American Glass Factories
Most of the workers at the American
Glass Companies originally came from Europe, where they had apprenticed and
worked at French, Bohemian, or British glassworks. They brought with them the
skills, techniques, and aesthetics the French companies employed in making their
paperweights and other glassware.
American glass companies started
in New England and along the eastern seaboard. Deming Jarves became famous for
the New England Glass Company and the Boston &
Sandwich Glass Company, both of which he helped to found in Massachusetts.
Another glassworks represented in the Barker Collection are Whitall
Tatum Company in Millville, New Jersey, where Emil
Larson worked for several companies. West Virginia also boasted several
glass companies, such as Morgantown Glassware
Guild and Gentile Glass Company. Other individual American artisans with
weights in the collection are Charles Kaziun of Brockton, Massachusetts and
Ronald Hansen of Mackinaw City, Michigan.