Fostoria Glass Company

The Fostoria Glass Company was founded in 1887 by Lucian B. Martin and a group of investors in Fostoria, Ohio. Natural gas had just been discovered in this region, which made the prospects for running a glass factory there very good. Four years later, the natural gas ran out, leaving the glass company the options of either closing their doors or moving. They chose to move to Moundsville, West Virginia in 1891. The company built a single furnace, which could fire 14 pieces at a time. They began making oil lamps, cologne bottles, fingerbowls, vases, candelabra, inkwells, sponge cups and even fruit jars. In 1902, W. A. B. Dalzell became the president, and he brought the company to greatness. In 1915, they introduced what would become their most successful pattern: American. This ice cube shaped pattern is still produced today by another company. By 1920, the company had built four more furnaces. In 1924, they introduced colored glass. They began an advertising campaign in the Ladies' Home Journal, Vogue and other popular magazines of the day showing off this new trend in glassware. They became the premier glassware company, even after many other glass companies began similar media blitzes.

Etched patterns became popular in the 1930s and 1940s. Fostoria created a series known as "Master Etchings" which featured patterns etched by master craftsmen. Popular new patterns were Navarre, introduced in 1936, and Meadow Rose. They also offered deeply colored glass in greens, reds and blues as well as the pastel pinks, greens and yellows. During World War II, production was limited, but the company did the best they could to keep their employees working at least part time. After the war, business boomed, peaking in 1950. Classic patterns like Chintz, Colony and Romance were introduced during the war and post-war, and in 1958, The Jamestown pattern was introduced to commemorate the 350th anniversary of glass blowing in the colony of Jamestown. The company began a marketing strategy that kept them in the forefront of glassware for several years that featured a consumer direct magazine and display rooms built into department and jewelry stores.

In the 1970s and 1980s, less expensive glassware became available from foreign sources, and glass sales declined. Trends changed to more casual or disposable tableware. In 1983, the company sold out to Lancaster American. The factory was closed down in 1986. Today, a company known as Whitehall owns the molds to the old Fostoria Glass American design, and still manufactures it. Collectors must be aware of the new models so they don't pay more than they should for a modern glass when they think they are getting an antique. Colored pieces made by Fostoria also are worth more than the same patterns in clear glass.


The Glass Patterns Include:
American
Baroque
Buttercup
Coin
Colony
Fairfax
Hermitage
Jamestown
June
Kashmir
Navarre
New Garland
Seville
Sun Ray
Trojan
Versailles
Vesper

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