Fostoria Glass

Named for its original hometown in Ohio, Fostoria Glass Company enjoyed nearly a century as one of the most popular purveyors of art glass pieces. Offering glassware ranging from pressed to blown and hand-molded designs, Fostoria is still recognized today as the gold standard of glass production.

Though Fostoria can trace its inception to Ohio in 1887, the company's success began following its relocation in 1891 to Moundsville, West Virginia. It started out as a producer of tableware and more utilitarian items such as fruit jars and inkwells. Soon, Fostoria developed more elegant lines of stemware, even branching into crystal designs by the midpoint of the 20th century.

While several of Fostoria's patterns proved immensely popular including Chintz, Holly, Rose, and Wedding Ring, the American Clear pattern catapulted demand from clientele. Also known as the Early American pattern, it debuted in 1915 and was one of Fostoria's early 20th-century lines. Featuring a dimensional cubed motif rendered in pressed glass, the pattern signaled the arrival of Fostoria among the best glassmakers of the day and secured the company's products among contemporary collectors.

Quick Facts

• Fostoria's early furnace in their Moundsville, West Virginia, factory was so advanced that it allowed the firing of 14 pieces at a time
• Fostoria was the glassmaker for several United States presidents including Dwight D. Eisenhower and Ronald Reagan
• For a glimpse into the demand for Fostoria's pieces, look to their production in the '50s: in addition to expanding their range of patterns, Fostoria crated more than 8,000,000 glass and crystal pieces over the decade