Anchor Hocking first came into existence when Isaac J. Collins and six friends raised $8,000 to buy the Lancaster Carbon Company, Lancaster, Ohio, when it went into receivership in 1905. The company’s facility was known as the Black Cat from all the carbon dust.

Frank L. and his brother John W. Felton formed the Fenton Art Glass Company in 1905 and it remained in operation until 2011. During the beginning years, Fenton painted on glass made by other glass companies. By 1907, they were producing their own glass and tried to produce iridescent glass that became known as carnival glass. They also produced custard glass, opalescent glass, stretch glass and even chocolate glass. During the Depression and on into the World War II, Fenton turned to utilitarian pieces for the kitchen. In the 1950s, Fenton began to develop white hobnail glass and turned to striking colors like cranberry, blue or green.

Another of Fenton’s additions were ruffled edge designs added to the top of items. The popular crest design was added to the ruffles. Among the most popular crests are silver crest (clear), emerald crest (bright green), snow crest (white), and ebony cress (opaque black or white).

Skilled glassworkers and decorators worked together to insert their visions into the pieces they produced. They added exquisite florals and/or gold accents. Some designers even signed their pieces. Examples of signed pieces are available at Bowditch.

Even though the company ceased operations in 2011, Fenton continues as the largest producer of pieces the decorators produced. The molds were purchased by another company in Ohio, but they continued to send the glass back to the talented designers who apply their magic. Some of these artists created one-of-a-kind work that brings nice sales.

The Fenton Gift Shop is still open at 2242 Williams Highway, Williamstown, WV 26187

https://www.thesprucecrafts.com/fenton-glassware-collecting-148452

In the late 1880s, a bottle works company carrying the Jeannette name was established in 1898, it became the Jeannette Glass Company and continued to produce hand- made bottles, wide mouth jars and other containers for food storage. Jeannette continued to expand, and they began to produce table and kitchenware

Jeannette became popular as a Depression Glass master. Among its most popular names were Adam, Anniversary, Cherry Blossom, Doric, Iris, Doric and Pansy, Floral Poinsettia, and Floragold. Their primary-colored glass was pink, green, crystal, delphite, jadeite and ultramarine. They were one of the major producers of Jadeite and Delphite Glassware. So many of their items were among the most coveted.

In 1961, Jeannette was producing glassware for wholesale and retail businesses. A major factor in their success was the perfection of machine-driven glassware production. They closed their doors in 1983.

Bowditch has many pieces of depression glass made by Jeannette. They are gorgeous when sitting in the sunlight.

Source: kandmantiques.com/jeannette-glass-co-history

Westmoreland Glass began when the Specialty Glass Company was purchased in 1889 and moved to Grapeville, Pennsylvania. Among the men who formed the company were George West, President, Charles West, Vice President, JJ Blainard and his father, Ira Brainard, who was a financial banker of Westmoreland. In 1921, the company name was changed to Westmoreland Glass.

The company’s specialty pieces were tableware lines, candy containers, and mustard jars (to serve the Westmoreland Mustard Company). Charles West has often been called the Father of the Candy Container Industry. A decorating line was begun, and the company started making high-quality, hand-decorated glass in the 20’s and 30s. Mr. West retired in 1937 and sold his interest to the Brainard’s and they began to produce milk glass in the 1840s. Some of their more popular items are Hens on a Nest and the Paneled Grape patterns. They also produced Beaded Grape, Old Quilt, and Roses and Bows patterns.

Westmoreland remained in the Brainard family until it was sold in 1980 to an inexperienced glass manufacturing company and it went out of business in 1984.

Source: https://www.thesprucecrafts.com/westmoreland-glass-company-148924

Indiana Glass Company was begun when a group of investors decided to purchase the Dunkirk plant that had been owned by the National Glass Company when it went bankrupt. The start date was 1907 and Frank W. Merry provided leadership. It made vases, lamps, and glass tableware including depression glass and carnival glass. These were produced as pressed glass or molded glass. Two of the company’s clients were A & W Root Beer and Kmart. Indiana Glass also produced root beer mugs.

By 1957, the Lancaster Glass Company gained an interest in Indiana Glass and in the 1960s, Indiana became a subsidiary of Lancaster. One line of tableware was the Tiara label, and it was sold through Lancaster. Indiana Glass saw a resurgence during the 1960s and 1970. Some of Indiana patterns include: Avocado or Sweet Pear, Indiana Custard, Pyramid, Sandwich, and Tea Room. Ruby Red Indiana Glass was made by adding gold oxide to make the red rim. Its King Thumbprint and Diamond Point were its most popular after they were introduced in 1965. They continued to be popular in multiple colors and were produced until the early 1980s. In 1977, Indiana Glass was the 5^th highest producer of glass products in the United States.

In 2002 the Dunkirk plant closed and a plant in Oklahoma closed in 2008.

Sources: http://glassloversglassdatabase.com/companies/IndianaGlass.html
https://www.collectorsweekly.com/glassware/indiana

Interesting Tidbit

In June 2019, Bowditch Antiques and Collectibles had a guest who examined the art pottery from the early 1900s. He shared that his mother and grandmother had many curios that were full of pottery and glass. The guest was offered some of the pieces after his grandmother passed but he declined. He wondered into our middle room and saw the glassware on several shelves.

I shared that the red bands on the glass was made by using gold oxide. His eyes twinkled and the corner of his mouth twitched as he said, “I’ve heard that.” He then asked me if I knew who Ruby was and proceeded to tell me that it was his grandmother and that she had red hair. He was the grandson of Frank Merry, the President of Indiana Glass.

United States Glass Company was formed in 1891 from 18 different companies that had plants/factories in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Indiana, and West Virginia. The merger was made more difficult because of communications issues across four states. Two new factories were built in Indiana and Ohio in the 1930s and they produced pressed glass and fine stemware. The older factories also produced depression glass including stretch glass, amberina, and carnival glass. US Glass produced a range of glass, including fine crystal pieces as well as lower quality glass. They were known for the wide range of colored glass, including medium blue, yellow, green, clear, brown, amber, and black.

Over the years, the factories were forced out of business by fires, strikes and the economy. By 1950, the only remaining plant was the one in Tiffin, Ohio and all the glass began to be stamped with the Tiffin name. However, it continued to go by the United States Glass Company name until it went bankrupt in 1963. At that time, the company was reorganized as the Tiffin Art Glass Company.

In 1979, the company was sold to Towle Silversmiths and became a subsidiary named Tiffin Crystal. Towle continued to sell the stemware until 1990 via mail order.

Sources: Pamela Wiggins, “United States Glass Co.: Marks, Patterns and Wares”
https://www.thesprucecrafts.com/united-states-glass-co-148700
https://www.tiffinglass.org/the-history-of-tiffin-glass

Chartered in 1920, owned by the Owens and the Foremans

When the Carolina Clinchfield and Ohio Railroad began to operate train service, they wanted to help develop businesses along the line. Erwin was a perfect place for a business venture that could use the clay in the area. Begun as Clinchfield Artware and then Southern Pottery, many workers migrated from Ohio and Virginia to help start up the pottery. The Owens family moved to Erwin to lead the operation. The Foreman’s revolutionized the industry by beginning the technique of hand-painting under the glaze.

In 1938, Southern Blue Ridge became an immensely popular dinnerware company, with showrooms in Chicago and New York. The dinnerware was appealing because each piece was hand painted, unlike other items that had decals. There were no two pieces exactly alike since they were produced by free hand painting on the greenware. The name came from the surrounding Blue Ridge Mountains surrounding Erwin, TN.

In the 1940’s, Blue Ridge was producing as many as 324,000 pieces a week and shipping them to department stores all over the country. They were all hand painted under the glaze by individuals to worked at the pottery. As the pottery expanded, cottage industries sprung up and women would ride the train to Erwin to pick up greenware, brought it home and painted, then rode the train back to turn in their painted wares and pick up the next week’s greenware. Even women from Mitchell County were part of this effort,

Southern Blue Ridge ceased operation in 1957. Many of the molds were purchased by Pauline and Ray Cash and their pottery began.

Source: (Newbound, Betty and Bill, 1989)

Marie Garland Branham established her own pottery company after working for Southern Blue Ridge. It was named for Marie and she produced her beautiful wares in Rockport, TN where she lived with her family. She is known for her vivid colors and life-like images. At 94 years of age, she still paints today.

Interesting Fact: Marie grew up in the Poplar area of Mitchell County.

Marie Rogers became a potter by marriage. She was born in 1922 north of Jugtown, GA to a farmer and married into a four- generation family of potters. She learned the trade and became best known for her face jugs that were made of clay. Rogers produced her wares in the traditional Jugtown pottery tradition. She often shared that making jugs was a hobby and that she liked to turn. Her husband and his family peddled their wares by wagon to towns around the state. Her pieces are sought-after by many collectors of Folk-Art pottery and are found in several well-known collections. She died in 2010 in Meansville, Georgia.

The John B Taylor Pottery began as JB Taylor Pottery in Louisville, KY in 1815. That early start made the pottery one of the oldest producers of stoneware in the country. They made specialty items for such events as the Kentucky Derby, holidays and for restaurant chains.

In 1938, John B Taylor purchased the pottery and its potters began to make fun and whimsical pieces. He also promoted the making of birdhouses and bird figurines. One of his best ceramics designers was M. A. Hadley, who eventually started her own pottery.

John B Taylor Pottery continued to produce unique pieces until 1973 when it was sold to Louisville Stoneware. Most of the ceramics have been sold in the Kentucky and Ohio region. It continues today.