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Jeannette Glass Company History

Jeannette Glass Company, Jeannette, Pa. (1898-1983).

Originally founded to produce bottles, by 1906 the Jeannette Glass Company had expanded its production to include salts, peppers and a number of specialties. Significantly, by this time they had already installed at least one machine for the manufacture of milk bottles. By 1922, they were making full lines of pressed ware and various decorative pieces, including some with light cuttings, but with an increased reliance on automation. In 1927, they discontinued all handmade production and in subsequent years produced machine-made glassware only. In 1930, they were reported to be the first company to produce a full line of tableware in three colors simultaneously - crystal, pink, and green - completely by machine. As a pioneer in what we now refer to as Depression Glass, they were responsible for many of the patterns popular with collectors today, such as Adam, Cherry Blossom, Doric, Windsor, and others. They also produced large amounts of kitchenware and items for the hotel and restaurant trade.

By 1947, the factory had doubled in size. In 1961, they expanded further when they purchased the McKee Glass Company and moved their entire facility to the newly acquired property, which was nearly three times the size of their previous location. After renovation, they boasted the largest electric glass furnace ever built. Their catalog for 1962 featured 5,220 items, including "Glasbake ovenware, tumblers, bar sets, gift items, glassware accessories for every room in the house." In 1971, they were renamed the Jeannette Corporation, having by this time purchased the Harker China Company, the Royal China Company, and Brookpark-Royalon, a manufacturer of melamine dinnerware. The combined revenues of all these subsidiaries for that year were in excess of $30,000,000. Candles were added to their product line in 1975, with the purchase of Old Harbor, Inc. A year later, the Walker China Company joined the Jeannette empire. While glass continued to be advertised, some of it was imported. It seems probable that all of this capital expansion contributed to Jeannette's closing just a few years later in 1983.

From The Glass Candlestick Book, volume 2, by Tom Felt, Rich & Elaine Stoer (reprinted with permission)

A photo update of the demise of Jeannette plant is available here: http://www.abandonedonline.net/2013/06/19/revisiting-jeannette-glass/

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Date:	29.04.2007 20:24
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Added by:	Tom Felt