Glass Message Board

Glass Discussion & Research. NO IDENTIFICATION REQUESTS here please. => Canada => Topic started by: Frank on January 26, 2005, 09:23:19 PM

Title: Canadian Altaglass
Post by: Frank on January 26, 2005, 09:23:19 PM
Does anyone have any idea why labels for the Canadian glass company Altaglass 1950-88 labels include the words 'Walsall England'. Altaglass was started by a Czech glassmaker John Furch (presumably anglicized spelling)

Reference found:
Coward, Mary, 1946-
Altaglass, manufactures of hand made glass, Medicine Hat, Alberta, 1950-1988 : a guide for collectors / Mary Coward. -- Edmonton : Mary Coward, 1999.
ISBN 0-9684968-0-6

Has anyone seen this book?
Title: Altaglass Reference Books
Post by: walterb on May 22, 2006, 01:46:20 PM
Hi I just joined the forum and am a collector of Altaglass.  The book by Mary Coward can still be purchased from her however she has moved.  The only way to contact her is by telephone.  I have her new telephone number if anyone needs it.

There is a much more comprensive book out this year on Altaglass called Swan Song, the Story of Altaglass by Derek and Ann McNaney. This can only be purchased directly from the authors via email at mcnaneya @ telusplanet.net.  If any of you are collectors of Altaglass this is an excellent reference book.

Regards

Walter
Title: Canadian Altaglass
Post by: David555 on May 22, 2006, 11:13:09 PM
(http://img114.imageshack.us/img114/7519/altaglass1rh.th.jpg) (http://img114.imageshack.us/my.php?image=altaglass1rh.jpg)

Just thought I would add the label from one of my pieces for people to see 'Walsall England' is in small letters - see bottom

This label is foil, gold with silver lettering.


Adam P
Title: Canadian Altaglass
Post by: walterb on May 23, 2006, 03:04:29 AM
The labels were made in England and were gold lettering on a black background. With age/wear they turn silver.  You would find confirmation of this in Mary Coward's book.

 I took a look at one of my Altaglass pieces and yes you are correct at one corner of the label is the word WALSALL and the adjoining corner ENGLAND.

This was just one of a number of labels and etchings used to identify Altaglass. Is WALSALL a town/city or Company name?

Mary Coward also has a website www.altaglass.ca which you might find of interest.

Regards

Walter
Title: Canadian Altaglass
Post by: Frank on May 23, 2006, 07:30:17 AM
Hi Walter,

Walsall is a town, I recall being puzzled by this in the past - why should a Canadian glassworks be labelled with an English origin?
Title: Canadian Altaglass
Post by: Anne on May 23, 2006, 10:07:49 AM
There's what may be a clue on the Altaglass site referred to above... the stickers with Walsall England were apparently printed in England!
See http://altaglass.ca/content/view/21/34/
Title: Canadian Altaglass
Post by: Frank on May 23, 2006, 10:37:23 AM
That makes no sense, printers do not usually advertise prominently on product stickers of the customers! Certainly not without the name of the printer. It would seem like they had a sister company in the UK.
Title: Canadian Altaglass
Post by: David E on May 23, 2006, 12:07:36 PM
A fascinating thread: Walter, is the http://www.altaglass.ca/ your own web site? Nicely done and very easy to navigate.

However, there doesn't appear to be any link with Walsall, England (I live a few miles from here) after reading through the history page, although John Furch did work in glass factories until 1949.

I suppose there might be some historical link to Walsall? Perhaps he started the company in a basic form just before emigrating?
Title: Canadian Altaglass
Post by: Frank on May 23, 2006, 12:11:31 PM
Or a sales office in Walsall?
Title: Canadian Altaglass
Post by: Anne on May 23, 2006, 08:28:03 PM
Quote from: "DenCill"
http://www.altaglass.ca/ your own web site? Nicely done and very easy to navigate.


I agree entirely David, very nicely done and a delight to use. Running on Mambo it seems.
Title: Canadian Altaglass
Post by: David555 on May 24, 2006, 11:15:51 AM
It looks like only one label has 'Walsall England' on it http://altaglass.ca/content/view/21/34/ 'The company soon began using a black and gold diamond-shaped sticker, printed for them in England. These stickers look silver on many of the pieces you find today.' I wonder if they were printed in Walsall?

Stranger things have been known

Aghhhh ... I see Anne has already covered that above so just ignore me :oops:

Adam P
Title: Canadian Altaglass
Post by: David E on May 24, 2006, 12:00:08 PM
Quote from: "Frank"
That makes no sense, printers do not usually advertise prominently on product stickers of the customers! Certainly not without the name of the printer. It would seem like they had a sister company, perhaps a sales office, in the UK.

I tend to agree: point of origin for the maker is far more likely. I've seen glass like this in the UK, although some Chalet Glass is similar, but perhaps this is the answer.

As John Furch worked in the British glass industry until 1949, he might very well have retained links & contacts in the UK.
Title: Canadian Altaglass
Post by: David555 on May 24, 2006, 05:35:45 PM
Hi

Sorry Frank, I posted without seeing that idea had already been suggested and debated.

Black Country Glass 'The area known as the Black Country is roughly based on a huge coal-field with the towns of Wolverhampton, Walsall, Smethwick and Stourbridge at its corners'

So Walsall has a glass making history.

Also Walter, is there any mention of a connection between Altaglass and Walsall in Mary Coward's book - or the label?

Adam P
Title: Canadian Altaglass
Post by: David E on May 24, 2006, 05:41:51 PM
... and Chance Brothers was situated in the Black Country.
Title: Canadian Altaglass
Post by: Kanadiana on May 25, 2006, 09:03:02 PM
Quote from: "paradisetrader"

Exactly my thought but the Alta~ name seems to have some connection with the Medicine Hat area........ :roll:


"Alta" "ALTA" is an abbreviation of the Province's name - ALBERTA.
Medicine Hat is a town in the Province of Alberta ;)

Sorry I don't know glass and their makers and have no idea
what the connection to England might be on the labels.

Canadian Kanadiana :)
Title: Altaglass labels
Post by: walterb on May 28, 2006, 01:02:50 PM
I have posed the question on why the name Walsall is on the Altaglass labels  to Derek and Ann Mcnaney who are the authors of "Swan Song" The story of Altaglass; who in my mind are probably the most knowledgeable on Altaglass, and I will get back to the forum when I hear anything.

I quote out of Derek and Anne's book " In the late 1930's John Furch, his wife and daughter, Margarete, were helped to England by the Czechs and British........In England, Furch worked on a farm for a year, but when war broke out he resumed his previous occupation of welding, then quickly switched to glass making at Nazeing Glass Works near London.  In 1942 he became foreman in a new glass plant in Yorkshire, England.  Two years later he returned to the Nazeing Glass Works and remained there until 1949 when he emigrated to Canada...." and hence the story of Altaglass begins.

Yes the Company Altaglass was located in Medicine Hat Alberta.  Medicine Hat, a City in the Province of Alberta, Canada is located in a major oil and gas field and that is what originally attracted John Furch, the founder of Altaglass to set up his Company there; a cheap source of natural gas.

Someone posed the question if the website www.altaglass.ca was mine.  No this is Mary Coward's the author of the earlier book on Altaglass.

Regards

Walter
Title: Canadian Altaglass
Post by: Frank on May 28, 2006, 02:01:14 PM
Hi Walter,

I corrected your spelling of Nazeing, there is an old article about them on my site.

http://www.ysartglass.com/Otherglass/Nazeing.htm

Interesting that there is now a link between these two glassworks!