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Introduction
Blenko Glass Company is an art glass company that began producing in 1922 under the name Eureka Art Glass Company. The company name was changed to Blenko Glass Company in 1930. Originally an antique flat glass company, it was founded by Englishman William J. Blenko (1854-1933). Blenko came to the United States to make glass in 1893. Over the next 25 years, he established glass factories in Indiana, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia—which all failed. His fourth glass factory, that began production in 1922, was a success and still operates today (2024). This factory is located in Milton, West Virginia, and Blenko family members still lead the company. William Blenko could make numerous colors of flat glass, and his products were used by other companies to make stained glass windows. The glass was made using a patented variation of an older method for making window glass called the cylinder method. Blenko used glassblowers that blew a glass cylinder into a mold. The cylinder was cut and flattened in an oven. All glassblowing was done by human glassblowers instead of a machine. The company's biggest challenge was to get purchasers of glass to accept an American-made product, and Blenko's three earlier failed glass works all had the same problem. Blenko's son William H. Blenko (1897-1969) joined the company in 1923. The Great Depression in 1929 caused a decrease in demand for antique window glass, so the younger Blenko was instrumental in getting the company to begin producing glassware in addition to flat glass. This was a successful endeavor as the company utilized the vast skill set the elder Blenko had for making numerous colors of glass. During the 1940s the company established the practice of employing a designer, and the designer's creations were sold as art glass—a subset of glassware. Production of glassware and flat glass also continued. The company survived difficult times during the 21st century, including a management change and a bankruptcy. Today, Blenko glassware and art glass are valued by collectors, and both are still produced in the West Virginia glass works.
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Q4926064
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500333085
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