Fostoria Glass Company

Fostoria Glass Company

Company type	Private company
Industry	Glassware
Founded	December 15, 1887 in Fostoria, Ohio
Founder	Lucian B. Martin, William S. Brady
Defunct	1986
Headquarters	Moundsville, West Virginia, U.S.
Key people	Lucian B. Martin, William S. Brady, Charles Foster, William A. B. Dalzell
Products	Glassware tableware candelabras
Number of employees	1000 (peak in 1950)

The Fostoria Glass Company specialized in producing pressed, blown, and hand-molded glassware and tableware. Established on December 15, 1887 in Fostoria, Ohio by skilled glass artisans originating from West Virginia, the firm initially capitalized on the availability of inexpensive natural gas as a fuel source. The exhaustion of this energy supply necessitated a move to Moundsville, West Virginia in 1891.

Following the relocation, Fostoria earned nationwide acclaim as a premier manufacturer of refined glass products, offering more than 1,000 distinct designs. Among these was the enduring American pattern, which remained in production for over seven decades. The company maintained showrooms in key metropolitan areas including New York, Chicago, Dallas, and San Francisco. Its marketing efforts were notably proactive, featuring bridal registries and supplying glassware to multiple U.S. presidents. At its zenith around 1950, Fostoria employed approximately 1,000 individuals.

During the 1970s, increased competition from overseas markets and evolving consumer tastes pressured the company to adopt automation to lower expenses; nevertheless, profitability continued to decline. By 1980, the commercial sector was operating at a loss, culminating in the plant’s final shutdown on February 28, 1986. Subsequent producers such as Dalzell-Viking Glass Company and Indiana Glass Company continued manufacturing Fostoria designs before they too ceased operations.

Background

In the latter part of the 19th century, labor costs and fuel expenses were significant factors influencing glass manufacturing in the United States. European-trained craftsmen from Wheeling’s J. H. Hobbs, Brockunier and Company brought advanced skills that shaped the workforce quality across regional glass factories. By the 1870s, Hobbs had become the nation’s largest glass producer. Many skilled workers from Hobbs went on to establish or lead other companies within the region.

Efficient transportation systems were essential for distributing glass products; waterways and rail networks enabled effective shipment. By 1880, leading glass-producing counties were typically located along waterways—Allegheny County ranked highest by production value followed by Belmont County in Ohio and Ohio County in West Virginia.

Fuel accessibility was a critical concern due to its substantial impact on manufacturing costs. Natural gas became favored for its clean-burning properties and controllable heat output. The discovery of natural gas near Findlay, Ohio in 1886 prompted communities across northwest Ohio to attract glass manufacturers by offering inexpensive fuel sources along with free land and financial incentives. This approach led to the establishment of over seventy glass factories in the region between 1886 and 1900.

Beginning

In July 1887, the Fostoria Glass Company was officially established in West Virginia. The founders selected Fostoria, Ohio to take advantage of the recently discovered natural gas resources and secured financial incentives ranging from $5,000 to $6,000. The manufacturing facility was situated on South Vine Street, strategically positioned to benefit from several railroad lines. The furnace installed had a capacity of twelve pots, and the workforce initially numbered 125 employees. Production of tableware, barware, and lamps commenced on December 15, 1887.

The company's founders brought valuable experience from their previous roles at Hobbs, Brockunier and Company in Wheeling. Lucian B. Martin, appointed as the first president, had previously served as a sales executive there. William S. Brady, the secretary, possessed financial management expertise gained at Hobbs and oversaw operations at a Wellsburg glass plant. James B. Russell and Benjamin M. Hildreth were also former Hobbs employees; Russell had additional experience working in Pittsburgh’s glass industry. Otto Jaeger, who led engraving at Hobbs, provided specialized skills. The board included former Ohio governor Charles Foster, son of the city’s namesake.

Henry Humphreville was recruited as plant manager, bringing further knowledge from Brady's Riverside Glass Company and Pittsburgh's glass sector. Many of the initial workforce came from the Wheeling region, with at least twenty skilled artisans recruited from Bellaire, Ohio. Important craftsmen Henry and Jacob Crimmel had backgrounds at Belmont Glass Company and Hobbs; they contributed family glass formulas used during the company’s early production stages.

Early products

Initially, the firm concentrated on pressed glass items such as candle holders, candelabras, and banquet lamps. Their first pressed glass product was a salt dip identified as pattern number 93. One of the earliest popular designs was Cascade, characterized by a swirling motif applied to candelabras, ink wells, and tableware pieces including sugar containers, creamers, and butter dishes. This design endured under various names over time.

Prominent designers included Charles E. Beam, who led the molding department and later joined the board. Beam secured a patent in 1890 for a glass mold that enabled chandelier and candelabra components to feature small holes; among his notable creations is a dish with a dolphin-shaped cover highly prized by collectors. Company president Lucien B. Martin also held patents for designs such as the Cascade inkstand (1890) and a paperweight with swirl sides (1891).

By Christmas 1888, the company launched its initial Virginia pattern, which was soon imitated by competitors. Fostoria Glass then produced its own version of this imitation under the name Captain Kidd. This pattern was subsequently marketed as Foster or Foster Block in tribute to founder Charles Foster. Advertisements promoted butter dishes, spoon holders, sugar bowls, and creamers within this collection.

The Valencia pattern (number 205), frequently referred to as Artichoke due to its leaf-like design on the lower portion of the glass, appeared in trade publications by early 1891. The extensively collected Victoria pattern stood out as the company’s sole patented design and bore resemblance to French styles—reflecting Fostoria’s employment of French glass artisans. However, after relocating production to Moundsville, all molds associated with Victoria vanished under mysterious circumstances, leading to permanent discontinuation of this line.

Relocation to Moundsville

The gas boom in Northwest Ohio concluded with shortages during the winter of 1890–91. In April 1891, executives of Fostoria Glass opted to move operations to Moundsville, West Virginia, drawn by the availability of coal and a $10,000 cash incentive offered by the local community. They also secured a decade-long contract for affordable coal supply. The relocation was publicly announced in September 1891. The original Fostoria facility was sold to a group of investors led by executive Otto Jaeger, who subsequently established the Seneca Glass Company.

In December, the transition faced a brief setback due to a restraining order filed by shareholders from the Crimmel family, who argued they had not been consulted. This injunction was eventually lifted, allowing the move to proceed by the end of the month.

The initial furnace at Moundsville featured a capacity of 14 pots. Instead of burning coal directly, it utilized coal gas produced from local coal sources. Approximately 60 employees made the transition from Fostoria to the new Moundsville plant.

Operations in Moundsville

By 1899, Fostoria had aligned itself with the National Glass Company trust. However, co-founders Lucien Martin and William Brady departed for National Glass by 1901, and Fostoria itself never joined the trust.

In 1901, William A. B. Dalzell came on board as general manager, bringing with him significant expertise in glass manufacturing and key personnel such as Calvin B. Roe. Dalzell quickly advanced to vice president and subsequently held roles as president or chairman from 1902 until his death in 1928, guiding the company to national prominence.

By 1903, Fostoria operated two substantial furnaces and constructed a three-story building housing an additional 14-pot furnace, earning it recognition as "probably the largest independent flint glass concern in the country." By 1904, its workforce numbered around 800 employees. The product range included decorated lamps, globes, shades, blown and pressed tableware, lead-blown tumblers and stemware, as well as various novelties. The company was well-regarded for its broad product selection and effective marketing strategies targeting diverse customer segments.

Products Manufactured at Moundsville

Fostoria emerged as a premier producer of elegant glass, offering more than 1,000 patterns including those designed by artist George Sakier. Among its notable patterns were American, Kashmir, June, Trojan, and Versailles. The Colony pattern (2412), produced from the 1930s until 1983 in crystal form and later reissued as Maypole in colored glass, highlighted their innovation in product design. Many patterns were crafted from high-quality crystal and enhanced through etching or cutting techniques to increase their aesthetic value. The Lincoln pattern (1861), named after Abraham Lincoln’s presidential inauguration year, stood out as a prominent pressed tableware design frequently featured in industry journals.

Originally concentrating on oil lamps and commercial barware, Fostoria shifted focus toward upscale home tableware following Prohibition’s impact on barware demand. In 1915, the company introduced its signature American pattern (2056), distinguished by block geometric motifs and produced until 1988, which became its flagship offering. At that time, leadership consisted of President W. A. B. Dalzell, Vice President C. B. Roe, Secretary-Treasurer A. C. Scroggins Jr., with W. S. Brady serving on the board.

By the mid-1920s, Fostoria pioneered full crystal dinner sets—the first of their kind in the industry—and launched colored dinnerware lines alongside a nationwide advertising campaign aimed at affluent consumers. The company also played a role in developing the bridal registry market. To address affordability concerns, lower-cost dinner sets were manufactured using automated pressing molds featuring decorative "lacy" patterns designed to conceal imperfections.

By 1926, Fostoria’s catalog included approximately 10,000 items with a workforce peaking near 650 employees before the onset of the Great Depression. Popular etched patterns from this period included June (1928–1951), notable for color dating; Versailles (1928–1943), primarily used on plates; and Trojan (1929–1943), which incorporated rose and topaz glass with later additions of gold tinting. By 1928, Fostoria had become the largest producer of handmade glass in the United States, reflecting its dominant market position and strategic emphasis on product innovation and development.

Economic Hardship and Post-War Era

Throughout the Great Depression, Fostoria manufactured glassware catering to both upscale and economical consumers. Among the favored etched designs was Navarre (1937–1980), which initially appeared on clear crystal and later on colored glass, frequently combined with the Baroque pattern—a design produced from 1937 until 1965 for stemware and dinnerware. The Chintz pattern (1940–1973), characterized by motifs of branches, leaves, and flowers, was commonly etched onto Baroque glass pieces. Around this period, the Colony pattern was introduced and continued to be made into the 1970s. Another enduring design, Century, debuted in 1949 and remained in production through 1982 for both stemware and tableware. During the 1940s, Fostoria promoted its products through advertisements placed in publications such as Ladies Home Journal.

Fostoria reached its zenith in 1950, employing approximately 1,000 workers who produced more than 8 million glass and crystal items annually. The company’s reputation for high-quality craftsmanship combined with extensive nationwide advertising established it as the leading producer of handcrafted glassware in the United States. Remarkably, every U.S. president from Dwight D. Eisenhower to Ronald Reagan utilized Fostoria glassware. Prominent patterns throughout the 1950s included Rose (1951–1973), a cut-glass design applied to both stemware and tableware; Wedding Ring (1953–1975), featuring decorative elements; and Jamestown (1958–1982), available in clear crystal and seven colored variants, with ruby-stemmed pieces highly prized by collectors. The milk glass pattern named Vintage was produced between 1958 and 1965.

During the 1960s and 1970s, Fostoria broadened its marketing channels by establishing boutiques and creating displays within jewelry stores and department stores. By 1971, Marshall Field's became its largest retail partner—a significant client given their pioneering bridal registry program initiated in 1935. Concurrently, the company published a consumer magazine titled "Creating with Crystal." The Woodland pattern was launched in 1975 and remained available until 1981.

Morgantown Acquisition

In 1965, Fostoria purchased the Morgantown Glassware Guild, a company recognized for its barware and tableware collections. Morgantown's prominence increased when First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy chose its glassware for official use at the White House—a marketing angle Fostoria sought to capitalize on. Morgantown’s offerings served as fashionable entry-level tableware; however, profitability was short-lived due to department stores eliminating secondary suppliers and restaurants moving toward machine-produced glass items. Consequently, Fostoria shut down the Morgantown manufacturing facility in 1971.

Company Decline

By mid-century, president David B. Dalzell acknowledged growing challenges from domestic competitors, foreign imports, and mechanization. In the 1970s, increasing volumes of machine-made lead-crystal tableware imports compelled Fostoria to invest significantly in automated production equipment. This transition sparked labor disputes and strikes within the workforce. By 1980, the company’s commercial segment was operating at a loss.

In 1983, Fostoria’s manufacturing plant was sold to Lancaster Colony Corporation based in Columbus, Ohio; this facility was permanently closed three years later in 1986. At that time, leadership rested with Kenneth B. Dalzell, a fourth-generation family executive. In 1987, Dalzell acquired Viking Glass located in New Martinsville, West Virginia, rebranding it as Dalzell-Viking. Various firms purchased Fostoria’s molds and remaining stock; Dalzell-Viking continued producing patterns such as American, Baroque, and Coin, frequently employing former Fostoria employees and using original molds—making it difficult to distinguish production origins. Dalzell-Viking ceased operations in 1998.

See also

• Heisey Glass Company
• Cambridge Glass

Further reading

• Bones, Frances. Fostoria Glassware, 1887-1982: Identification and Values: 95 Years of Glassmaking. Collector Books, 1999. 446 pages.
• Kerr, Ann. Fostoria: an Identification and Value Guide of Pressed, Blown & Hand Molded Shapes. Collector Books, 1994. 360 pages.
• Piña, Leslie. Fostoria American: line 2056. A Schiffer Book for Collectors. Schiffer Pub., 2006. 160 pages.
• Long, Milbra & Seate, Emily. Fostoria Stemware: The Crystal for America. Collector Books, 2008. 268 pages.
• Skrabec, Quentin R. Edward Drummond Libbey, American glassmaker. McFarland, 2011.
• Weatherman, Hazel M. Fostoria: Its First Fifty Years. The Weathermans, 1972. 320 pages.
• Williams, Juanita L. Fostoria Glass: Scarce, Unique, and Whimsies. Schiffer Pub., 2004. 256 pages.

External links

• Fostoria Glass Society
• Fostoria Ohio Glass Association
• National Depression Glass Association - Fostoria advertisements
• "Crystal Clear" – Promotional film from 1946 sponsored by Fostoria Glass