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Company History

CENTRAL GLASS WORKS, Wheeling, West Virginia (1863-1939).

Sometimes referred to as the East Wheeling Glass Works. Founded as a co-operative factory by a group of glassworkers, including John Oesterling, who became the first president. He was succeeded in 1883 by Nathan B. Scott, who had been sales manager and secretary of the company. In 1891, Central became factory O of the newly formed United States Glass Company. However, the plant was only operated for a short period by the combine and many of its molds were moved to other member factories. Nathan Scott resigned and was instrumental a few years later in engineering the purchase of the factory, which had lain idle since 1893, by a group of local investors. In 1896, the factory reopened with Scott once again established as its president. Although Scott had been a United States Senator since as early as 1887, he also remained president of the company until his death in 1924.

Central's early output included tableware, novelties, and lighting goods. Among many patterns known to collectors today, the most famous was their Silver Age pattern, or Coin glass, as it is better known. The reopened plant specialized in pressed and blown stemware, both cut and etched, and hotel and barware of all kinds. Throughout its history, Central sold large quantities of glassware outside the United States, particularly in England.

In 1919, they purchased the molds for the famous Chippendale pattern, which had been originated by the Ohio Flint Glass Company in 1907 and then made by the Jefferson Glass Company from 1908-1918. Central also obtained the rights to the Krys-Tol trademark. Pieces marked Krys-Tol might be from any of the three companies. With Prohibition affecting the market for many of Central's major products, this proved to be a timely acquisition, becoming their major line during the 1920s. In 1933, the molds were sold once again to George Davidson & Company in England.

In 1922, they began yet another new venture with the production of "off-hand table and fancy ware," produced without molds. These art glass pieces included candlesticks in heights ranging from 10" to 18". A spectacular example in cobalt blue and opal can be seen in the Oglebay Institute Glass Museum's collection and is included in their publication, Wheeling Glass, 1829-1939.

By the 1930s, the Depression was taking its toll. The company closed for a while in 1932 and only reopened when Prohibition was repealed. Even then, they were not able to fully recover and in 1939 they closed for good. At that time, the molds were sold to the Imperial Glass Corporation.

--From The Glass Candlestick Book, volume 1, by Tom Felt, Richard & Elaine Stoer. Reprinted with permission.

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Date:	08.03.2010 14:18
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Added by:	Tom Felt