Episode 26: Museum of American Glass

Curator's Choice

Happy October! For the first episode of our mini-series “October in Weston, West Virginia”, we meet with Larry Woods at the Museum of American Glass. We talk about the impressive history of glass; from glass made in ancient Rome and Egypt, to its production from the late 1700s until after the Civil War, and specifically, the more recent history of glass in the small town of Weston. Though none now remain, at one point in time Weston had 5 glass factories, and the region was considered a global center of glassmaking.

Mini Glass Mansion

The astounding Glass Mansion featured at the museum was made with almost 1,200 pieces of glass, has 2 stories, 13 rooms, and the largest section of the dollhouse weighs over 100 lbs. It was created by Linda Young, commissioned by Barbara and Bernie Bischoff as their 50th wedding anniversary present.

Steuben Art Glass Collection

The museum’s Steuben Glass Collection is comprised of over 200 pieces, with a single piece alone weighing 33.5 pounds! Steuben glass is considered the finest crystal you can find because of its reflective characteristics.
Episode Links:

• Museum of American Glass: http://magwv.com/

• Stueben Glass Company: https://www.steuben.com/

• Journal of Antiques and Collectibles, Building a Glass Museum by the Numbers: https://journalofantiques.com/features/building-glass-museum-numbers/

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Curator's Choice - A podcast for history nerds and museum lovers