What is Waterford Crystal and How Did It Start?
Waterford Crystal, or Penrose crystal is a premium quality, handcrafted crystal created by the Waterford Wedgewood Company in Waterford, Ireland. Waterford Crystal is renowned worldwide for its deep cuts and purity of design.
What distinguishes Waterford Crystal from the rest? Not so sure anymore!
The craftsmanship of Waterford Crystal sets it apart from its competition. Each piece of Waterford Crystal is characterized by its purity, clarity, and durability. Waterford Crystal is mixed, blown, cut, and polished using the same tools that were in place from the 18th century. Silica sand, lead oxide, and potassium carbonate are mixed and melted into glass. Skilled artisans mold the glass into distinct shapes and send these pieces into an annealing oven. After the crystal is cooled, artisans carve brilliant diamond-like designs into the glass.
What is the history behind Waterford Crystal?
Brothers William and George Penrose started the Penrose Glass House in 1783. The company made high quality crystal pieces that served as gifts to royalty and the wealthy, and enjoyed a profitable export business as one of the premier crystal manufacturers in the world.
What are some of the more popular designs of Waterford Crystal?
Waterford Crystal patterns never truly expire since any out-of-stock patterns can be recreated from scratch. The more popular patterns that exist today are: Lismore, which celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2006. Characterized by leaf patterns and wedge cuts. Marquis, with its clean lines in contemporary or traditional cuts. Crystal classic collection Clarenden collection Seahorse collection Waterford also makes many non-crystal products, including table and bed linens, flatware, silver products, writing utensils, jewelry, and many collectibles.
A little story of how a Wexford Kid was trained at Waterford Crystal Ireland
The year is 1969 in Waterford City where milk bottles were delivered to your doorstep by Snocream, a well known pasteurised milk producer. Several companies were doing quite well in business, including Clover Meats, The Foundry, Tannery and Waterford Crystal. In Irish terms Waterford Crystal was always known as “The Glass” and glass factory jobs were the cream of the crop, with high wages, best benefits and a sickness program to die for !
When I started in “The Glass” the company had its facility in Johnstown, an area of downtown where lots of pubs and small shops done a bristling trade from the trickle down effect of Waterford Crystal employees.
The manufacturing plant closed in 2009 and there is no more factory tours. Waterford Crystal is gone as we know it but not forgotten.
Oh, Lordy Lordy, what have they done?
James Connolly is a retired Waterford Crystal Master Appraiser and offers you his unique services in Appraisals, Identification. Find out if you have a dud from a special report.
Visit the little web-site at www.waterfordcrystalappraisal.info.
