 195. ISBN 978-0-67660-084-1.
  • Schramm, Robert W. (2004). Moundsville. Charleston, South Carolina: Arcadia. ISBN 978-0-73851-735-3. OCLC 630552674.
  • Schroy, Ellen Tischbein (2001). Warman's Americana & Collectibles. Iola, WI: Krause Publications. p. 400. ISBN 978-0-87341-976-5. OCLC 299224470.
  • Schroy, Ellen Tischbein; Warman (2013). Warman's Depression Glass Field Guide 2017: Values and Identification. Iola, WI: KP/F+W Media. p. 511. ISBN 978-1-44023-456-9. OCLC 1011912525.
  • Schroy, Ellen Tischbein; Meyer, Pam (2017). Warman's Depression Glass Handbook 2017: Identification, Values, Pattern Guide. Iola, WI: Krause Publications. p. 320. ISBN 978-1-44024-813-9. OCLC 1011859939.
  • Skrabec, Quentin R. (2007). Michael Owens and the Glass Industry. Gretna, LA: Pelican Publishing. OCLC 137341537.
  • Sullivan, Amy (2010). Schroeder's Antiques Price Guide. Padacuh, KY: Collector Books. p. 607. ISBN 978-1-57432-632-1. OCLC 433147612.
  • United States Department of Commerce, Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce (1917). The Glass Industry. Report on the Cost of Production of Glass in the United States. Washington: Government Printing Office. p. 41. OCLC 5705310. Glass blower.
  • Venable, Charles L.; Jenkins, Tom; Denker, Ellen P.; Grier, Katherine C. (2000). China and Glass in America, 1880-1980: from Tabletop to TV Tray. Dallas: Dallas Museum of Art. ISBN 978-0-81096-692-5. OCLC 905439701.

Further reading edit

  • Bones, Frances (1999). Fostoria Glassware, 1887-1982: Identification and Values: 95 Years of Glassmaking. Paducah, KY: Collector Books. p. 446. ISBN 978-1-57432-108-1. OCLC 41878453.
  • Kerr, Ann (1994). Fostoria: an Identification and Value Guide of Pressed, Blown & Hand Molded Shapes. Paducah, KY: Collector Books. p. 360. ISBN 978-0-89145-726-8. OCLC 1003180297.
  • Piña, Leslie (2006). Fostoria American: line 2056. A Schiffer Book for Collectors. Atglen, PA: Schiffer Pub. p. 160. ISBN 978-0-76432-469-7. OCLC 76827604.
  • Long, Milbra; Seate, Emily (2008). Fostoria Stemware: The Crystal for America. Paducah, KY: Collector Books. p. 268. ISBN 978-1-57432-583-6. OCLC 229317585.
  • Skrabec, Quentin R. (2011). Edward Drummond Libbey, American glassmaker. Jefferson, NC: McFarland. ISBN 978-0-78648-548-2. OCLC 753968484.
  • Weatherman, Hazel M. (1972). Fostoria: Its First Fifty Years. Springfield, MO: The Weathermans. p. 320. ISBN 978-0-91307-402-2. OCLC 410096.
  • Williams, Juanita L. (2004). Fostoria Glass: Scarce, Unique, and Whimsies. Atglen, PA: Schiffer Pub. p. 256. ISBN 978-0-76431-974-7. OCLC 55209418.

External links edit

  • Fostoria Glass Society
  • Fostoria Ohio Glass Association
  • National Depression Glass Association - Fostoria advertisements
  • "Crystal Clear" - 1946 27-minute film sponsored by Fostoria Glass and produced by Cinécraft Productions, Inc.

fostoria, glass, company, manufacturer, pressed, blown, hand, molded, glassware, tableware, began, operations, fostoria, ohio, december, 1887, land, donated, townspeople, company, formed, from, west, virginia, were, experienced, glassmaking, business, they, st. The Fostoria Glass Company was a manufacturer of pressed blown and hand molded glassware and tableware It began operations in Fostoria Ohio on December 15 1887 on land donated by the townspeople The new company was formed by men from West Virginia who were experienced in the glassmaking business They started their company in northwest Ohio to take advantage of newly discovered natural gas that was an ideal fuel for glassmaking Numerous other businesses were also started in the area and collectively they depleted the natural gas supply Fuel shortages caused the company to move to Moundsville West Virginia in 1891 Fostoria Glass CompanyCompany typePrivate companyIndustryGlasswareFoundedDecember 15 1887 in Fostoria Ohio December 15 1887 in Fostoria Ohio FounderLucian B Martin William S BradyDefunct1986HeadquartersMoundsville West Virginia U S Key peopleLucian B Martin William S Brady Charles Foster William A B DalzellProductsGlasswaretablewarecandelabrasNumber of employees1000 at peak in 1950 After the move to Moundsville the company achieved a national reputation Fostoria was considered one of the top producers of elegant glass It had over 1 000 patterns including one American that was produced for over 75 years Showrooms were located in New York Chicago Dallas San Francisco and other large cities The company advertised heavily and one of its successes was sales through bridal registries Fostoria products were made for several U S presidents The company employed 1 000 people at its peak in 1950 During the 1970s foreign competition and changing preferences forced the company to make substantial investments in cost saving automation technology The changes were made too late and the company s commercial division was losing money by 1980 The plant was closed permanently on February 28 1986 Several companies continued making products using the Fostoria patterns including the Dalzell Viking Glass Company and Indiana Glass Company both now closed Contents 1 Background 2 Beginning 3 Early products 4 Move to Moundsville 5 Moundsville operations 5 1 Moundsville Products 5 2 Depression and post war 5 3 Morgantown 6 Decline 7 See also 8 Notes 8 1 Footnotes 8 2 Citations 8 3 References 9 Further reading 10 External linksBackground editSee also List of Glass Companies Led by Former Employees of Hobbs Brockunier and Company and Petroleum industry in Ohio In the last half of the 19th century labor and fuel were the two largest expenses in U S glassmaking 1 People with the knowledge necessary to make glass were difficult to find Management at Wheeling s J H Hobbs Brockunier and Company had a policy of using skilled glassworkers from Europe who would train the local employees resulting in a superior workforce 2 In the 1860s Wheeling West Virginia became a hub for chemical and technological improvements to the composition of glass and the development of furnaces molds and presses for making glass 3 By the end of the 1870s the Hobbs glass works became the largest glass maker in the United States 4 Note 1 One of the earliest places to which the Hobbs glass making talent spread was Bellaire Ohio located in Belmont County across the river from Wheeling and Ohio County Note 2 Former employees of the Hobbs glass works became the talent that established many of the region s glass factories and many became company presidents or plant managers 2 Transportation resources were also important to the glass industry Waterways provided an efficient and safe way to transport glass especially before the construction of high quality roads and the railroad system Note 3 As the railroad industry developed it also became an important transportation resource By 1880 almost all of the nation s top ten glass producing counties were located on a waterway Allegheny County Pennsylvania which includes Pittsburgh was the nation s leading glass producer based on value of production Ohio s Belmont County and West Virginia s Ohio County separated by the Ohio River ranked 6th and 7th 9 Since fuel was one of the top two expenses in glassmaking manufacturers needed to monitor its availability and cost 1 Wood and coal had long been used as fuel for glassmaking An alternative fuel gas became a desirable fuel for making glass because it is clean gives a uniform heat is easier to control and melts the batch of ingredients faster Gas furnaces for making glass were first used in Europe in 1861 10 In early 1886 a major discovery of natural gas occurred near the small village of Findlay Ohio 11 Communities in northwestern Ohio began using low cost natural gas along with free land and cash to entice glass companies to start operations in their town 12 Their efforts were successful and at least 70 glass factories existed in northwest Ohio between 1886 and 1900 13 Beginning edit nbsp 1882 Ohio railroad map for area around FostoriaThe Fostoria Glass Company was incorporated in West Virginia in July 1887 14 The founders of the Fostoria Glass Company were drawn to Fostoria Ohio to exploit the newly discovered natural gas The new firm also received cash incentives of 5 000 equivalent to 169 556 in 2023 to 6 000 equivalent to 339 111 in 2023 The plant was located on Fostoria s South Vine Street and the town was served by multiple railroads The factory s furnace had a capacity of 12 pots and originally employed 125 workers 15 Note 4 Production of tableware bar goods and lamps began on December 15 1887 15 The glass men that formed the new company had gained their experience from working at the Hobbs Brockunier and Company glass plant in Wheeling Lucian B Martin the company s first president had been a sales executive at the Hobbs works 3 William S Brady the company s secretary had worked as a financial manager there and more recently managed a glass plant in Wellsburg West Virginia 18 3 James B Russell and Benjamin M Hildreth had worked at the Hobbs plant and Russell had also worked at a Pittsburgh glass works 15 German born Otto Jaeger had been head of the engraving department at the Hobbs works 19 Former Ohio governor Charles Foster son of the city of Fostoria s namesake was added to this group of glass industry veterans to form the new company s board of directors 15 Henry Humphreville who had worked at Brady s Riverside Glass Company in Wellsburg was hired as plant manager and offered some diversity with his additional experience working in Pittsburgh the nation s other center of glassmaking innovation 3 Many of the employees hired for the startup were from the Wheeling area 3 At least 20 first class workmen joined the company from Bellaire Ohio which is across the Ohio River from Wheeling Note 5 Henry and Jacob Crimmel were key craftsmen in the early period of the company and both had worked at Belmont Glass Company in Bellaire and the Hobbs plant in Wheeling 21 The Crimmel brothers had also been involved with the startup of the predecessor to the Belmont Glass Company 22 Crimmel family recipes for glass were used in the early days of the Fostoria Glass Company 23 Early products edit nbsp Etched stemware The company advertised as a manufacturer of pressed glassware and specialties were candle stands candelabras and banquet lamps 24 The first piece of glass pressed at the plant was a salt dip pattern number 93 A popular early pattern called Cascade looked like a swirl and was used for candelabras and ink wells It was also used for tableware such as containers for sugar cream and butter 25 Cascade was the first tableware pattern made and it continued through the years under different names 26 The company had many talented designers Among them was Charles E Beam who was the head of the company s mold shop and eventually added to the board of directors Beam s specialty was designing dishes with animals as the covers and one of his creations that is highly prized by today s collectors is a dish with a dolphin covering 27 Beam received a patent in 1890 for a glass mold that would enable pieces of chandeliers and candelabras to have small holes 28 Company president Martin was also a talented designer and he patented the Cascade ink well called an inkstand in 1890 and a paper weight with swirl sides in 1891 27 29 30 The company s first Virginia pattern was introduced around Christmas in 1888 Note 6 This pattern was quickly stolen or pirated by a rival company Fostoria Glass copied the copy and named this purportedly new pattern Captain Kidd Eventually this same Virginia Captain Kidd pattern was also called Foster or Foster Block in honor of Charles Foster An advertisement for the Captain Kidd pattern featured a butter dish spoon dish a sugar bowel and a creamer 31 Fostoria s Valencia pattern number 205 is often called Artichoke because of the shape of the overlapping leaves on the bottom half of the glassware 33 This pattern was advertised in China Glass and Lamps magazine in early 1891 34 The Victoria pattern is popular with collectors and a wide variety of products were made with this pattern 35 It is the only pattern that was patented by the company Its appearance has a strong resemblance to a French company s pattern and Fostoria Glass had some employees from France s glassmaking region 35 When the company moved to Moundsville all of the molds for this pattern mysteriously disappeared The missing molds were never found and the Victoria pattern was never produced again 36 Move to Moundsville edit nbsp Advertisement from 1906 Northwest Ohio s gas boom was short lived as gas shortages started occurring during the winter of 1890 91 During April 1891 Fostoria Glass executives decided to move to Moundsville West Virginia because of the availability of coal as a fuel for the plant and 10 000 cash equivalent to 339 111 in 2023 offered by the community 37 In addition to the cash incentive the company was also offered a 10 year supply of coal at a low price 38 The move was announced in September 1891 The Fostoria plant was sold to a group of investors led by Fostoria Glass executive Otto Jaeger and his new company was named Seneca Glass Company 39 In early December the move to Moundsville was delayed by a restraining order when several members of the Crimmel family who owned stock in the company filed suit The Crimmels who were also employees of the company claimed shareholders should have been consulted for the move 40 The attempt to stop the move was unsuccessful and the restraining order was lifted to enable the company to move by the end of the month 41 The company s first Moundsville furnace had a capacity of 14 pots Note 7 Coal was not used directly as a fuel for the furnace Instead the furnace burned coal gas made from the local supply of coal 44 About 60 workers from the Fostoria glass works moved with the company to the Moundsville location 39 Moundsville operations edit nbsp Some Fostoria oil and electric lamps and hand decorated vases 1904 In 1899 the company became associated with the National Glass Company which was a corporate trust Co founder Lucien Martin left the firm in 1901 to work in Pittsburgh for National Glass Another co founder William Brady also moved to the Pittsburgh firm a short time later 45 Despite the association Fostoria Glass Company did not become part of the National Glass Company 46 William A B Dalzell joined the company as general manager in 1901 47 Dalzell was from Pittsburgh and his initial experience in the glass industry was with Pittsburgh s Adams and Company The Dalzell brothers had been involved with the glass business as owners and management in West Virginia and Ohio Note 8 When Fostoria Glass became associated with National Glass in 1899 Dalzell was working at the trust as manager of the western department 45 When he joined Fostoria Glass he brought Calvin B Roe who had been a bookkeeper and plant superintendent at Dalzell s Ohio plant Dalzell quickly ascended to vice president 47 Under Dalzell s leadership the Fostoria Glass Company gained a national reputation Dalzell served as president and or chairman from 1902 until his unexpected death in 1928 49 In 1903 the company already operated two large furnaces when it added a three story brick building that housed a new 14 pot furnace 50 One trade magazine believed that the addition made the company probably the largest independent flint glass concern in the country 51 By 1904 the company had 800 employees 52 Products made as of 1906 included decorated lamps globes shades blown and pressed tableware high grade lead blown tumblers stemware and novelties 53 At that time a trade magazine said that the company makes so many lines of glassware all so perfectly and markets its output so successfully to all classes of buyers that no name is better known to all classes of trade 54 Moundsville Products edit nbsp Fostoria American patternFostoria was considered one of the top producers of elegant glass 55 However Fostoria glassware is also found on lists of Depression glass Note 9 The company had over 1 000 patterns including many designed by artist George Sakier An example of a glass pattern design by Sakier is the Colony pattern 2412 This pattern was produced in crystal from the 1930s until 1983 It was reissued as Maypole in the 1980s using colored glass 58 Patterns can be a style of glass an etching on the glass or a cutting on the glass Note 10 Some of the most successful Fostoria patterns were American Kashmir June Trojan and Versailles 55 Pattern 1861 was named Lincoln and 1861 is the year Abraham Lincoln became President of the United States 61 62 The pattern was used for pressed tableware It was pictured on the front page of the Crockery and Glass Journal on January 4 1912 63 From the beginning of the Moundsville operations until about 1915 Fostoria focused on oil lamps and products for restaurants and bars especially stemware and tumblers 21 In 1915 Fostoria introduced its American pattern pattern number 2056 This glass pattern was used for stemware and tableware and continued to be produced until 1988 64 Described as block geometric its appearance was very different from other patterns when it was introduced Most glass made with the American pattern was produced using Fostoria s high quality crystal formula 65 American became Fostoria s most famous pattern 66 Management around this time was still led by W A B Dalzell as company president Vice president was C B Roe and A C Scroggins Jr was the secretary and treasurer W S Brady was still listed as on the board of directors 67 Prohibition diminished the market for commercial barware causing Fostoria to put more emphasis on tableware for the home Their initial target market was the higher quality portion of the home market 21 In 1924 the company became the first glass manufacturer to produce complete dinner sets in crystal ware 68 In 1925 the company introduced dinnerware in colors A national advertising campaign was started in 1926 to promote the complete dinnerware sets 64 Fostoria was also a major contributor to the creation of the bridal registry 64 Clear and pastel dinner sets became very popular although expensive This led to low cost dinner sets being made by injecting molten glass into an automated pressing mold The product often had minor flaws so lacy patterns were often included in the mold or etched onto the glass to hide imperfections 56 By 1926 the company had 10 000 different items in its catalog and employment before the Depression peaked at around 650 people 21 Among the etching patterns introduced by Fostoria during the 1920s were June Versailles and Trojan The June pattern which was made from 1928 to 1951 was etched on stemware and tableware 69 It is one of the rare patterns that can be dated based on color of the glass 70 The Versailles pattern made from 1928 to 1943 was another etching pattern The etchings were mostly on plates and dishes The glass product with the etching was made in many colors 71 The etching pattern called Trojan was made from 1929 to 1943 The Trojan etchings were mostly on plates and dishes Original glass colors were rose and topaz Gold tint was used in some of the last years of production 72 By 1928 Fostoria was the largest producer of handmade glass in the nation 64 Depression and post war edit nbsp Advertisement from 1948 Ladies Home Journal for Fostoria s Chintz patternDuring the Great Depression the company made glassware for the higher and lower cost segments of the market Two popular Fostoria etching patterns were Navarre and Chintz Navarre was made from 1937 until 1980 Some of the pieces were etched onto the Baroque glass pattern but others were on more modern glass patterns The product was originally made in crystal but later on a few pieces with color 73 The Baroque glass pattern was made by Fostoria from 1937 to 1965 and used for stemware and many types of tableware 74 The Chintz pattern was made from 1940 to 1973 This etching pattern is a drawing of branches leaves and flowers and was usually on the Baroque glass pattern 75 The Colony pattern discussed earlier was introduced around this time Note 11 Another long lived glass pattern Century was introduced in 1949 and made until 1982 It was used for stemware and tableware 77 Advertising during the 1940s included photos in the Ladies Home Journal 78 Production peaked in 1950 when Fostoria s 1 000 employees manufactured over 8 million pieces of glass and crystal A combination of quality products and national advertising helped the company continue to be the largest manufacturer of handmade glassware in the United States Every American president from Dwight D Eisenhower through Ronald Reagan had glassware made by Fostoria 68 Long lived patterns introduced during the 1950s included Rose Wedding Ring and Jamestown Rose was a cutting on stemware and tableware and it was produced from 1951 to 1973 79 Wedding Ring was a decoration on stemware and tableware that was produced from 1953 to 1975 Jamestown was a glass pattern for stemware and tableware and was used for numerous products from 1958 to 1982 The glass used was crystal and seven colors of glass amber blue green pink amethyst brown and ruby Among Jamestown stemware ruby is valued higher than other colors by collectors 80 Among the milk glass patterns Vintage was used for tableware and a few types of stemware from 1958 to 1965 81 In the 1960s and 1970s the company s marketing campaign expanded to include boutiques and display rooms within jewelry and department stores Fostoria s top customer in 1971 was Marshall Field s It was Marshall Field s that had created a bridal registry in 1935 which was important to manufacturers of tableware for the home 82 Fostoria also published its own consumer direct magazine Creating with Crystal during the 1960s and 1970s 83 The Woodland glass pattern not to be confused with the Woodland etching from the 1920s was introduced in 1975 and made until 1981 84 Morgantown edit In 1965 Fostoria purchased the Morgantown Glassware Guild which had also been known as the Morgantown Glass Works Morgantown was a leader in barware and also made tableware First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy had chosen Morgantown glassware for official White House tableware and Fostoria sought to capitalize on this Glassware from Morgantown could be sold as stylish entry level tableware for the home This segment was profitable for Fostoria for only two years as department stores eliminated secondary sources and restaurants began switching to machine made glass Fostoria closed the Morgantown factory in 1971 85 Decline edit nbsp Fostoria s American patternIn 1950 company president David B Dalzell had said the Fostoria s competition came from three sources other companies in the domestic trade imports and automatic machinery 21 During the 1970s changing preferences and a substantial increase in imports of machine made lead crystal tableware forced the company to make significant investments in machinery This late attempt to be more competitive by automating more of the manufacturing process unsettled the labor force and the company faced strikes during the early 1970s By 1980 the company s commercial division was unprofitable 86 In 1983 Fostoria sold its factory to Lancaster Colony Corporation of Columbus Ohio However Lancaster Colony shut down the Fostoria Glass factory permanently on February 28 1986 At the time Kenneth B Dalzell the fourth generation of Dalzells at Fostoria Glass was head of Fostoria operations 49 Dalzell purchased the assets of Viking Glass company of New Martinsville West Virginia in April 1987 and renamed the company Dalzell Viking 87 Fostoria inventory and molds were sold to several companies and Dalzell Viking was one of the purchasers 33 The American Baroque and Coin patterns were thereafter produced by others including Dalzell Viking Some of this glassware produced at Dalzell Viking was made by former Fostoria employees using Fostoria molds making it difficult to differentiate from glassware made at the Fostoria plant 64 Dalzell Viking closed in 1998 88 See also editHeisey Glass Company Cambridge GlassNotes editFootnotes edit The Hobbs glass works located in South Wheeling in Ohio County West Virginia was renamed numerous times over a period of about 60 years Some of the names were Barnes amp Hobbs Hobbs amp Barnes Hobbs Brockunier amp Company and Hobbs Glass Company 5 Bellaire is located in the Ohio coal belt and therefore had a fuel source for local factories 6 By 1881 Bellaire had 15 glass factories and was known as Glass City 7 An example of the importance of waterways can be observed in February 1912 It was reported that because of ice on the Ohio River 600 barrels of glassware from the Fostoria Glass Company were waiting shipment at the Moundsville wharf 8 A pot was essentially a measure of a glass plant s capacity Each ceramic pot was located inside the furnace The pot contained molten glass created by melting a batch of ingredients that typically included sand soda and lime 16 Stationed around each pot was a team of laborers that extracted the molten glass and began the process of making the glass product 17 Deacon Scroggins Jack Crimmel and Hayes O Neal were the first class workmen cited in a Bellaire newspaper article about the move One author believes Jack Crimmel is probably Jacob Crimmel 20 Murray discusses the Virginia pattern and identifies it as pattern number 140 He also shows an advertisement for the Virginia pattern in an 1889 edition of the Crockery and Glass Journal 31 Long and Seate do not identify this pattern but list a Virginia plate etching as pattern 267 that was made from 1923 to 1929 They also list a Virginia glass pattern number 2977 that was made from 1978 to 1986 32 Sources do not always agree on the number of pots for the first furnace Rider says 16 pots 38 Lucht says 14 pots 42 A trade magazine describing the firm in 1912 mentioned a 14 pot furnace but did not mention one with 16 pots 43 Three Dalzell brothers Andrew James and William and a banker from Pittsburgh founded the Dalzell Brothers and Gilmore Glass Company in Wellsburg West Virginia during 1883 In 1888 after the death of Andrew Dalzell they received incentives to move their company to Findlay Ohio The company name was changed to Dalzell Gilmore and Leighton after well known glassmaker William Leighton Jr joined the firm from the Hobbs Glass works 48 By the 1990s the phrase elegant glassware of the Depression was being used to describe the better quality glass made at the same time as Depression glass 56 Thus some of the patterns made by Fostoria using crystal glass are listed in books about Depression glass 57 Etching refers to using acid to alter the surface of glass 59 Engraving or cutting glass refers to using a tool to carve into the glass 60 Long and Seate list the Colony pattern number 2412 as manufactured from 1940 to 1973 76 Schroy says the pattern was produced from the 1930s to 1983 58 Citations edit a b United States Department of Commerce Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce 1917 p 12 a b South Wheeling Glass Works Wheeling Daily Intelligencer 1873 12 12 p 3 a b c d e Fones Wolf 2007 pp 85 86 Skrabec 2007 p 73 Hobbs Brockunier Glass Wheeling WV 1886 Ohio County Public Library Retrieved 2013 11 24 McKelvey 1903 p 79 Revi 1964 p 69 Around the Glass and Lamp Factories Crockery and Glass Journal Whittemore and Jaques Inc 1912 02 15 United States Department of Commerce Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce 1917 p 11 United States Department of Commerce Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce 1917 p 36 Paquette 2002 pp 24 25 Paquette 2002 p 26 O I Owens Illinois Retiree s Quest to Clear up History of Glass Industry Develops into Book The Blade Toledo 2002 09 24 Retrieved 2020 01 09 He found that more than 70 glass factories he calls them glasshouses sprang up in northwest Ohio between 1886 and 1900 giving the region a true claim to be called the glass center of the world Paquette 2002 p 179 a b c d Paquette 2002 p 180 United States Department of Commerce Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce 1917 p 67 United States Department of Commerce Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce 1917 pp 71 74 Murray 1992 p 40 Otto Jaeger Founder of Fostoria Seneca and Bonita Art Glass Ohio County Public Library Retrieved 2018 05 07 Murray 1992 p 41 a b c d e Venable et al 2000 p 174 Paquette 2002 p 248 Murray 1992 pp 61 62 Murray 1992 p 39 Murray 1992 pp 43 44 Murray 1992 p 42 a b Murray 1992 p 45 US patent 442 599 Glass mold issued 1890 12 16 US patent 19 953 Inkstand issued 1890 07 01 US patent 444 647 Paper Weight issued 1891 01 13 a b Murray 1992 pp 46 47 Long amp Seate 2003 pp 181 182 a b Lechner amp Lechner 1998 p 67 Murray 1992 p 56 a b Murray 1992 pp 48 49 Murray 1992 pp 59 60 Paquette 2002 p 181 a b Rider amp Grubber 2018 p 48 a b Paquette 2002 p 182 No title lower right corner of page 22 Paint Oil and Drug Review Chicago D Van Ness Person 1891 12 16 Murray 1992 p 58 Lucht 2011 p 7 Still Expanding Crockery and Glass Journal New York Whittemore and Jaques Inc 1912 01 11 Fones Wolf 2007 p 87 a b Fones Wolf 2007 pp 93 94 Lechner amp Lechner 1998 p 68 a b Paquette 2002 p 65 Paquette 2002 pp 61 62 a b Paquette 2002 p 183 Notes from the Glass Factories next page Glass and Pottery World Chicago Porter Taylor and Company 1903 09 01 News from the Glass Factories next page Glass and Pottery World Chicago Porter Taylor and Company 1903 04 01 Retrieved 2018 04 30 Glimpses of Glass Makers Glass and Pottery World Chicago Porter Taylor and Company 1904 08 01 Retrieved 2018 04 30 Fostoria Glass Company 1906 01 01 Fostoria Glass Company advertisement on page 39 Glass and Pottery World Chicago Porter Taylor and Company Fostoria Glass Company 1906 05 01 Glimpses of Glass Houses Glass and Pottery World Chicago Porter Taylor and Company a b Prisant 2003 p 93 a b Kovel amp Kovel 1991 p 3 Kovel amp Kovel 1991 p 13 a b Schroy amp Warman 2013 p 124 Corning Museum of Glass Acid Etching Corning Museum of Glass Retrieved 2018 05 28 The Fitzwilliam Museum Techniques of Glass Engraving University of Cambridge 2010 06 14 Retrieved 2018 05 28 The New York Crockery and Glass District 2nd page right column Crockery and Glass Journal Whittemore and Jaques Inc 1912 03 07 Abraham Lincoln s Inauguration March 4 1861 America s Story from America s Library Library of Congress Retrieved 2020 01 07 Crockery and Glass Journal front page Fostoria Quality Excels Crockery and Glass Journal Whittemore and Jaques Inc 1912 01 04 a b c d e Sullivan 2010 p 188 Schroy amp Meyer 2017 p 37 Long amp Seate 2003 pp 6 8 Fostoria Glass Co Moody s Manual of Railroads and Corporation Securities 1916 Vol III New York Moody Publishing Company 1916 Retrieved 2008 05 11 a b Schramm 2004 Ch 4 of e book Long amp Seate 2003 pp 92 93 Kovel amp Kovel 1991 p 48 Kovel amp Kovel 1991 pp 86 87 Kovel amp Kovel 1991 p 85 Kovel amp Kovel 1991 p 58 Long amp Seate 2003 pp 16 18 Kovel amp Kovel 1991 p 26 Long amp Seate 2003 p 53 Long amp Seate 2003 p 46 Yours for a toast to charm advertisement Ladies Home Journal Philadelphia PA The Curtis Publishing Company April 1948 Long amp Seate 2003 p 141 Long amp Seate 2003 pp 90 91 Long amp Seate 2003 p 181 Venable et al 2000 p 305 Rinker 1997 p 97 Long amp Seate 2003 pp 188 189 Venable et al 2000 pp 177 178 Venable et al 2000 p 178 blank American Glass Review Commoner Publishing Company 1988 Schroy 2001 p 244 References edit Fones Wolf Ken 2007 Glass towns industry labor and political economy in Appalachia 1890 1930s Urbana IL University of Illinois Press ISBN 978 0 252 03131 1 OCLC 69792081 Kovel Ralph M Kovel Terry H 1991 Kovels Depression Glass amp American Dinnerware Price List New York Crown Publishers p 250 ISBN 978 0 51758 444 6 Lechner Mildred Lechner Ralph 1998 The World of Salt Shakers Antique amp Art Glass Value Guide Volume 3 Paducah KY Collector Books p 311 ISBN 978 1 57432 065 7 Long Milbra Seate Emily 2003 The Fostoria Value Guide Paducah KY Collector Books p 206 ISBN 978 1 57432 583 6 OCLC 229317585 Lucht Ralph K 2011 Arnold Fiedler Glass and Marble Maker Par Excellence Bloomington IN AuthorHouse p 27 ISBN 978 1 456 73702 3 OCLC 761194444 McKelvey Alexander T 1903 Centennial History of Belmont county Ohio and Representative Citizens Chicago Biographical Publishing Company pp 833 OCLC 318390043 Centennial history of belmont county Murray Melvin L 1992 Fostoria Ohio Glass II Fostoria OH M L Murray p 184 OCLC 27036061 Paquette Jack K 2002 Blowpipes Northwest Ohio Glassmaking in the Gas Boom of the 1880s Xlibris Corp p 559 ISBN 1 4010 4790 4 OCLC 50932436 Prisant Carol 2003 Antiques Roadshow Collectibles The Complete Guide to Collecting 20th Century Toys Glassware Costume Jewelry Memorabilia Ceramics and More New York Workman Publishing p 589 ISBN 0 7611 2887 5 Revi Albert Christian 1964 American Pressed Glass and Figure Bottles New York Nelson OCLC 965803 Rider Gary L Grubber Karen 2018 Marshall County Charleston South Carolina Arcadia Publishing p 127 ISBN 978 1 54022 875 8 OCLC 1038801924 Rinker Harry L 1997 Stemware of the 20th Century The Top 200 Patterns New York House of Collectables p 195 ISBN 978 0 67660 084 1 Schramm Robert W 2004 Moundsville Charleston South Carolina Arcadia ISBN 978 0 73851 735 3 OCLC 630552674 Schroy Ellen Tischbein 2001 Warman s Americana amp Collectibles Iola WI Krause Publications p 400 ISBN 978 0 87341 976 5 OCLC 299224470 Schroy Ellen Tischbein Warman 2013 Warman s Depression Glass Field Guide 2017 Values and Identification Iola WI KP F W Media p 511 ISBN 978 1 44023 456 9 OCLC 1011912525 Schroy Ellen Tischbein Meyer Pam 2017 Warman s Depression Glass Handbook 2017 Identification Values Pattern Guide Iola WI Krause Publications p 320 ISBN 978 1 44024 813 9 OCLC 1011859939 Skrabec Quentin R 2007 Michael Owens and the Glass Industry Gretna LA Pelican Publishing OCLC 137341537 Sullivan Amy 2010 Schroeder s Antiques Price Guide Padacuh KY Collector Books p 607 ISBN 978 1 57432 632 1 OCLC 433147612 United States Department of Commerce Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce 1917 The Glass Industry Report on the Cost of Production of Glass in the United States Washington Government Printing Office p 41 OCLC 5705310 Glass blower Venable Charles L Jenkins Tom Denker Ellen P Grier Katherine C 2000 China and Glass in America 1880 1980 from Tabletop to TV Tray Dallas Dallas Museum of Art ISBN 978 0 81096 692 5 OCLC 905439701 Further reading editBones Frances 1999 Fostoria Glassware 1887 1982 Identification and Values 95 Years of Glassmaking Paducah KY Collector Books p 446 ISBN 978 1 57432 108 1 OCLC 41878453 Kerr Ann 1994 Fostoria an Identification and Value Guide of Pressed Blown amp Hand Molded Shapes Paducah KY Collector Books p 360 ISBN 978 0 89145 726 8 OCLC 1003180297 Pina Leslie 2006 Fostoria American line 2056 A Schiffer Book for Collectors Atglen PA Schiffer Pub p 160 ISBN 978 0 76432 469 7 OCLC 76827604 Long Milbra Seate Emily 2008 Fostoria Stemware The Crystal for America Paducah KY Collector Books p 268 ISBN 978 1 57432 583 6 OCLC 229317585 Skrabec Quentin R 2011 Edward Drummond Libbey American glassmaker Jefferson NC McFarland ISBN 978 0 78648 548 2 OCLC 753968484 Weatherman Hazel M 1972 Fostoria Its First Fifty Years Springfield MO The Weathermans p 320 ISBN 978 0 91307 402 2 OCLC 410096 Williams Juanita L 2004 Fostoria Glass Scarce Unique and Whimsies Atglen PA Schiffer Pub p 256 ISBN 978 0 76431 974 7 OCLC 55209418 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Fostoria Glass Company Fostoria Glass Society Fostoria Ohio Glass Association National Depression Glass Association Fostoria advertisements Crystal Clear 1946 27 minute film sponsored by Fostoria Glass and produced by Cinecraft Productions Inc Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Fostoria Glass Company amp oldid 1219903977, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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