Q. What are good resources for glassblowing in the colonial days of New York State?

Image: Bottle with the Seal of Richard Wistar, Wistarburgh Glass Works, Alloway, NY,about 1745-1755. Gift of Miss Elizabeth Wistar. 86.4.196.

This sounds like a fun project! The Rakow Research Library has a few books that might be useful.

Children's Books on Colonial Glassblowing

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

You can find other kid-friendly books about glass here, including two American Girl mysteries that may have more information on early American glassblowing:

• Buckey, Sarah Masters. Enemy in the Fort. Middleton, Wis: Pleasant Co, 2001. Find in the Rakow Library | Find in a Library Near You
• McDonald, Megan. Shadows in the Glasshouse. Middleton, WI: Pleasant Company Publications, 2000. Find in the Rakow Library | Find in a Library Near You

Online Resources

• The National Park Service page, "Glassmaking at Jamestown."
• Glassblower Eric Schneider demonstrates glassblowing at Jamestown Glasshouse.
• Jamestown Rediscovery has information on the glasshouse originally in Jamestown on its page "Glasshouse: The Dream of Exporting Glass."

Museum Objects from This Period

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

Borrowing Library Materials

If you wish to borrow copies of library items, please contact your local library. The Rakow Research Library will lend designated books from its collection and will send copies of articles requested by other libraries. Your library can request items through the OCLC WorldShare Interlibrary Loan (ILL) system or by direct request through email at ill@cmog.org. For more information, please see our ILL policies and procedures.

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