Ripley
In 1874 Daniel Ripley, Jr. established his own company
Ripley & Co. was established in 1865 by Daniel C. Ripley, and was noted for two-handled styles, the use of opaque opal or milk glass in what were known as wedding lamps and such novelties as the figural warrior or conquistador lamp, and a large bouquet lamp, containing a nosegay of artificial flowers.
Ripley Glass
Ripley & Co. Pittsburg, PA. 1864 – 1865
George Duncan & Sons, Pittsburg PA. & Washington PA. 1864 – 1874
Ripley & Co. 1874 – 1891
U.S. Glass Co. Factory F – Ripley Glass, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (1891-1936)
Ripley Glass Connellsville, Pa (1911 – 1917)
The first Ripley & Co. glassworks was organized by Daniel C. Ripley, Sr. and several partners, including George Duncan, in 1865 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The company specialized in flint, cut, and engraved glass. Later, after Daniel Ripley Sr. died, Duncan bought out the partners and renamed the company George Duncan & Sons.
When George Duncan purchased the Ripley & Company Glass factory in 1865 it was a small building located at 10th and Carson Street in Pittsburgh PA. George was associated with D.C. Ripley and company previously to the purchase. In 1874 Duncan founded a new glass factory on the Southside of Pittsburgh. We assume Duncan closed the old operation down, when the new glasshouse came online.
In 1874 Daniel Ripley, Jr. established his own company, where he made pressed glassware, bar glass, and lamps, including the famous Ripley double-font “marriage” or “wedding” lamp. The factory was located at S. 8th and Bingham Sts. Pittsburg, PA. In 1891 Ripley & Co. joined the United States Glass trust (a grouping of 18 separate companies), with himself as its first president. Ripley & Co. was renamed “Factory F”. Ripley became teh the Preident of U.S. Glass Co. U.S. Glass Co. coperate headquarters remained in the old Ripley factory building until 1937, when they moved ot Tiffin, OH. The U.S. Glass Co. went bankrupt in 1963.
As an interesting note, to the first Ripley Company's history, one of their clerks and top salesmen was Augustus Heisey, who married George Duncan’s daughter, and eventually founded the famous Heisey Glass Co. in Newark, Ohio.
In 1909, Ripley resigned from U. S. Glass and started a new factory in Connellsville, PA. The plant was located in the south side of Connellsville, Pa about 1911. The firm started its business operation in part of the building that had previously belonged to the Wilder Metal Coating Company.
Hand-blown and hand-pressed glassware was made, including tumblers, stem glasses, punch bowl sets, dishes and some lampshades. The Ripley Glass Plant was shut down but was purchased by the Anchor Cap and Closure Company in 1917. Remodeling was started by the company and in June of 1919, the "Capstan" Plant was to ship its first carload of wares. At the time there were approximately three hundred employees producing five to six carloads of ware each day. The name "Capstan" was selected for the plant because it seemed to tie in with the "Anchor" of Anchor Cap and Closure. A capstan is a device on ships which assists in the handling of the anchor.
By 1926, the plant employed five hundred persons, and shipments averaged seven to twelve carloads a day. Between 1928 and 1937 a series of mergers was to form the Anchor Cap Corporation and Hocking Glass Company. In 1938 the "Capstan" Glass Company closed its doors and did not reopen until 1941. It reopened as the Anchor Hocking Glass Corporation.
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