Tags
Acid Etched, Canadian, Etched Glass, George Truog, Lord's Prayer, Maryland Glass Etching, Tumbler
A very nice lady sent me some feedback on the 2nd glass she pointed me in the direction of Buckeye Glass and the designer Xavier Zgraggen.
This is what the Early American Pattern Glass SOciety (eapgs.net) has to say:
” Buckeye Glass Company (Martins Ferry-OH, Company Operated: 1876-1896), Introduced: c1890 Introduced
NOTE: Sid Lethbridge 2021: Speculated by Buckeye. Bird & Castle etched. Part of a water set that appears in Butler Bros. catalogs of the early 1890s. It is often found with an XZ or Z signature that we now suspect is Xavier Zgraggen. He was the head of the etching department at Buckeye Glass from the late 1880s to 1893.”
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June 25, 2016
I am always on the lookout for these acid etched glasses. Came across this tumbler on ebay. It wasn’t advertised as a piece by Truog, but I wanted to have a look nonetheless.
I don’t see any markings and I didn’t find the photo in Mr. Murschell’s book (see below) nor in the Treasury of Canadian Glass.
This glass is not the same thin walled tumbler as the others I own. It is heavier with thicker glass and is a slightly different shape.
Mr. Murschell makes reference in his book (page 42) to the two different types of tumblers used by the Maryland Glass Etching Company – thin walled blown lead tumblers and heavy, clumsy, cheaper pressed tumblers. He indicates that most of the tumblers were purchased from the Seneca Glass Company of Morgantown, West Virginia. I have to wonder if this is an example of the pressed glasses from Maryland Glass, although the shape is slightly different – the sides aren’t as straight.
I’ll keep looking for the markings!
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This post – March 6, 2016
I bought a great book online – George Truog and his art by Dale L. Murschell. It has quite a number of photos of the acid etched tumblers attributed to Truog. I still do not understand how some of these pieces are attributed to Lamont, but some day I will figure it out.
I have this glass with an intricate decoration of birds, castle, flowers, etc. It didn’t appear in Mr. Murschell’s book and I have been unable to find the initials “GT” or any other Truog mark. Interestingly the letters “XZ” appear.
I like this glass very much, but would love to determine its provenance. In the interim I am going to keep looking for a “GT” signature.
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January 23, 2016
Here’s a verified George Truog signature. Turns out I have at least two pieces with the “GT” initials.
I guess this tumbler was decorated at the Maryland Glass Etching Company, not from Lamont.
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March 19, 2015
I accidentally came across a ‘puzzlement’. Since this last post I have acquired two additional etched “Lord’s Prayer” Tumblers. They have slightly different details and the script is also different.
It is difficult to pick up the “angel’ on the middle tumbler, so I have taken a separate photo – hope it is somewhat clear. The same one also has an etch of the name “Elma 1901” on the back. I read somewhere that itinerants would etch names on glasses at carnivals and fairs way back when.
I have three books on Canadian glass that all refer to these pieces as having been made by the Lamont Glass Company of Nova Scotia.
I’ve decided to pick up variants of these tumblers when I come across them. So I was searching ebay and come across another with a gold rim. I have purchased it and it is on route.
However I was further looking for information about the gilt on the edge when I came across this article – Maryland Glass Etching Works.
The article speaks about the history of this company which was started by George Truog. The article describes his life and businesses and makes reference to his acid etched tumblers. There is a photo of a number of examples including a “Lord’s Prayer” tumbler with a gold rim.
I wondered if Mr. Truog had a relationship with the Canadian Lamont Glass, but this article doesn’t say and I haven’t done any additional research.
According to the article Mr. Truog’s initials “GT” are contained in his etches. I couldn’t find them in these three tumblers, but am looking forward to seeing my ‘new’ one arrive.
In the interim I am going to keep looking for others and maybe do a bit more research.
Original Post – January 24, 2015
There is a real neat antiques store in Toronto called Around the Block. It is a consignment store that sells glass, china, furniture, jewellery, silver, etc. etc. The prices decrease monthly if an item doesn’t sell.
We were in there awhile back and I saw this glass. I didn’t buy it. Least of all it has chips. But I thought about it. A month or so later we stopped in again. It was there and I HAD to have it.
I had never seen anything like it. I have since found out that it was made in Nova Scotia by the Lamont Glass Company. Likely made at the end of the nineteenth, or early twentieth century. I have since bought two others, with slightly different decorations. I’ll add the photos when I take them!
I have bought some interesting books about Canadian glass. One, Treasury of Canadian Glass by Doris & Peter Unitt, has a photo of a page of these etched glasses. There are other decorations, but I’ve not come across any of them “live”. I will be keeping my eyes open!