Friends of the AHG
This page contains links to other glass associations, as well as museums and glass related websites. These are predominately British associations. For international glass associations, please see our parent association, L’Association Internationale pour l’Histoire du Verre (AIHV).
If you are seeking to become a member, see Join Us. If you would like to contribute to our charitable aims, please contact us directly.
Please note: The Association for the History of Glass Limited is not responsible for the content of any external web sites.
Associations
L’Association Internationale pour l’Histoire du Verre
An international organisation devoted to advancing knowledge about glass – its use, history and aesthetic qualities from antiquity to present times. The Association for the History of Glass acts as the British division.
The Glass Society
In 2019, The Glass Association and The Glass Circle merge to become The Glass Society. The Glass Association was founded in 1983 at the Stourbridge College of Art and The Glass Circle in London in 1937. The merged Glass Society promotes the understanding and appreciation of glass and glass-making and increase public interest in glass. The Glass Society covers both historical and contemporary glass. Through its visits, meetings and publications, it seeks to cater for a wide range of glass interests.
The British Society of Master Glass Painters
The British Society of Master Glass Painters was founded in 1921. It is Britain’s only organisation devoted exclusively to the art and craft of stained glass.
The British Society of Scientific Glass Blowers
Founded in 1960, The British Society of Scientific Glass Blowers is primarily aimed at professional glass blowers. It operates for the benefit of those engaged in Scientific Glassblowing and associated professions. It holds meetings and trainings, and works to uphold and further scientific glassblowing.
The Guild of Glass Engravers
The Guild of Glass Engravers was founded in 1975 by a small group of British engravers. They established this professional body to further and advocate for this art form.
The Society of Glass Technology
The objects of the Society of Glass Technology are to encourage and advance the study of the history, art, science, design, manufacture, after treatment, distribution and end use of glass of any and every kind.
Association Francaise pour l’Archeologie du Verre (AFAV)
Since its inception in 1985, AFAV is devoted to the promotion, study and dissemination of research into glass from Antiquity to the modern era, which includes the history of glass and its techniques, from archaeological, historical, iconographic sources, and the conservation and restoration of glass.
Verre et Histoire
Glass and History aims to provide a forum for research between glass professionals and amateurs within different disciplines (history, art history, history of business and labor history of technology, social history, ethnology, physico-chemical sciences, etc..), to help develop the knowledge of glass and its history from antiquity to the present.
Museums
Stourbridge Glass Museum
Located in the former Grade II listed Stuart Crystal Glassworks site in Wordsley, West Midlands, the Stourbridge Glass Museum (formerly the White House Cone Museum of Glass) showcases the glass, archive and technical collections previously held at the former Broadfield House Glass Museum, with a particular focus on 19th century Stourbridge factories.
Museum of London
The Museum of London covers the history of the city from prehistoric to modern times, with a particular focus on social history. It contains over a million objects spanning thousands of years of London’s history, including an extensive collection of glass.
The World of Glass
The World of Glass is a local museum and visitor centre in St Helens, Merseyside, dedicated to the local history of the town and borough primarily through the lens of the glass industry but also other local industries.
Turner Museum of Glass
The Turner Museum of Glass collection is housed in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at the University of Sheffield and mainly includes glass from major European and American glassworkers, with a particular focus on those from the 1920s to 1950s, together with glass from ancient Egypt and Rome. There are over 380 pieces on permanent display.
Corning Museum of Glass
The Corning Museum of Glass is the international leader in transforming the world’s understanding of the art, history and science of glass. The collection includes over 50,000 objects representing more than 3,500 years of glass history and the Rakow Research Library houses an unparalleled collection of materials documenting centuries of human interaction with glass. The museum brings glass to life through glassworking demonstrations and their internationally renowned glassworking school, The Studio.
Victoria & Albert Museum
The V&A’s glass collection is one of the largest and the most comprehensive in the world, showcasing the development of design and technology in glassmaking over 3,500 years. The collection is particularly rich in vessel and art glass, with examples from the Italian Renaissance, the Middle East, 17th to 20th century Britain and Europe, and contemporary art glass from around the world. The museum also holds an important collection of stained glass from the medieval period onwards.
Other Relevant Websites
Discovering Britain – The Royal Geographical Society has produced a series of geographically-themed walks around the UK, including one along the Town Arm of the Stourbridge Canal. This walk looks at how Stourbridge became world-famous for iron and glass making, and was created by glass enthusiast and trustee of the British Glass Foundation, Graham Fisher MBE. The route visits current and former glass manufacturing sites including the Red House Glass Cone, New Dial and Ruskin Glass Centre.
WorldArtGlass – This site provides a guide to art glass and crystal around the World. It includes extensive links lists for galleries, studios and museums, sources of information, events, organizations, publications and so on.
Pioneering glass – A web site devoted to drinking glasses made in England and for English people in the 17th century.
Roman Glassmakers – The website of the glassmakers Mark Taylor and David Hill who specialise in reproducing a wide range of reproductions of Roman glass vessels.
Roman Glass Bangles – Website run by member Tatiana Ivleva, including up-to-date bibliographies on Roman glass bangles in various countries.
International Network of the Composition of Byzantine Glass Tesserae – This project, sponsored by the Leverhulme Trust (2007-2010), has published online databases of sites and sources of Byzantine mosaic glass tesserae.
Vidimus – The only on-line magazine devoted to medieval stained glass. Vidimus appears monthly and subscription is free.