 |
|
The Coventry Glassworks 1815-1848
On January 14th, 1813, seven men signed an agreement to erect a glass factory at Coventry along the Boston Post Road. They were Captain Nathaniel Root Sr., Ebenezer Root Jr and Joseph A. Norton all of Coventry. Eli Evans, Thomas Bishop and Uriah Andrews were from East Hartford. By 1820, it is believed that Thomas Stebbins was operating the glassworks. His initials T.S. are embossed on the Lafayette GI-80 pint mold. Another Stebbins must have also worked there as S & S is also embossed on the Lafayette GI-86 1/2 pint mold. This was around 1825. Later that year the firm became Stebbins & Chamberlain (Thomas Stebbins & Rufus Chamberlain) also evidenced by yet another embossed flask, S & C which was the Lafayette GI-81 1/2 pint mold. In 1828, the firm was taken over by Gilbert, Turner & Company ( Jasper Gilbert, John Turner, Rufus Chamberlain & Levi Turner) On October 31st, 1828, they became both the owners of the Coventry Glassworks and West Willington glassworks. Gilbert, Turner and Alvin Preston were among the founders of the Ellenville, NY glassworks in 1836. In the spring of 1838, Chamberlain bought the interest of some others and the old firm dissolved and the sole owners were Chamberlain & Turner. Lack of fuel and wood slowed the works down and the eventual closing around 1849. Coventry was a powerhouse though and produced all types of bottles, porters, wines, flasks, snuffs, blackings, octagon vials, jars of all sizes, demijohns, chestnuts, sunburst flasks, Pitkin-type flasks, medicine types including a large lettered Swaims Panacea, blown three molded wares including inkwells & tableware. Coventry glass comes in an impressive array of colors but the yellow-olive-greens and ambers dominated. The figured historical flasks are the most popoular and prized with the Lafayette grouping as well as two rare masonic molds. Some examples of Coventry bottles can be seen at the Coventry Historical Society in Coventry, Connecticut.
|
|
