A HISTORY OF PAIRPOINT GLASS
(Reproduced from an old magazine article,
author and publisher unknown)

The history of the Pairpoint Glass Company dates back to 1837 when the Mount Washington Glass Works was founded in South Boston. William L. Libbey moved the firm to New Bedford in 1870. A reorganization of the company in 1874 brought Frederick S. Shirley to the firm as the new manager; and, under him, many new types of glass were developed and patented including: Burmese, Peachblow, Lava, Rose Amber, Royal Flemish, and Satin glass. Mount Washington became noted for its brilliant cut glass and was awarded a certificate of merit for its exhibit at the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia in 1876.

In 1880, a brittania works called the Pairpoint Manufacturing Company was erected on land adjacent to the Mount Washington Glass Company. The works were named after its first superintendent, Thomas J. Pairpoint. At the time, Mr. Pairpoint was considered one of the greatest silver designers in England and America. This new company became one of the largest manufacturers of silverplated ware in the USA.

The two companies merged in 1894 and became known as the Pairpoint Corporation. Pairpoint soon became a leader in the glass industry.

Since 1970, the Pairpoint glass factory has been active in Sagamore on Cape Cod. Although the physical plant is not that large, the scope of the glass made here since has been tremendous. Hand-blown vases, stemware, decanters, perfume bottles, pitchers, cream and sugar sets, lamps, candlesticks, bottles, and paperweights are among the many items made at the factory alongside the Cape Cod Canal. Colors made here include sapphire blue, cobalt blue, gold ruby, Pairpoint ruby, rosaria, vaseline, opal, amethyst, camellia, auroria, amber and Pairpoint cranberry. The company supplies such customers as Tiffany's, The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, The Boston Museum of Fine Arts, and Artisans in Glass. And, many unusual items in varying shapes or forms, some one-of-a-kind, are quickly purchased by the visitors to the factory.

In 1974, Pairpoint began pressing cup plates with new and original designs. There are more than 100 different cup plates on the market today, and some of them have become very collectible since they were made in limited editions.

Today, thousands of visitors and glass collectors from all over the United States visit Pairpoint. Our glass blowers may be seen at work Monday- Friday, while our gift shop is open seven days a week. Weekday hours 9am-6pm, Sat 10-6, Sun 11-6.