Frequently Asked Questions – Museum of American Glass

Appraisers

The Museum of American Glass staff does not appraise glass. If you are interested in an appraiser, we suggest one of the following:

American Society of Appraisers www.appraisers.org
International Society of Appraisers www.isa-appraisers.org

Repair

Following is a list of glass repair businesses. These businesses and individuals are not associated with WheatonArts or the Museum of American Glass in any way. We offer these suggestions as a courtesy only, not as a recommendation.

GLUEING/RESTORATION

Kory R. Berrett
3053 Reisler Rd.
Oxford, PA 19363
610-932-2425

Ray Errett, Conservator
Glass Restoration & Repair
101 Mohican Trail
Wilmington, NC 28409
910-792-1807

A. Ludwig Klein & Son
PO Box 145
Harleysville, PA 19438
215-256-9004

Baer Specialty Shop
259 E. Browning Rd
Bellmawr, NJ 08031
856-931-0696

Sharon Smith Abbott
Fine Wares Restoration
Highland Ridge Road
PO Box 753
Bridgton, ME 04009
207-647-2093

CHIPS REMOVED BY CUTTING

Antique Glass Restoring
The 202 Shops
Route 202
PO Box 216
New Hope, PA 18938
215-794-7724

Linda Reininger
Glassy Lassy
217 Penguin Rd
Bricktown, NJ 08723
908-920-1987

O. K. B.
140 Bradford Drive
West Berlin, NJ 08091
856-768-5400

Pepi Herrmann
3 Waterford Place
Gilford, NH 03246-6661
603-528-1020

Vandermark Merritt Glass Studios
240 Readington Road
Somerville, NJ 08876
908-231-8189

Wistar – First American Glass Factory

The first attempt at glassmaking in the New World was in Jamestown, Virginia, in 1608. Three later ventures were tried in New York, Philadelphia and Salem, Massachusetts. It wasn’t until 1739 that the first successful glass factory was established by Caspar Wistar in Alloway, New Jersey. The Wistar factory operated until about 1782. Wistar defied English policy forbidding all manufacturing in the Colonies. America was to supply raw materials for England and furnish a market for English goods. After the Revolution, the number of glass factories steadily increased, meeting the needs of the new nation.

Wheaton Bottles

Wheaton Glass Company in Millville, New Jersey, began their consumer division in 1965 under the name of Wheaton/Nuline. The division was renamed Wheaton Products in 1973.

In 1967, Wheaton/Nuline made reproductions of old American bottles. So that these reproductions would not be confused with the originals, the bottles were made in different colors and were marked “W”, “Nuline” or “Wheaton, NJ.”

In addition to reproduction bottles, Wheaton Glass also produced Commemorative Decanters of Presidents, American Writers, Inventors, Astronauts, Military Leaders, Patriots and others. These were produced in limited editions (quantities). The production of these reproduction bottles and commemorative decanters was discontinued between 1974 and 1975.

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