Glass Design

A selection of design posts and articles about the last 150 years of glass design offers a fascinating insight into the evolution of this versatile material. From the Art Nouveau period to today, glass has been used countless times, from functional objects to purely decorative pieces. The designs have ranged from simple and elegant to complex and ornate, with each era leaving its unique mark on the medium.

In recent years, glass has become increasingly popular as a sustainable material, with designers experimenting with new techniques and forms. Whether you are interested in contemporary design or historical context, there is something for everyone in this collection of articles. So why not journey through time and explore the world of glass design?

Vase with Birds in Foliage - Aristide Colotte

Aristide Colotte was a French glassware designer who was born in Baccarat and studied at the École du Dessin, Cristallerie de Baccarat. He worked as an engraver, moulder, and jeweller, and was awarded medals and Légion d’Honneur.Read More →

When a glass cane is cut into thin cross-sections, coloured patterns or images created in the cane are revealed as murrine. One well-known design is the flower or star shape, which is known as millefiori when used in large quantities.Read More →

Wine Decanter featured image

When you serve wine in a decanter or carafe rather than directly from the bottle, you can completely appreciate its full potential, but why? The wine can oxygenate and aerate, allowing the wine to breathe after being sealed in a bottle for so long. A wine decanter has a reputation for being a formal and refined means of serving wine. However, this isn’t always the case.Read More →

Orrefors glass making

Orrefors Glasbruk is a Swedish glassware manufacturer. An ironworks was established in 1726 on the property of Halleberg ( the Orrefors estate), Socken, Småland. Read More →

Pukebergs Glasbruk featured image

Glassworks in Kosta CW Nyström and JE Lindberg started the mill in 1871. They acquired land from Jonas Bergstrand, a farmer from Madesjö parish, who owned the land at PukebergRead More →

Quezel Glassware

Quezel was a Brooklyn, New York-based glassware manufacturer. It produced a range of decorative and useful items. READ MORERead More →

Vase from the Royal Brierley Collection

In 1776, Honeybourne, an English glass company, was founded in Stourbridge. In 1903, Carder established the Steuben Glass Works in Corning, New York. The Royal Brierley studio was run by John Northwood in the 1880s.Read More →

Bbm51@53

Manufacturers and designers recreated some ancient Egyptian and Roman glassmaking processes in the early 20th century.Read More →

‘Amen’ glasses gained their name from the Jacobite verses engraved on them, which invariably end with the word Amen.Read More →

Arne Jon - Tumbler

Jutrem was educated at the Norwegian School of Crafts and Design 1946-1950, and at the same time received painting lessons from Carl von Hanno. Later studies with Fernand Léger in Paris 1952-53 and with Chrix Dahl 1954-55. He made his debut as a painter at the Autumn Exhibition in 1950.Read More →

Gunnel Nyman glassware

Nyman worked for all the great Finnish glass manufacturers of the 20th century: Riihimaki from 1932—47, Nuutajarvi-Notsjo from 1946—48, and Karhula from 1935—37 (and at littala from 1946—47). She designed for both production and studio glass.Read More →

Barbini Glassworks

Alfredo Barbini, a descendant of glassmakers from the early 15th century, studied at Abate Zanetti (design school at Murano glass museum) from age ten; in 1930, began studying at Cristalleria, Murano, becoming a maestro; became primo maestro at Martinuzzi and Zecchin; worked with Cenedese in the late 1940sRead More →

Dichroic glass is a type of glass created in the 1990s using the space-age technology known as ‘thin film physics. Dichroic which means “two colours” is a particular kind of glass Read More →

Burmese Glass featured image

Burmese glass (1885) was an almost opaque satin glass. Its shading was from salmon pink at the top to pale yellow below. It was attractive mostly when illuminated and was much used in fairy lamps and occasionally in chandeliers and candelabra.Read More →

Mount Washington Glass featured image

Mount Washington Glass is an American glassware manufacturer. It is located in South Boston and New Bedford, Massachusetts.Read More →

Ulla Forsell

Ulla Forsell was born in 1944 and studied at the College of Art and Design in Stockholm and Holland. SheRead More →

Kosta Boda Glassware featured image

Kosta Boda, for much of its early life, this famous Swedish glassmaking company’s production centred on drinking glasses, chandeliers, and window panes. However, in the late nineteenth century, with the employment of designers such as Alf Wallander and Gunnar Wennenberg, a more concerted design policy emerged, resulting in more fashionable, Art Nouveau-inspired products.Read More →