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International collector of Early American glass Sid Lethbridge visited Bellaire for the first time this past week to complete a new book on Belmont Glass Works.
Lethbridge, who is from Bright’s Grove, Ontario, Canada, is nearly finished with his book that will feature color photographs, historical information and product descriptions, as it narrates the story of this Bellaire glass maker active from 1866-1890.
Lethbridge discovered Belmont Glass while researching Canadian pressed glass. He thought it was beautiful.
“I began collecting glass seriously in 1980, and I collect all Early American pattern glass made between the years of 1860-1910,” Lethbridge explained. The glass made at this time was crafted by skilled artisans, such as glass blowers, mould makers, glass engravers and decorators.
Located at 34th and Hamilton streets, Belmont Glass was the first glass factory in Bellaire, which became known as the Glass City in its heyday. Tableware, lamps, bar goods like tumblers and goblets made up the bulk of inventory for Belmont Glass.
Belmont Glass was a cooperative at its beginning, and the laborers were the owners, according to Lethbridge. The company had dozens of busy furnaces at its height of producton and relied on coal to make the glass. It closed during the 1890s as profit became a factor and the glass industry began to change because of fuel and labor costs and an oversupply of glass in the marketplace.
Lethbridge’s book relies heavily on his own research and the input of fellow collector Peter Thomas of the Minnesota Museum of American Pattern Glass. It also incorporates an original Belmont Glass catalog, which is invaluable for glass enthusiasts because Belmont Glass is not marked with a logo or company insignia.
Pressed glass was made by many glass companies in the late 1800s. As it was less expensive than the fancier cut glass, the average person could afford it, and it often found a place on the dinner table at holidays and Sunday dinner.
Many of the pieces of Belmont Glass that Lethbridge showed me were colored glass and really lovely. According to Lethbridge, Belmont Glass was known for its daisy and button pattern, which he considers the most beautiful example of daisy and button pattern made at the time. (Every glass house seemed to have a daisy button pattern.)
Because he lives in Canada and is located some distance from most of the pressed glass manufacturers’ hometowns, Lethbridge buys his treasures on eBay or through antique dealers. After I met him in Bellaire, he was headed to a glass researchers conference in Weston, W.Va., the home of the Museum of American Glass in West Virginia, which houses a huge collection of domestic glass (magwv.com).
He is self-publishing his latest book, which will be available in late May or June online and at museums including the Minnesota Museum, Weston Museum and others. I’m sure our own Words and Music Bookshop at Stratford will be able to get it for collectors locally as well.
His book would prove interesting to any pressed or pattern glass collector and certainly intrigued me with its local history connection and fancy glass images. Lethbridge also published two other glass books, one on acid etched pattern glass and another on Campbell, Jones and Company of Pittsburgh.
Lethbridge also gives talks and presentations at various clubs and organizations and will be speaking in Carlisle, Pa., to the Early American Pattern Glass Society (eapgs.org) on Friday, May 6. His subject will be etched pattern glass.
For comments or suggestions on local treasures to be featured in Antique of the Week, Maureen Zambito can be reached via e-mail at: zambitomaureen@hotmail.com or by writing in care of this newspaper.