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Wheaton Glass Company History

Wheaton Glass Company, Millville, New Jersey.

Started in 1888 as the T. C. Wheaton Company by Dr. Theodore C. Wheaton, for a time they specialized in the production of blown pharmaceutical bottles and scientific glassware. By the late 1930s machine made pressed glass was added to the line, with specialization in glass containers for cosmetics and the health care market. As new opportunities arose, several additional companies were spun-off. Later, when several of these companies merged, the T. C. Wheaton Company took the name of its offspring and became known as the Wheaton Glass Company.

Prior to 1960, most of Wheaton?s sales were directly to manufacturers. As the market for glass containers was affected by the advent of plastics, Wheaton responded by establishing their own plastics company, but also began looking for opportunities to sell directly to the public. The Nuline Products Company was created to act as their consumer division, operating until 1967, continuing after that as Wheaton/Nuline until the 1970s. In addition, the Wheatonware division was formed in 1965 for the purpose of selling glassware through Tupperware-like house parties. In 1970, Frank Wheaton purchased 804 molds from the widow of John E. Kemple. He used them to re-issue several popular Kemple pieces, thereby creating the Kemple Collector?s Line. When marginal profits ended the home party business in 1975, another new division, called Wheatoncraft, was formed. This division advertised Hand-Pressed and Hand-Crafted glassware for sale though retail stores and the Wheaton Village gift shop. The Wheatoncraft line was discontinued in 1979 and all molds were transferred to the Wheaton Village Museum of American Glass, where they reside today.

? From The Glass Candlestick Book, volume 3, by Tom Felt, Rich & Elaine Stoer (reprinted with permission)

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Date:	30.04.2007 00:19
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Added by:	Tom Felt