Introduction | Agency History | Scope and Content | Series Description | Inventory

Introduction

The financial records and production materials of the Tiffin Glass Company and its predecessor/parent, the United States Glass Company, primarily cover the years 1891to 1945, with a few records documenting the years 1945 to 1970. The collection is representative of the American pressed and blown glassware industry of the early to mid-twentieth century as reflected in the company's general, distribution, production, sales, and stock ledgers not to mention its fine selection of glassware photographs, sketches, pattern rubbings, mold designs and machinery blueprints.

The financial records contain information for United States Glass Company factories in the states of Ohio and Pennsylvania with the latter receiving a great amount of coverage. The photographs, drawings and blueprints are of post-World War II vintage and belonged to the Tiffin Glass Company.

This collection was donated to the Center for Archival Collections, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, Ohio on August 1, 1984 by the Seneca Industrial Economic Development Corporation. No restrictions exist on the use of this collection and duplication is permitted for research purposes. This collections was processed and the register was completed by Frederick Honneffer in March 1985, with revisions completed by Marilyn Levinson, Curator of Manuscripts in June, 1994.

Agency History

The United States Glass Company of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, confronted at the turn of the century by crises in the glass industry; labor unrest, foreign competition, and increasing dependency upon gas rather than coal for manufacturing purposes, began a major reorganization. On July 1, 1891, the company merged between thirteen and eighteen fully operational glass companies located in Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Ohio. From 1891 to the early 1920s, various glass factories within this merger either ceased operations or left, while others were added, resulting in the number of factories under the USGC merger to fluctuate between nine and twelve. For example, during the 1890s, a Gas City, Indiana plant was added to the merger as well as a tank operation at Glassport, Pennsylvania. The Glassport Land Company was formed on October 4, 1894, after the USGC purchased approximately 500 acres of land along the Monongahela River, intending eventually to concentrate all of its factories at this location. The Glassport Land Company was responsible for the sale of property belonging to the USGC but not used by them for manufacturing purposes.

In March 1923, the USGC was comprised of nine manufacturing plants; five of which were located in Pittsburgh, two located in Glassport, another in Tiffin, Ohio, and the fifth in Gas City, Indiana. Through the 1920s and 1930s, the company added decorating shops and sales offices; the latter located throughout the United States as well as Mexico, Cuba, Australia and England. USGC, however, was operating at a loss each year and finally applied for a mortgage loan from the Reconstruction Finance Corporation in July 1936. By 1938, in a consolidation move, USGC moved its general offices from Pittsburgh to Tiffin, Ohio.

The Beatty Glass Company was founded in Tiffin, Ohio, in 1888; just a few years prior to joining the USGC merger. Available fuel sources, the offer of free land and an undisclosed amount of money (estimated at $50,000 including the value of the land) from a select group of Tiffin citizens, led Alexander J. Beatty to move his glassworks from Steubenville to Tiffin. In 1888 the Beatty Glass Company was the world's largest manufacturer of pressed glassware.

Upon becoming a member of the USGC merger, the Beatty Glass Company was known by the parent company's name. Tiffin's colored glass, satin glass and banana clear glass were among its most notable products in the 1920s. In 1937, due to the USGC's financial instability, the production of cheaper glassware lines was discontinued and efforts were directed toward the manufacturing of high quality stemware and such heavy design pieces as cornucopias, vases and bowls, which were sold to major department stores. The Tiffin glassworks was noted for its complete lines of lead blown glassware, stemware, tumblers and tableware of every description.

In 1959 business began to diminish and by 1963 the company went bankrupt. A year later, Tiffin Art Glass was born, reviving the company's tradition of quality stemware. Two years later, in June 1966, the glassworks became the property of the Continental Can Company and was officially named the Tiffin Glass Company. Upon becoming a division of the Interpace Corporation in January 1976, the Franciscan Ware line was added while continuing to manufacture pressed glass, sandwich glass, white milk glass, and, of course, stemware. In 1979 Leonard Silver Manufacturing Company, a Boston giftware enterprise and division of Towle Silver purchased the glassworks, remaining in that company's hands until the Tiffin Glass Company closed is doors in 1983.

Additional information on Tiffin Glass Company may be found in a 1987 interview (MMS 1016) with Paul J. Williams, who was plant engineer at Tiffin, Ohio.

Scope and Content

The Records of the Tiffin Glass Company and its predecessor/parent, the United States Glass Company provide a comprehensive view of the glass industry that was dominant in the Midwest United States from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Encompassing both commercial and artistic product records (sketches, mold drawings, glass rubbings), the collection gives a balanced picture of the creative and business aspects of the company.

The variety of reports included in the collection range from the typical annual reports and stockholders reports, to monthly chemical inventories, expense and production reports, income tax returns, manufacturing census reports, lists by factory of employees salaries (including detailed personal statistical information in sheets for 1927), and mold inventories.

While the correspondence component of the collection is weak, consisting primarily of the affairs of the Mexico City sales office (much of it in Spanish), this material provides a detailed representation of the difficulties of conducting business at the outset of World War I. Problems encountered included material shortages, shipping problems, and difficulties with inferior goods being shipped to Mexico. Wartime restrictions on manufactured goods sent to foreign countries (particularly the Enemy Trading List, Bulletin #1, Oct. 1917), highlight the fact that much of the quality glassware produced at the time came from Germany.

The Tiffin Glass Company collection contains financial records (including general, distribution, production, sales, and stock ledgers dating from approximately 1891 until 1945), balance sheets, audit reports, comparative and condensed statements, expense and productions reports, inventories, and corporate income tax returns. This variety of records details the amount and type of glassware produced at specific factories, manpower required, and quantity of glassware sold. The factory appraisal schedules give detailed listings of the values of physical plants and their contents such as land, steam, sewage, gas and water lines, factory and storage buildings, warehouses, stables, tools, molds, furnishings, recapitulations and depreciations.

The products of the Tiffin Glass Company are represented in the form of glassware rubbing notebooks and tissue rubbing sheets (representing over 200 patterns), penciled glassware sketches, blueprints of glassware and technical drawings with specific measurements, glassware promotional sketches and drawings, cutting and etching designs, glass manufacturing machinery drawings and blueprints (including plans for a plate etching machine, a spinning machine, cutting machine, a machine press, a stemware fluting machine and a stempress), design drawings and blueprints of various pieces of glassware with dimensions in preparation of designing molds, and technical drawings and blueprints of glassware molds. The collection also includes a small number of photographs which show the step-by-step production of Tiffin stemware. This component of the collection primarily illustrates products from the postwar period of the 1950's through the 1960's.

The printed materials included in the collection include examples of blank stock certificates for United States Glass Company Preferred and Common Stock, union booklets for various glass manufacturing departments focusing upon rules, regulations, prices, moves and wages for machinists, and those involved in pressedware and mold making, contracts between the American Flint Glass Workers Union & National Association of Manufacturers of Pressed and Blown Glassware, constitutions and bylaws, letters, circulars and directories of these two organizations, and catalogues containing illustrate pages of Tiffin glassware (including a 1917 stemware & tumbler catalogue written in Spanish).

Encompassing approximately 80 linear feet of material (with over 160 volumes) and spanning over 70 years of the history of the Tiffin Glass Company and the United States Glass Company, this collection is particularly strong in the financial view of the company in the first third of the 20th Century, with detailed ledgers from 1891 through 1942. The period of the Company's economic difficulties in the 1920's and 1930's is well represented by these volumes as well as in the various cash books, statements, and account records. Financial records from the late period of the Company are noticeably absent. Conversely, the documentation of the aesthetic production of Tiffin Glass is primarily limited to the second third of the century, focused on the late 1930's and the early postwar years. These sketches, rubbings, and mold drawings provide a graphic example of design trends of the 1950's, with many industrial designers illustrated. Only scattered records of the Company's final years of the 1970's are represented in the holdings.

Series Description

PROCEEDINGS

MINUTES
1905-1947. Box 1
Arranged chronologically, by committee
Very scattered holdings, includes USGC Executive Committee minutes: Oct 1905-Mar 1906; Special Committee minutes: Oct 1912, Aug-Oct 1914; Sept 1927; Genesta Corporation minutes, bylaws, incorporation: Nov 1947

BYLAWS
1894, 1910, 1924. Box 1
Arranged chronologically
Printed copies of United States Glass Company bylaws, primarily outlining conduct of business and duties of officers

CORRESPONDENCE

MEXICAN SALES OFFICE CORRESPONDENCE
July 1915, Jan 1917-Mar 1918, July 1937
Arranged chronologically. Boxes 1 and 2
Extensive correspondence (much of which is in Spanish with some translations) concerns orders placed with the glass company through sales representative Ramon Lomelin, late shipments and wartime restrictions on manufacturing, transportation and trading with Mexico. The correspondence dating primarily from 1917-1918 is significant in terms of information provided on World War I restrictions on manufactured goods sent to foreign countries, particularly the Enemy Trading List (Bulletin #1, Oct. 1917), problems with inferior goods being shipped to Mexico, and problems with wartime production.

REPORTS

ANNUAL REPORTS
1906-1921, 1923-1926, 1930-1936
Arranged chronologically. Box 3
These reports contain balance sheets and updates on the various factories, as well as the report of the subsidiary, Glassport Land Company, annual reports to the Securities and Exchange Commission (1934-1936) accompanied by miscellaneous correspondence contain additional information concerning the financial condition of the company.

STOCKHOLDERS REPORTS
1898-1926, scattered dates
No specific arrangement. Box 3
Included are annual meeting announcements, proxies, ballots, form letters, president's address to stockholders, a Pittsburgh stock exchange security council bulletin and list of stockholders.

MONTHLY CHEMICAL INVENTORY AND USAGE REPORTS
January 1947-October 1956, scattered dates
Arranged chronologically. Box 4
These contain data for the Tiffin and Glassport factories only and include a listing of chemicals and their usage in glass manufacturing.

EXPENSE AND PRODUCTION REPORTS
Jan 1924-Nov 1930, misc. reports for 1940-1948, scattered dates
Arranged chronologically. Boxes 5 through 9
The expense and production reports contain records of operations, value of production, weight of wares produced, weight of raw materials used, expenses, labor and fuel consumed for periods of one week and one month, listed by factory.

INCOME TAX RETURNS
1917-1939, scattered dates
Arranged chronologically. Boxes 10 and 11
Includes federal income tax returns and some state (Pennsylvania) tax returns, supporting schedules and balance sheets, and other federal and state tax reports. Correspondence, reports on stockholders, Ohio industrial reports for the Tiffin plant and foreign corporation reports for the Indiana plant also are included.

MANUFACTURING CENSUS
1905, 1910, 1921-1939, scattered dates
Arranged chronologically. Box 11
Contains separate statistical data for each factory including lists of salaried employees, wage earners and piece workers; materials used; products; equipment; and miscellaneous worksheets. A 1910 general industries report for Pennsylvania discussing the nationality, regularity, strikes and accidents of workers also is included.

SALARIES FOR INCOME TAXES
1920-1936
Arranged chronologically. Boxes 12 and 13
Includes scattered correspondence, Federal Annual Information Return of Payments of Income, lists by factory of employees salaries (including detailed personal statistical information in sheets for 1927), worksheets of factory superintendents, salary worksheets for payments from the general office.

PAYROLL ANALYSES
1928, 1931-1934, n.d.
Arranged chronologically. Box 14
Comprised mostly of worksheets covering various kinds of workers in the factories, including numbers of men, women and boys employed, hours, hourly payrate and payroll costs.

LABOR ANALYSES
Apr 1945-June 1953, scattered dates
Arranged chronologically. Box 14
Includes sheets which note department and supervisor and such data as number of operators, direct unit hour, supervisor effectiveness, costs and excess costs. These reports are similar to the analysis of direct labor and excess costs found with the bound production, wage and costs volumes.

FACTORY MOLD APPRAISAL REPORTS/INVENTORIES
1913-1916, 1920-1922
Arranged chronologically and by factory. Box 15
Report by Manufacturers' Appraisal Company of mold values for several of the factories. Also included are appraisals of branch sales offices and the Good Luck Mine at Glassport and a grand recapitulation of factory inventories (1913-1916).

MOLD INVENTORIES
Sept 1930-Nov 1930
Arranged by factory. Oversize Box 1
List glassware items made at particular factories, line numbers, and if the item was pressed or blown.

FINANCIAL DOCUMENTS

GENERAL LEDGERS
Aug 1891-June 1942. 17 volumes
Arranged chronologically. (Volumes 1-17)
General ledger volumes are divided into three groups. Group A ledgers with accompanying indexes contain separate pages designated for each factory listing inventories and general ledger accounts. Group B ledgers have all factories and general ledger accounts listed together. Group C ledgers have all factories and general ledger accounts recorded on a prepared form. Included within these volumes are inventories of glassware and materials, sales, allowances and advances to agents, cost of property and works, sales expenses, general expenses, bills and accounts payable and receivable, and cash accounts. The Glassport Land Company general ledgers also contain information about property sold by the company.

DISTRIBUTION LEDGERS
Aug 1891-Dec 1923. 22 volumes
Arranged chronologically and according to factory. No dates written inside volumes-use volume numbers. (Volumes 18-39)
Included in these ledgers are a record of labor, materials, and sundries used in the manufacturing of glassware. Provided are details on costs for raw materials (sand, soda, nitrate, lime, lead, etc.), cartons, fuel, insurance, repairs, glassware trimmings, engraving, decorating, cutting, packaging and general labor involved in glass production.

RECAPITULATIONS
June 1891-Dec 1936. 7 volumes
Arranged chronologically and by factory. No dates written inside volumes-use volume numbers. (Volumes 40-46)
These volumes include summaries of distribution costs for each year. The first recapitulation for June-Dec 1891 found inside volume #1 of distribution ledgers.

ACCOUNTS PAYABLE LEDGERS/VOUCHER RECORDS
Aug 1891-Feb 1921, Jan 1933-Jan 1944. 15 volumes
Arranged chronologically. (Volumes 47-61)
These ledgers contain information on expenses incurred by the company in the form of advances to agents, general expenses, sales expenses, freight and sundry costs. Voucher numbers and vouchers in whose favor are included permitting the use of accompanying voucher indexes. Some information is duplicated in other financial ledgers located within this collection. A few volumes are devoted to unpaid vouchers and one volume exclusively deals with the Glassport Land Company.

SUSPENSE LEDGERS AND INDEXES
Feb 1907-March 1938. 6 volumes
Arranged chronologically. (Volumes 62-67)
These ledgers contain information on unpaid accounts including name of debtor, date, name of attorney, date claim was sent, judgment rendered and the date when the claim was settled.

VOUCHER INDEXES
Aug 1891-Nov 1908, scattered holdings for 1900-1926
1919, 1931, 1938-1939. 10 volumes
(After 1939, each ledger is separately indexed) Arranged alphabetically. (Volumes 68-77).

CHECK LEDGERS
Apr 1896-May 1906, May 19l0-June 1912. 6 volumes
Arranged chronologically. (Volumes 78-83)
Listed are the various banks with whom the USGC had accounts, number of checks issued and reason for issuing.

CASH & SUBSCRIPTION LEDGERS (LIBERTY LOAN BONDS)
June 1917-Aug 1923. 3 volumes
Arranged chronologically. (Volumes 84-86)
Information includes Liberty Loan Bond subscription sheets, accounts forfeited and Liberty Loan bond accounts.

PRODUCTION, WAGE AND COST LEDGERS
Jan 1895-July 1913, May 1920-Feb 1926, Sept 1947-Mar 1949. 7 volumes
Arranged chronologically and by factory. (Volumes 87-93)
These volumes, similar to the distribution and payroll ledgers, concentrate on glassware production and labor. They can contain a record of factory charges and expenses, including employees wages, cost, quality and value of glass produced, glassware weight and estimated loss and gain. Also included are operating expense sheets and reports and some cost and labor recapitulations. An analysis of direct labor excess profits costs also is included for the years 1947-1949. Similar information found with the unbound labor analyses.

PAYROLL LEDGERS
July 1909-Dec 1928. 5 volumes
Arranged chronologically. (Volumes 94-98)
These records are similar to the distribution ledgers in that they provide production and labor information. They detail the number of batches of glass made in particular colors, weight of glassware, percentage of breakage, pots worked out, employees engaged in various glass production skills from furnace labor to glass cutting, engraving, etching, mold cleaning and other tasks. Included with these payroll ledgers is a production ledger and a metal record containing similar information.

CASH BOOKS
July 1891-Feb 1938. 9 volumes
Arranged chronologically. (Vol. 99-107)
These volumes record bills and accounts payable and receivable, bank deposits and notes discounted. Included is a petty cash record kept by factory, a Glassport cash book and a cash book from the London, England sales office.

FREIGHT RECORDS
Aug 1918-1930. 2 volumes
Arranged chronologically and by factory. (Vol. 108-109)
Includes information on shipment of glassware.

SALES AND SALES EXPENSE LEDGERS
Aug 1891-Dec 1926, Jan 1919-Dec 1934. 12 volumes
Arranged chronologically. (Volumes 110-123)
These volumes include three different types of sales ledgers. The first includes sales by sales district (factory), sales by customer's class (salesman), sales of commodities (by salesman), and sales by sales district (by salesman). The second type includes sales expense records indexed and arranged according to specific salesmen, USGC offices and sales rooms. These sales expense records contain information on cash balances, salaries and commissions, advances and allowances, some correspondence and balance sheets for sales; all relating to glass company salesmen. The third set of records are miscellaneous and include glassware sales and shipping information by factory; stock charged; London office sales records; and, lots sold by the Glassport Land Company.

GLASSPORT LAND COMPANY COST OF PROPERTY LEDGERS
June 1895-Dec 1930, scattered dates. 2 volumes
Arranged chronologically. (Volumes 124-125)
These records are similar to the appraisals specifically for the Glassport Land Company and provide information on extent and value of their land and physical plant.

COMMON AND PREFERRED STOCK LEDGERS
Aug 1891-Jan 1905, Glassport Land Company only; Oct 1894-Sept 1931, scattered dates 10 volumes
Arranged chronologically. (Volumes 126-135)
Included within these records are lists of stockholders, number of certificates and number of shares; certificate registers with indexes; transfer books, reports of capital stock transferred, dividend record of common and preferred stock; and, a Glassport Land Company stock record.

FACTORY APPRAISAL SCHEDULES
Mar 1913-1930, scattered dates. 30 volumes
Arranged alphabetically by factory, then chronologically. (Volumes 136-161)
These volumes are typed listings of the values of physical plants and their contents such as land, steam, sewage, gas and water lines, factory and storage buildings, warehouses, stables, tools, molds, furnishings, recapitulations and depreciations. A table of contents is included in each volume. Several unbound and not dated factory mold appraisals, grand recapitulation charts of factory inventories (1913-1916) are found in an oversize appraisal of factory K.

MISCELLANEOUS JOURNAL
Nov 1917-Feb 1952, scattered dates. 1 volume
No specific arrangement. (Volume 162)
This ledger is very similar to the production, wage and cost ledgers although with no specific arrangement. Also includes a weekly payroll record for factories R and S from 1925-1934.

TIFFIN ART GLASS LEDGER
Apr 1963-Mar 1965. 1 volume
Arranged chronologically. (Volume 163)
Included within this volume are accounts payable, check ledgers, assigned and pledged accounts, sales journal, cash receipts and a record of collection.

STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND OPERATIONS
June 1912-Dec 1920
Arranged chronologically. Box 16
Statements include assets and liabilities, income and expenses, sales and labor. Also included are cash audits, balance sheet audits, statement of operations, a review of manufacturing operations comments on the secretary's report and unsold property of Glassport Land Company.

COMPARATIVE AND CONDENSED STATEMENTS
June 1918-May 1937, scattered dates
Arranged chronologically. Boxes 17 and 18
Data includes assets and liabilities, loss and gain, comparative and condensed balance sheets, treasurer's report, glassware and material inventories, summary of values, property values and results of operations.

ERNST AND ERNST STATEMENTS
June 1916-Dec 1936, scattered dates
Arranged chronologically. Box 19
Includes audit reports and condensed balance sheets for the factories.

MONTHLY STATEMENTS
Mar 1940-Oct 1941, 1946-1951
Arranged by factory and chronologically. Box 20 and Oversize Box 2
Includes statements for Tiffin, Glassport, Pittsburgh factories separated into departments for each plant. Includes balance sheets, income and expense statements, summary of manufacturing expense and other expenses and operating statistics. Oversized statements for the Tiffin and Glassport factories exist for the years 1939, 1946-1951 (Oversize Box 2).

INVENTORY PACKETS
June 1909-July 1930
Arranged chronologically. Boxes 21 and 22
Contains information similar to other financial records. Information probably collected in preparation of audits and includes inventory recapitulations, correspondence, distribution ledger sheets, loss and gain statements, invoices list, all which focus on glassware stock and materials.

RECONSTRUCTION FINANCE CORPORATION/LOAN MATERIALS
Sept 1903, May 1935-May 1939
Arranged chronologically. Box 22
Includes a copy of the first mortgage of USGC as well as an application for a federal reserve loan, a voting trust agreement, correspondence with stockholders, correspondence between USGC and creditors, accounts payable lists, accounts payable sheets for settlement in accordance with RFC loan terms, insurance policies held by RFC, first disbursement from RFC, and glassware values pledged as collateral.

GLASSPORT LAND COMPANY MATERIALS
Oct 1895-Dec 1904, Dec 1910, Jan 1913-Aug 1942, scatteered dates
Arranged chronologically. Box 23
Includes capital stock and loan reports, check book stubs and miscellaneous correspondence concerning the sale of lots and the organization of the Glassport Land Company.

MISCELLANEOUS FINANCIAL RECORDS
Mar 1906-1954, scattered dates
Arranged chronologically and according to type of record.
Box 23 and Oversized box 3
Consists of suggestions for changing the USGC bookkeeping an business procedures, small bills payable and receivable ledgers, accounts payable, voucher record and ledger sheets, fixed asset changes and construction at the general office, Glassport and Tiffin. Oversized material (Oversize box 3) includes cost reports, freight record and a factory K appraisal.

GLASS PRODUCTION MATERIALS
Dec 1928-Jan 1929, Sept 1945-1976, scattered dates
Arranged chronologically. Box 24
Includes information on the manufacturing of colored glass, glass quality, machine cut specifications, glassware cutting times, glass cutter rates, decorating notebooks (banding and stenciling, 1915-1935, metal finishes, c. 1970), bulletins focusing on employee morale glass quality and production plans and scattered correspondence between the Libbey Glass Company and the USGC regarding patent violations.

SALES RECORDS
1922-1941. (1891-1914 include sheet of sales totals only)
Arranged chronologically. Box 25 and Oversize Box 3
Included are lists of total sales from 1891-1914, lists of sales offices and comparison sheets, various financial sheets related to sales, publicity and sales planning sheet, sales department reports.

LONDON SALES OFFICE RECORDS
Jan 1912-Apr 1915
Arranged chronologically by specific type of record. Box 25 and 26
Includes sales and cash reports, trial balances and lists of debtors for the London, England sales office.

MAPS, CHARTS, DIAGRAMS, GRAPHS, LISTS, ETC.

GLASSWARE RUBBING NOTEBOOKS
Feb 1932-Jan 1961, scattered dates. Box 27
Arranged alphabetically by pattern
Includes two notebooks of cut pattern rubbings similar to the oversize rubbings.

GLASSWARE SKETCHES
c. 1937-1952
Arranged according to glassware number (pattern) and specific items.
Oversized boxes 4-5
These penciled glassware sketches were probably made whenever a new design was requested and prior to designing an appropriate mold to manufacture an item. The designs can be those of the Duncan-Miller Glass Company, Washington, Pennsylvania, as well as those of the Tiffin Glassworks. Many of these sketches are signed, dated, identify items and provide glassware numbers. Blueprints of glassware and technical drawings with specific measurements have been separated from the sketches. The sketches could contain some designs which were never manufactured.

GLASSWARE PROMOTIONAL SKETCHES AND DRAWINGS
c. 1937-1952
Oversized box 6
Sketches are primarily of Duncan Miller glassware, displays, exhibits, logos, office designs, while the finished drawings are of specific types of glassware, perhaps eventually intended for publicity purposes. Sketches for the nautical line promotion can be found in Oversize Box 4. Similar logos for the Tiffin Glass Company can be found with the catalogues and other promotional items.

CUTTING AND ETCHING SKETCHES AND DESIGNS
c. 1937-1952
No specific arrangement. Oversize Box 6
These are very similar to the glassware sketches but specifically focus upon cutting and etching designs. Some blueprints and rubbings are included.

GLASS MANUFACTURING MACHINERY TECHNICAL DRAWINGS
1944-1974, scattered dates
No arrangement. Oversize Boxes 7-11
These include glass manufacturing machinery drawings and blueprints for a plate etching machine, a spinning machine, cutting machine, a machine press, a stemware fluting machine and a stempress; includes drawings from the Overmyer Mould Co. of Pennsylvania.

GLASSWARE DESIGN TECHNICAL DRAWINGS/BLUEPRINTS
1939-1955
Grouped by Designer.
Oversize Box 12
Design drawings and blueprints of various pieces of glassware with dimensions in preparation of designing molds. Some sheets are unidentified idea sketches.

GLASSWARE DESIGN RUBBINGS
c. 1927-1961
Grouped by pattern or item type.
Oversize Boxes 13-14
Tissue paper rubbings arranged in folders by pattern and item type, when identified; unidentified rubbings are grouped separately arranged by item type. Some items are torn or in fragile condition and require special handling. Pattern rubbings that were badly damaged were discarded.

GLASSWARE MOLD DRAWINGS/BLUEPRINTS
1942-1956
Arranged by pattern group number, or by type.
Boxes 28-33, Oversize Boxes 15-16
Technical drawings and blueprints of glassware press molds, including dimensions and parts requirements.

DIAGRAMS
Aug 1910, Apr 1920, Mar 1922
Located in flat map drawers
Diagram of Tiffin Glassworks illustrates the general floor plan and types of structures at the factory. Five factory G blueprints are significant since they provide floor plans, dimensions, type of construction and location of various manufacturing portions of the factory. Similar diagrams can be found in some factory appraisals. A Glassport Land Company blueprint illustrates the extent of property owned by the USGC in that part of Pennsylvania.

PRINTED MATERIALS

CERTIFICATES
n.d.
Blank stock certificates for United States Glass Company Preferred and Common Stock(Oversize box 3)

BOOKLETS - AMERICAN FLINT GLASS WORKERS UNION & NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF MANUFACTURERS OF PRESSED AND BLOWN GLASSWARE
1930-1969
Arranged by type of material & chronologically. Box 33 & 34
Most of these materials are union booklets for various glass manufacturing departments focusing upon rules, regulations, prices, moves and wages for machinists, and those involved in pressedware and mold making. In addition, materials include contracts between the AFGWU & NAMPBG, constitutions and bylaws, letters, circulars & directories of these two organizations.

CATALOGUES - USGC AND TIFFIN GLASSWARE
1917, c. 1960, 1964, 1966, n.d.
Arranged chronologically. Box 35
Catalogues contain illustrate pages of Tiffin glassware; one of which appears to be a "paste-up" copy of a catalogue arranged according to various styles and patterns of glassware. Also included are a 1917 stemware & tumbler catalogue written in Spanish, catalogue pages, promotional items and letter head designs.

MISCELLANEOUS PRINTED MATERIALS
1935-1941
Arranged by type of material and chronologically. Box 36
Includes several issues of The Journal and Ceramic Abstracts-American Ceramic Society, a ceramic data book on equipment and material catalogues, a handbook of metal finishes for glassware, a glass flow and tank design information sheet, two German glassware design booklets and a glassware design purchase sheet.

PHOTOGRAPHIC MATERIAL
GLASSWARE PROMOTIONAL PHOTOGRAPHS
c.1950, c.1970, n.d.
Arranged chronologically. Box 37 and Oversized Box 17
Included are photographs showing the step-by-step production of Tiffin stemware. Accompanying the photographs are description cards explaining each process. Also included are photocopies of various photographs and negatives. An oversized aerial view of the Tiffin Glass Company is also included with these photographs as well as a glassware production slide/tape program.

GLASSWARE PHOTOGRAPHS AND NEGATIVES
c. 1950-1960
Arranged according to glassware numbers and specific items. Photographs in Boxes 38-39, Negatives in Box 40
Photographs probably intended for use in catalogues and other forms of publicity. Negatives are arranged by number and can be connected to the matching photograph through this number.

Manuscripts by Subject | MS 401 Tiffin Glass Inventory | Business & Commerce