REVIEWS ON GLASS Nº 2 2013
phased out in the late 1890s as they fell from favor and the company shifted its attention to other products. In addition to the decorated art glass, the Mt. Washington Company also produced elaborate cut glass which was then quite fashionable in the United States. The cutting department was in operation from the 1870’s, until the Depression. Because their cut and engraved patterns were similar to those made by a number of other companies at the same time, the company is not as well-known today for this glass, even though that was a major product for a number of years, especially around the turn of the century. Mt. Washington did not use a trademark on its cut glass as some other companies did, so the pieces are not always easy to identify. Fortunately, the company patented several designs for cut glass in the early 1880’s and several catalogs of their cut glass production survive which show a variety of patterns. One of these, which dates from 1879-1883 shows very simple patterns (Fig. 5) but some rather elaborate shapes including hanging vases and oddly-shaped baskets. Around 1890, Mt. Washington’s cut glass patterns, like those of other companies, became much more elaborate. The company was one of the largest producers of cut glass in the
Cracker Jar in Crown Milano Glass. Mt. Washington Glass Company, New Bedford, Massachusetts, 1891-1895. The Corning Museum of Glass, (63.4.161) Gift of Fletcher Ford and Mrs. Sally Recker in memory of Lola Kincaid Ford.
country, and had more than 200 workers involved in this part of the business. The two surviving cut glass catalogs from the 1890’s as well as a number of advertisements document the patterns of this decade well. One of the simpler patterns is called “Mirror Block” and was patented in 1889. A number of cut glass pieces were made to go in Pairpoint silver-plated mounts as well Cut glass continued to be an important part of the company’s production until about 1910. After that, heavily cut glass was
less fashionable and the cut glass patterns became simpler. It continued to be produced until the company closed, however. Lighting was also an important product, ranging from the gas chandeliers which Shirley was originally hired to produce, to decorated art glass and cut glass kerosene lamps which were important in the 1880s and 1890s. The Burmese, Crown Milano and Royal Flemish lamps often had metal mounts and elaborately decorated
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