Mid2Mod: Winslow Anderson

Showing posts with label Winslow Anderson. Show all posts

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

In the store: Glass, glass and more glass

I'm a glass lover, so lately I've been in glass heaven. A buying trip turned up several great pieces, and then last weekend we had the opportunity to buy even more from a local couple that collects Blenko in a big way. How big, you ask? How about 1700 pieces collected over the last 7 years? That kind of big way.

Not only did we get some great pieces from them, but we got to pick their brains about Blenko. They've visited the factory, and they were lucky enough to meet Wayne Husted, the late Winslow Anderson and the late William H.Blenko, Jr.

In addition to Blenko, we got some Pilgrim and L. E. Smith that are also pretty, as well as some pieces we are still researching. Enjoy the color and sparkle of our new pieces.

Blenko cornucopia

Blenko dish

L. E. Smith bowl

Blenko owl

Blenko head

Pilgrim vase

Blenko water bottle

Blendo drink set

Bowl, unidentified so far

Candy dish, also unidentified yet

Sunday, September 26, 2010

The Blenko heyday

In 1947 the Blenko Glass Company hired Winslow Anderson and became a major force in American glass design. Most glass producers did not have a full time in-house designer, but Blenko made the decision to do so. In addition,, they gave Anderson complete creative freedom..

Four designers take the spotlight in Blenko's heyday: Winslow Anderson, Wayne Husted, Joel Myers and John Nickerson. Husted pioneered a Studio Glass aesthetic before the movement even began. Myers was at the forefront of the movement when it began, and Nickerson was the first Blenko art director who came to the position with a full understanding of the Studio Glass Movement.

In the 1950s and 1960s, Blenko water bottles could be found in almost all homes. They came in a variety of colors. Decanters were also found in abundance, from small tabletop versions to huge architectural floor vases. Stylized pictures of them even became popular wall art.

From blenkomuseum.org