Glass Furniture?

We just got a carton full of a great new book from the Corning Museum of Glass- "European Glass Furnishings for Eastern Palaces" by Jane Shadel Spillman. Corning Museum of Glass: 2006.

“Written as a supplement to the Museum's major summer exhibition, ‘Glass of the Maharajahs’, this book explores the little-known era in glassmaking history when European glass manufacturers tailored one-of-a-kind and limited-production glass furniture to the tastes of the wealthy Indian elite. The very idea that a chair could glitter like a diamond, catch light like a colored gemstone, and still function as seating must have astounded those who first encountered glass furniture in the mid- to late-19th century. Some of the furniture and printed materials are drawn from The Corning Museum of Glass; others are borrowed from Indian palaces, private homes and archival collections.”

A fascinating catalog. The text begins by discussing the early 19th century glass furniture of Europe and Russia, and then moves on to India. Firms such as F.& C. Osler, Jonas Defries & Sons, Coalbourne Hill Glass Works, Baccarat and Elias Palme are all discussed at length. One of the most fascinating aspects of this book was the ability of the author to find modern photographs, period prints, and original factory designs for the same pieces of furniture and lighting.

Hardcover. 8.5”x11”, 144 pages, 125 illustrations. New. [90217] $24.95