American Cut Glass Association

Jewel Cut Glass Catalog

ACGA Reproduction Catalogs from Cut Glass Manufacturers

 

This introduction provides background information for the Jewel Cut Glass Company catalog project. Warren and Teddie Biden reprinted paper copies of a rare cut-glass catalog in 2001 that was originally produced by the Jewel Cut Glass Company of Newark, New Jersey. This undated catalog included 20 plates with pricing with early example images for Jewel products in 43 different designs.

The original Jewel catalog reprint is presented here together with a new supplementary information slideshow which was researched by the ACGA Catalog Committee. The primary purpose of this slideshow is to provide additional historical context for Jewel Cut Glass Company and its leaders. This material was principally aggregated from Brilliant Period trade journal notes, and much of the information is not available in earlier cut glass publications. We are now able to confidently date the Jewel catalog to mid-1910. The slideshow also combines an expanded list of later Jewel cut-glass designs together with patent images, period advertisements, and modern photographs of interesting Jewel cut-glass examples.

 

Large 16” D tray in the Jewel Aberdeen design. Image source: Saied Hosseini.

 

Jewel Cut Glass Company and its predecessor, the C. H. Taylor Glass Company, operated in Newark from about 1905 to 1924. While Jewel was a smaller cut-glass company, it produced high-quality products using purchased blanks, and a few of Jewel’s artistic designs are unique. In the peak years between about 1910 and 1913, Jewel operated over 50 cutting frames and used experienced master cutters for much of this work. Size comparisons with other Newark cutting shops including Unger Brothers, the Crescent Cut Glass Company, and Newark Cut Glass Company have also been developed.

 

Oval cut-glass tray in Jewel’s Tiffin design; 15.5” L, 9.5” W. Source: Connie Riley.

 

Jewel was led by Charles Herbert Taylor, who was a master New York City marketer and entrepreneur, and he was one of the leading spokesmen for the American cut-glass industry during the difficult period around World War I. Glass designs and management of the factory operations were primarily driven by Henry Luckock. Both Taylor and Luckock were significantly influenced by prior experience with the Libbey Glass Company of Toledo, Ohio.

 

Large two-piece punch bowl in Jewel’s Margaret design; 15.3” H, 14” D. Image source: Woody Auction.

 

We again extend special thanks to Teddie Biden for making this material easily available at the ACGA website to all cut-glass collectors. While the Jewel catalog can also be seen online at the Rakow Research Library website, the supplementary material is unique, and it is hoped that you will find this material both interesting and educational.

Browse the Jewel Catalog

Browse the Supplemental Slideshow