Blenko Holiday Sale -

Hillary We were in Milton last week our goal was a) to spend the childrens inheritance on West Virginia Glass, and b) to stop at the factory to purchase christmas gifts. We were disappointed in both endevors. We discovered not much is available. At the factory the colors were not ones we recognized but seemed more garish. The technique of old seems to be lost. The shop had little to offer, I saw none of the lamps you promised and the lamp I did view was a hot orange color. May I respectfully suggest you publish photos of current items. Or if you haven't been to Blenko in the last year or go, visit you will be surprised by the change we were. Timothy S.

Tim

Blenko is a small family owned factory. The craftsmen at Blenko glass have great skill and are creative. It is impossible to have the shelves full daily - sales are brisk at the Visitors Center. May I suggest you order on line, or phone 304 743 9081 to inquire about availability of items you desire.

Blenko is known for 'color' they often experiment with colors and add new ones yearly. Perhaps the color you saw was a 2nd (the Visitor Center receives 2nd frequently), or from a batch that wasn't correct thus it was sold at the VC.

I have been to Blenko in the last year. My views are different. I saw the freshly cleaned Fence of Glass designed by Joel Myers, I saw new fencing around the beautiful lake, and a very clean and polish gift shop with full shelves.

Blenko is getting ready for the Holidays! The Holiday sale is this month.

You neglected to mention where you are located. Consider returning for the Holiday Sale. I guarantee you the shelves will be filled. If this is impossible, use on line ordering, OR phone Blenko and speak with one of the knowledgeable ladies on staff at Blenko. They will help you.

You also mentioned 'technique' the techniques used at Blenko are old, well established techniques with an occassional tweat or alteration. The Harvey Littelton quote about technique is a better response to your statement than anything I might state.

Blenko http://www.blenkoglass.com/ the last remaining manufacture of antique glass in the USA. Blenko Glass where you buy handmade items and everything in the shop was made in the USA.

Hillary

“technique is cheap.” All I meant by that is that technique is available to everybody, that you can read the technique, if you have any background. technique in and of itself is nothing. But technique in the hands of a strong, creative person, like Voulkos or Dante Marioni, takes on another dimension. And it’s that other dimension that is the product of our educational system, of our uniquely American freedoms, and so on.
Harvey K. Littleton
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Oral history interview with Harvey K. Littleton, 2001 Mar. 15, Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.