author
Deming Jarves
1790–1869
A driving force in early American glassmaking, he helped turn a young industry into a thriving one and is often associated with the rise of pressed and flint glass in Massachusetts. He also left behind a firsthand account of the trade in his later writings on glass-making.
1 Audiobook
Reminiscences of Glass-making
by Deming Jarves
About the author
Born in Boston in 1790, Deming Jarves became one of the key figures in the American glass industry during the first half of the 19th century. He is linked with the founding and growth of major Massachusetts glassworks, including the New England Glass Company and the Boston & Sandwich Glass Company, and is often remembered for helping advance domestic glass production.
Jarves worked at a time when American manufacturers were trying to compete with imported goods. Accounts of his career credit him with improving materials and production methods, and with encouraging the development of pressed glass that reached a broad market. His name is especially connected with Sandwich glass, which became well known in American decorative arts.
Later in life, he wrote about the craft and business in Reminiscences of Glass-Making, giving readers a rare insider's view of the trade. He died in 1869, but his influence still shows up in the history of American industry and design.