What is Imperial glass? Learn about Imperial glass and some of its history. Imperial Glass Company Cooperation was formed in 1901. It began production in 1904. It was a dominant player in the American handmade...
Imperial Glass Company Cooperation was formed in 1901. It began production in 1904. It was a dominant player in the American handmade glass industry, until their closing in 1984. At one time, they were the largest handmade glass factory under one roof in the United States. They produced a wide variety of glassware. What's interesting is that there were a huge number of glass companies in the United States in the 20th century. Many of these like the AHIC Company and The Cambridge Glass Company, both located in Ohio, made beautiful glassware patterns. What I have always felt is special about Imperial glass is the wide variety of products they made from pressed glass patterns. They were first formed to elegant glass patterns to things like flat glass, art glass, lusterware, and gift items. There is just an incredible array of different kinds of glass.
Q: All the Imperial glass pieces are handmade?
Yes.
Q: Are they from allover the world or just United States?
Imperial glass produced all their glass at their factory in Ohio.
Q: Why isn't Imperial glass in production still?
Over the course of time, they had to compete against rising energy costs. When they were first formed back in the early 20th century, coal and natural gas were abundant. As the century wore on, labor costs went up, changing market tastes, but they also had competition from foreign imports. Some of the other companies that I mentioned were formed in the latter part of the 19th century. Those companies went out of business. The AHIC Company went out of business in the late 50s. Cambridge went out of business in the early 60s; they were bought out by imperial. So Imperial became bigger and bigger.
In the early 70s, Imperial was struggling. At that time, they where taken over by the Lenox Cooperation. For the last 20 years or so of their existence, they focused more on their general production. That consisted of giftware products as opposed to the production of extensive patterns.
Q: Because Imperial glass is no longer in production, all the glass that was made is considered collective items now?
Yes. The National Imperial Glass Collectors Society was formed roughly 30 years ago and it is dedicated to the memory of imperial. It is dedicated to the workers who worked there all those years, and the glassware that they produced. The society has membership all over the country. There were Imperial glass collectors from (Japan to Europe. This society has roughly given or take a 1000 members or so. In 2003 we met a major objectives in that we opened the National Imperial Glass Museum in Bellair, Ohio.
