Blenko Hand-blown Glass at Benjamin Art Gallery

Benjamin Art Gallery is a registered Blenko dealer and we offer a diverse selection of Blenko glass.  Please contact the gallery for more information.

Blenko Glass Company was founded in 1893 by William J. Blenko (pictured at right) in Kokomo, Indiana. He was born in 1853 in London's East End, on 36 Wharf Road. He worked in London glass houses as early as 13 years and eagerly learned about glass formulation. In 1893 he came to America with the intention of starting the first glasshouse that could supply mouth blown (Antique) sheet glass for stained glass windows.

At this time, all antique glass was produced in Europe(France, England, Germany), which is still the case today. He arrived in Kokomo, Indiana and set up a small shop. In time, he hired and trained other glass workers. It was here that he became friends with Eugene Debs, founder of the American Railway Union, forerunner of the American Socialist Party. This friendship continued until Debs' death in 1924 and beyond, when William Blenko directed that his ashes be spread on Debs grave in 1933. William remained in Kokomo until 1903, when economics in America forced the factory to close. He also became aware of the prejudice against American-made glass. Since the studios were owned by former Europeans, they had a natural bias in favor of European glass. William Blenko faced this prejudice until he died. Later, in 1909 he again started a factory in Point Marion, Pennsylvania, and later Clarksburg, WV, both of these ventures failed. A letter indicates he was working in Bellaire, Ohio in 1919 at an unknown glass factory for $40.00 a week. He was offered a job at Tiffany's in New York for $50.00 a week and he apparently took this job. Finally in 1921, he decided to move to Milton, WV, because of the natural gas price; he was now 67 years old, an age when most people retire. Working by himself, he blew the glass cylinders, flattened them into sheets and then went on the road in his Model T car to sell them.

The original name of the company was Eureka Glass Company. It was called this because William J. Blenko spent years trying to find a ruby red sheet glass that would not change colors when painted and fired. When he developed this color, he threw his arms in the air, and said "Eureka, I've found it!" Hence, the name Eureka. In 1923, his 26-year-old son William H. Blenko Sr. , with wife Marion and two-year-old son William Jr. joined him in Milton. This is when the factory really took off.

William H. Blenko Sr. had energy, ideas and an astute sense of sales. Even by 1927, Eureka antique sheet glass was specified for Liverpool Cathedral. By 1929, sales were slow due to the depression in America. Bill Sr. contacted a Boston Importer, called Carbone. Carbone was importing his glass vases from Venice, Bill Blenko said he could manufacture them, and save Carbone money. In reality, Bill Blenko did not have the skilled men to make them. Upon his return to Milton, he found two Swedish glassworkers to work part-time. Their names were Axel Mueller and Louie Miller. They were brothers. These two men were highly skilled in stemware manufacture, and set the standard for all craftsmen to follow. So, the first samples were made in 1929, and thereafter, handblown tableware was a major aspect of the Blenko business. In 1933 William Sr .negotiated a contract to become the exclusive manufacturer for Colonial Williamsburg, when it was being excavated by the Rockefeller family. This step was the beginning of Blenko producing tableware fulltime. William Sr. died in 1969.

William H. Blenko Jr. , was born in Lancaster, Ohio in 1921. After graduating in 1942 with a B.S Degree from Carnegie Institute of Technology, Bill Jr. joined the United States Air Force where he served in England as a Captain. This is also where he met his bride to be, Jeanne. In 1946, after serving his time in the 8th Air Force, William H. Blenko,Jr became the 3rd generation to join the family business of glass making. By 1969 Bill Jr. was appointed President of the company. He is a member of several associations including:

He is one of only 12 Lifetime members of the Glass Art Society
Lifetime member of the Stained Glass Association
American association of Glass and Pottery Mfrs.
American Ceramic Society
American Legion-VFW
Kentucky Colonel
William H. Blenko Jr. is still active in the company as Chairman.

In 1976, Richard Deakin Blenko, son of William Jr. joined the business, becoming the fourth generation to work in the family business. In 1989, he published the book "Blenko Glass 1930-1953, and founded the Blenko Glass Museum. He has appeared on CNN, Fox(FX) television and has been the topic of many national print articles.

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