LibGuides: Itinerant Glassworkers: Books & Articles

Books

Social life in the reign of Queen Anne: taken from original sources by John Ashton
Call Number: Secured Stacks - Rare Books DA485 .A82 1897*
Publication Date: 1897
Includes advertisements for two traveling glassworkers who demonstrated in England during Queen Anne's reign, p. 218-219.
Contemporary Lampworking by Bandhu Scott Dunham
Call Number: Stacks TP859.2 .D91 3rd ed. (also in Secured Stacks and Ready Reference)
ISBN: 9780965897211
Publication Date: 2002
Includes information on the history of itinerant glassworkers, spread over p. 18-27.
Contemporary Lampworking by Bandhu Scott Dunham (Illustrator); Henry Grimmett (Contribution by); Paul Stankard (Foreword by)
Call Number: Stacks TP859.2 .D91 3rd ed. v. 3 (also in Secured Stacks and Ready Reference)
ISBN: 9780965897235
Publication Date: 2010
Includes information on the history of itinerant glassworkers and their glass steam engines and other kinetic machines, pp. 120-121, pp. 124-125.
British Glass, 1800-1914 by Charles R. Hajdamach
Call Number: Stacks NK5143 .H15 (also in Secured Stacks and Ready Reference)
ISBN: 9781851491414
Publication Date: 2003
Mentions itinerant glassworkers such as S. Edwards, Charles David Aubin, Mr. Johnson, Antonio Lerau, and Billy Swingewood, p. 384-386.
American Fancy by Sumpter T. Priddy
Call Number: Stacks NK806 .P75 2004z
ISBN: 9780972435390
Publication Date: 2004
19th-century demonstrations by traveling glassworkers including Lawrence Finn, p.187-188.

Articles

The Evolution of Flameworking in 20th-Century America: Performance Art in Carnivals, the Circus, World's Fairs, and Tourist Attractions by Shane Fero
Call Number: Periodicals NK5110 .G23j
Publication Date: 2004
The Glass Art Society Journal, 2004, p. 66-68.
Remember? The Bohemian Glass Blowers by Lewis Philip Hall
Call Number: Periodicals NK5112 .G25
Publication Date: 1989
Gatherings, v. 13, no. 1, Feb. 1989, p. 7
Bohemian Glass Blowers' show in North Carolina in the 1880s (Woodroffe and C. H. Carling). Reprinted from The State, North Carolina magazine, Nov. 15, 1969.
Glass blowing and working in miniature by Rebecca Hopman
Call Number: Open Stacks NK5102.C8 .C81n
Publication Date: 2018
Notable Acquisitions 2017, The Corning Museum of Glass, p. 21.
Wonderful mechanism J. Tilley, fancy glass blower, from London by Rebecca Hopman
Call Number: Open Stacks NK5102.C8 .C81n
Publication Date: 2017
Notable Acquisitions 2016, The Corning Museum of Glass, p. 16.
Gathering a Crowd: A Look at Glassmaking Demonstrations of the Past by Rebecca Hopman and Alexandra Ruggiero
Call Number: Periodicals NK5110. G23j
Publication Date: 2017
The Glass Art Society Journal, (2016), pp. 49-51. Authors discuss the ininerant glassworkers & traveling troups who entertained by giving glassmaking demonstrations from the 17th century to the present.
Wonderful Mechanisms: Engaging Audiences with Glass Engines by Rebecca Hopman
Call Number: Online access only. See Reference Librarian for login.
Publication Date: 2017
From: GASnews, v. 28, issue 1 (Spring 2017), pgs. 18-19.
Glass steam engines, historical and contemporary, including information on George Woodroffe and Bandhu Dunham.
Scott’s splendid glass working exhibition in miniature by Rebecca Hopman
Call Number: Open Stacks NK5102.C8 .C81n
Publication Date: 2015
Notable Acquisitions 2014, The Corning Museum of Glass, p. 25.
Skill of the Wandering Glass-Blowers by Bea Howe
Call Number: VF: Glass types -- Glass friggers and novelties -- General and other
Publication Date: 1957
From: Country Life, v. 122, no. 3158, July 1957, pp. 159-160. Includes a first-hand account of an itinerant glassworker's performance, as well as mentions of several individual glassworkers. Also includes information on glasshouse employees who produce glass friggers/whimsies.
Glass Toys for Georgian Grown-Ups by G. Bernard Hughes
Call Number: Periodicals S3 .C85
Publication Date: 1972
Country Life, 151, No. 3910, May 25, 1972 pp. 1332-1334 (see also VF Glass production - Great Britain - England - 18th century)
Lampworked miniatures and toys from the 19th and early 19th centuries. Includes information about early British glassmakers, including Mr. Grillet, E.L. Ward, J. Andrews, and T. Powell.
Some Notes on Fancy Glass Artists by Arlene Palmer
Call Number: Periodicals NK5112 .G54
Publication Date: 1990
The Glass Club Bulletin, no. 161, Spring 1990, p. 11-13
19th-c. lampworking demonstrations by traveling troupes.
Glass-Blowing Family Wins Fame in Ancient Art by Kenneth M. Swezey
Call Number: VF: Glassmaking -- Lampworking -- History
Publication Date: 1940
Popular Science, (Nov. 1940), p. 106-108
Lampworking by the Howell family; includes step-by-step illustration of the process.
The Intrepid Troupers by Virginia Wright
Call Number: Periodicals NK5112 .G54
Publication Date: 1994
The Glass Club Bulletin, no. 174, Fall/Winter 1994, p. 5-11
19th-c. itinerant fancy glassblowers and their glass steam engines. Includes many images from the Rakow Library's collection.
Glass Line
Call Number: Periodicals TP859 .G55
This bimonthly newsletter focuses on lampworking/flameworking. Early issues (1980s-90s) include articles about itinerant glassworkers who demonstrated at tourist attractions or traveled through the country.

Additional Library Resources

Glassmaking -- Lampworking -- History
Call Number: Vertical File: Glassmaking -- Lampworking -- History
This file contains information on the history of lampworking/flameworking, including articles on specific lampworkers (including Leigh/Lee Howell), Loeber, Pelouze, Olivier de Marche, and general topics.
Glass Types - Glass Friggers/Whimsies
Call Number: Vertical File: Glass Types - Glass Friggers/Whimsies
This file contains information on glass whimsies/friggers - both those made by factory workers in their spare time and those made by itinerant glassworkers. Includes folders on: balls (garden crystal, gazing), canes, fire grenade bottles, fishing floats, rolling pins, target balls, witch balls, bogardus balls, general information, and more.
Glass Types - Novelties - Itinerant Glassblowers
Call Number: Vertical File: Glass Types - Novelties - Itinerant Glassblowers
This file contains information on itinerant glassworkers, including Madam Nora, C.H. Carling, Lawrence Finn, Alex Fraser, W.L. Jukes, S. Owen, Madam J. Reith (or Rieth), J. Tilley, the Woodroffe family, and others. The file also contains Virginia Wright's notes on itinerant glassworkers, including her notes for the Curator's Choice presentation she gave in 1994 (see Videos for a recording).
Lampwork: artists and firms by J. Stanley Brothers
Call Number: Secured Stacks - J. Stanley Brothers Collection: Glass decorating techniques: Lampwork: artists and firms (1878-1970)
Publication Date: 1878-1970
This file contains information on individual lampworkers including Leopold and Rudolf Blaschka, the Howell family, and Ronald Hansen. The file also contains information on firms doing lampwork, organized alphabetically.

Robert & Marie Howell

Robert M. Howell, Jr. and wife Marie Howell flameworking, [1960]. Larry Williams collection. (CMGL 152162)

Search Library Collections and More

Find Answers to Your Glass Questions

Interlibrary Loan

Interlibrary Loan (ILL) is a cooperative library service that allows you to borrow materials through your local library. For more information visit our ILL page or e-mail ILL@cmog.org.

Itinerant Glassworkers: Books & Articles

Books

Articles

Additional Library Resources

Robert & Marie Howell

Search Library Collections and More

Find Answers to Your Glass Questions

Interlibrary Loan

Rakow Research Library Hours

Open by appointment only

Phone and Appointment Hours:

Research Consultations:

Museum Hours: