The Phoenix Glass Company
The Phoenix Glass Company began in 1880 in the town of Monaca, Pennsylvania and like many other glass companies during the late nineteenth century, became well know for producing beautiful art glass. Phoenix originally made clear glass chimneys for oil lamps then expanded to include light bulbs, lamp shades in glass, and eventually art glass in the 1930’s. Their art glass line included etched glass designs, pressed glass patterns, sculptured glass, and pearlized milk glass which is considered a type of carnival glass. The pearlized milk glass, also known as satin pearl, was patented in 1885 by Phoenix. One of their patterns using this sheen was called “Lacy Dewdrop”, which was made into tumblers and fruit compotes. Sculptured art glass was made starting in the early 1930’s and involved a process where the external decorations on the vases or bowls were made separately in glass molds then applied to the glass creating a raised appearance, or relief. After the pieces were applied, the vase would then be re-fired in the kiln so the pieces would stay on permanently. Most sculpture ware produced by Phoenix was of only two colors, the base color of the vase, and a contrasting color forming the sculptured pieces. These sculptured pieces were usually signed “Phoenix Sculptured Artware” on the bottom of the vase or bowl. Phoenix Sculpture glass is quite pretty and the design used was frequently an overall design. Notable patterns used include: Love Birds, ferns, and blue phlox.
By 1901, the company employed 1,000 skilled glassmakers and distributed a million dollars worth of lighting products every year globally. In 1910, Phoenix Glass experienced a $20,000.00 loss due to a fire which burned down their stock house in Monaca. The stock house was where the company stored merchandise ready to be shipped to retailers. Between 1933 and 1936 Phoenix Glass borrowed glass molds from Consolidated Lamp and Glass Company as the latter company was operating at a loss at the time. A line of glassware produced by Consolidated, called Martele, was created by Phoenix but called Reuben. After Consolidated was operating at a financial profit, Phoenix borrowed the technique of sculptured glass and continued to create their own designs. By 1941, Phoenix Glass operated plants in the towns of Monaca, Arnold, Jeannette, and Belle Vernon, all located in Pennsylvania.
Glassware that Phoenix produced while operating under Consolidated was labeled as Phoenix Consolidated. Some of the patterns created under this label include: dancing nymphs, Cosmos flowers, purple foxglove, bird of paradise, and seagulls. As with the original company label, Consolidated continued to use the overall pattern of a single design. There were a few exceptions, notably, the Madonna pattern, which is a profile of the Virgin Mary in white, cameo style, against a solid background of one of the following colors: blue, green, peach, brown, black, light gray, yellow, or burgundy.
1958 was the last year Phoenix produced sculptured glass and in 1970, the company was bought out by Anchor Hocking Glass. Phoenix glassware can usually be found at antique malls and markets. The sculpture glass produced by this company is worth collecting for its simple beauty.
Image credit: Softies Central, via Flickr.
