The West Virginia Museum of American Glass

A couple weeks back I had a chance to visit one of my favorite museums: The West Virginia Museum of American Glass in Weston, WV. It's been several years since I've been able to stop by, even though we pass the museum at least three times a year. We are always on our way somewhere else, or in a hurry to get home.

This time, however, we took the time to stop, and I was able to get my eyes filled up again with beautiful glass. I don't know what it is about well-madeglass, but it just takes my breath away sometimes.

Jesse Corlis of Corlis Creative was hard at work once again on the huge mural on the side of the building. He's come a long way since I stopped to talk to him a couple months back.

Blenko Man is on display again in the front window--an amazing artwork made entirely from Blenko glass.

Inside, oh my!

Row after row of cabinets and shelves, filled with glass. All of it is identified by maker and year.

There is antique glass to modern glass, intricate Early American Pattern Glass to smooth contemporary Blenko and Viking to Fire-King and Hazel Atlas kitchen glass, industrial glass, marbles...you name it, they probably have it.

Early American Pattern Glass (EAPG), so dear to my heart. This glass was madde between 1870-1914 or so. There are thousands of patterns, and each has a name and/or number. There were hundreds of makers of this table glassware, many of them in West Virginia and the Ohio River Valley.

H.C. Fry Glass, a company I am only just beginning to learn about.

This, if I remember correctly, is glass by Akro Agate. The jade green pieces surprised me.

A display of gobles from early colonial times to the present is an interesting perspective on glass history and glassmaking techniques.

And paperweights! Cases full of them, most donated by one collector.

More goblets. I have a fair collection of EAPG goblets, but nothing like this.

Glass canes on the left, stretch or swung glass vases in the center.

Children's glassware

 A  stained glass mansion--what a piece of artwork! I sold a stained glass steamboat last year, and I thought that was something. This is really a showpiece.

A crew of volunteers keep this place operating, and continually change up the displays to there is always something new to see.  Memberships are available as well, and members get a magazine that is always informative and full of photos. I have been a member for several years, and am happy to support the mission of this very cool museum. To join, visit http://www.magwv.com/

Copyright Susanna Holstein. All rights reserved. No Republication or Redistribution Allowed without attribution to Susanna Holstein.