Q. Can you tell me about any famous glassmakers in America in the 1600-1700s?

Overview

Although glassmaking was America's first industry, little glassblowing took place in the American colonies in the 1600s. Wealthy American colonists imported glassware, while most settlers used drinking vessels made of other materials like wood and pewter. Window glass was scarce.

Nearly 20 factories were started between 1732 and 1780 in North America, and there was a large market for window and bottle glass.

There are some names that you should know when studying early American glassmaking.

Significant Figures in Early American Glassmaking

• Caspar Wistar
• Henry William Stiegel
• John Frederick Amelung

You can find additional resources on 17th- and 18th-century glassmakers in the Library catalog.

Books for Young People on Glassmaking in Colonial America

Three books written specifically for young people might be helpful for your project:

• Branse, J. L. A Day in the Life of a Colonial Glassblower. New York: PowerKids Press, 2002. Find in the Rakow Library | Find in a Library Near You
• Fisher, Leonard Everett. The Glassmakers. Colonial American Craftsmen. New York: Franklin Watts, 1964. Find in the Rakow Library | Find in a Library Near You
• Petersen, Christine. The Glassblower. Tarrytown, NY: Marshall Cavendish Benchmark, 2012. Find in the Rakow Library | Find in a Library Near You

Museum Objects from This Period

View Museum objects from this period to uncover the names of other manufacturers, makers, and engravers.

Additional Online Resources from The Corning Museum of Glass

• Robert Hewes, Glass Manufacturer
• Glass in America

Please don't hesitate to contact us with your glass-related questions in the future!