Special thanks to the Blenko Family
The Blenko Project
Dedicated to recording the past, analyzing the present and being an advocate for the growth and preservation of BLENKO GLASS in West Virginia.
The Blenko Project
Dedicated to recording the past, analyzing the present and being an advocate for the growth and preservation of BLENKO GLASS in West Virginia.
The Blenko Project
Dedicated to recording the past, analyzing the present and being an advocate for the growth and preservation of BLENKO GLASS in West Virginia.
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West Virginia used to have more than 50 glass companies. The glass industry has since dwindled to only a few companies that still create hand-made, antique glass. The Blenko project is focused on documenting the story of Blenko glass as told by Blenko glassmakers and their families.

Glass Identification

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Other Resources

LEARN MORE
We at THE BLENKO PROJECT have uploaded all Blenko Catalogs in print to aide you in identifying your glass. We also have photographs of many personal Blenko collections for inspiration. Readers are encouraged to send in photos of their collections or any historical documents or photos they have to add to the project.

Blenko Catalogs

At blenko project, we try and help readers to identify blenko glass. You may use the catalogs to identify your glass.

1960

1977

1979

1982

1990

CATALOGS

The Blenko Family

The role that curators play, like the art they care for, is constantly evolving. As culture shifts, moving with changes in the social and political landscape or technological innovations, so does the art being produced.

William J Blenko

William H. Blenko,Bill, Jr. served as the President of Blenko Glass Company, Inc. Mr.Blenko joined the United States Air Force where he served in England as a Captain. In 1946, after serving his time in the 8th Air Force, he joined the family of glass making. He serves as the Chairman of Blenko Glass Company, Inc. Mr. Blenko is a member of several associations including: One of only 12 Lifetime members of the Glass Art Society; Lifetime member of the Stained Glass Association; … American association of Glass and Pottery Manufacturers; American Ceramic Society; American Legion-VFW; and Kentucky Colonel. Mr.Blenko graduated from the Carnegie Institute of Technology in 1942 with a Bachelor of Science Degree.

Richard Blenko

Richard Blenko began work at Blenko Glass as a very young man,  he and his older brother would often ‘ hang out’ with their Uncle Jim Derkin and men from the plant – listening to the stories,  watching glass being made. Rick knew he would join the Co. after graduation.  From the beginning of his tenture at Blenko, he did whatever had to be done.  While his job was managment, he was accomplished in the many task of running a Glass Company.,  he was the Promotional ‘Face of Blenko’,   Richard has often been called an amabassodor for WV Glass,  he was instrumental in Blenko involvement with PBS.  Rick loves film,  and it was only natural he would be involved with films documenting the long and  colorful  history of Blenko Glass Company. Richard often assisted with selecting designs for the catalog,  designing and assisting with designs from 80 to 2007.

Walter Blenko

Walter Blenko is the current President and part owner of Blenko Glass Company. He has been involved in the company since 2003. Walter graduated from Carnegie Institute of Technology with a degree in engineering, he later went on to pursue and graduate with a degree in law. He also maintains a career in patent law near his home in Pennsylvania. Walter is a grandson of the founder of Blenko Glass Company and maintains that the tradition of American made glassware should continue.
The company’s name comes from William Blenko, a British glass maker, who shipped glass to American stained glass studios. He came to the United States in 1893 and started a glass making business in Kokomo, Indiana, producing glass for church windows and related uses. He returned to England in 1904 and then made two more attempts to establish a factory in the United States. He used British glass workers in Point Marion, Pennsylvania, in 1909, and Clarksburg, West Virginia, in 1913, but was unable to make a success of these operations. In 1921 at the age of 68 he began a new effort in Milton, Wv., and was joined by his son, William H. Blenko, the following year. Seven years later at the height of the depression, William H. Blenko could see the necessity of producing some other product, and secured the services of two experienced Swedish glass workers. This enabled the company to enter a new, wider, and highly promising field of handmade decorative glass. William Blenko died in 1934, but he had lived to see the tide change. The decorative accessories and the beautiful stained glass windows utilizing Blenko glass are now known all over America. This tradition has been continued by William H. Blenko, Jr., who joined the company in 1946 and his son Richard D. Blenko, who joined the firm in 1976. In 200_ Walter Blenko joined the company and took on the role of the president. Walter Blenko currently serves as the President of Blenko Glass. He and his son, Andy are continuing the gracious custom of glass signing for Blenko.
THE BLENKO PROJECT wishes to publicly express our gratitude to Mr. Willliam H. Blenko, Mr. Richard D. Blenko and Mr. Walter Blenko: For opening wide the doors of your factory, and allowing access to former and current employees. For your assistance in all phases of THE BLENKO PROJECT, we thank you. We are completing this project with the feeling which Mr. Winslow Anderson so eloquently expressed when he said "Most people who spend time at Blenko end up feeling like family." Thank you!