Page 7: Striated Ruby

Cache from Bryn Athyn Glass Works

The Bryn Athyn Glassworks produced a number of colors but their crowning achievement was a beautiful striated red which matched a color unique to 12^th & 13^th century medieval glass. 

Striated Ruby produced by Bryn Athyn Glassworks

You can see this color today in the background of the “Flight to Egypt” panel from the cathedral of St. Denis which is one of the most important medieval panels collected by Raymond Pitcairn. It is located in the Treasury Room of the Glencairn Museum.

"Flight to Egypt" Glencairn Museum

Page 6: Ariel Gunther & the “Antique” Method of Flat Glass Production

PHOTO: Glencairn Archives

During this period Raymond Pitcairn approached a young man fresh from the Bryn Athyn High School named Ariel Gunther with the offer, “If you’re willing to spend your life making glass, we’ll train you how to do it”. David Smith and Ariel Gunther worked together for the next 20 years. 

PHOTO: Glencairn Archives

They produced flat glass in the “antique method” by gathering glass on a blow pipe and spinning out roundels or by making cylinders in the muff method which they cut open and flattened at the furnace to create sheet glass. 

The Roundel Method

The Muff Method

In the 20 years that the factory was in operation Gunther and Smith produced enough glass to glaze Bryn Athyn Cathedral and the windows in Raymond Pitcairn’s home, Glencairn. 

Bryn Athyn Cathedral

The impressive stockpile of glass stored in the basement of Bryn Athyn Cathedral against future repairs remains as mute evidence of the scale of their production.

Cache from Bryn Athyn Glassworks