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Heart of Glass - Blenko Glass

Blenko Glass is a West Virginia treasure that spans generations. Nothing symbolizes the state of West Virginia better or more beautifully than Blenko Glass. We will discuss current and former craftsmen and designers and how important it is that Blenko and West Virginia glass be appreciated and valued by the younger generation.

Sunday, April 20, 2008

Surprises - Upstairs at Blenko



Blenko Glass located off I - 64 in downtown
Milton, West Virginia.
This small factory, in business for nearly 100 years, is still making glass the old fashion way with many wooden molds, many teams of glass workers, excellent craftsmen working hard each to produce hand crafted ' Made In the USA GLASS ' -For those of you who love shopping and or a bargain / there is a little gift shop next to the factory called the VISITORS CENTER see http://www.blenkoproject.org/ inside the Visitors Center you'll find wonderful isles of glass and many one of a kind items, the upstairs contains vintage Blenko and a history of Blenko Glass and many tools of the trade and the walk way to the 'self guided tour' where one watches the workers making the glass. The upstairs also contains many - more than a dozen beautiful stain glass window panes. Some of the panels are shown in Richard Blenko's latest documentary. Learn more about the role Blenko plays in the world of the arts.
Blenko glass in the 1950s became the first company in the US to produce dalles utilizing a process bought to us by the French. Blenko Dalle de Verre is available in 54 standard colors plus 2 crystal. Blenko...just when you think you know...everything....you discover there is so o o o o much more - 100 years is a lot of history.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Beautiful picutres.
Will you do more Blenko people.
I like it when you and Ricky Blenko do those.
Margie Hale

sweetdoc said...

Name that artist?
I need a glass panel for my office.

Heart of Glass said...

SweetDoc
apologize for delay in responding - sometimes my assistant post these and I haven't read them.
Phone Don Lemley at 743 9081 for help in finding an artist.
We have used SHUPE Stain Glass in Huntington and Martina's Glass Kanawha City, Charleston but Don will know many others.

HJH

Margie
Mr. Richard Blenko has a schedule that is so very full, I feel terrible about asking him to write - (BUT I DO) he graciously accepts the responsiblity of recording the Blenko Craftsmens' history. I also enjoy Mr. Blenko
memories of these wonderful men.
HJH