Leerdam Glass

 by Ivo Haanstra

Leerdam, near Rotterdam in the Netherlands, has been a site of glass making since the 18th Century. In 1878 an existing bottle plant was extended with a glass works for table glasses, both blown and pressed. During the first years of production, the designs were anonymous, and followed the tradition of drinking glasses elsewhere. Decanters, stemware, counter jars and similar articles were decorated with etched, engraved and cut designs and the resulting production was so traditional that it could have been produced almost anywhere. The same is true for pressed glass patterns, which are completely in line with the taste of the period. These products were not just for local distribution, but were also exported to England, South America and Mexico.

During the great age of glass innovation at the turn of the century, Leerdam kept out of the art glass market. At the time there was an important idealistic movement to improve the quality of everyday design, led by architects and furniture makers. Shapes inspired by nature were stylised, geometrical designs introduced and the role of ornament was reduced. This Functionalist movement, which was inspired by the Arts & Crafts movement in England, was led in the Netherlands by the architect Hendrik P.Berlage. He believed that architects should not limit themselves to designing buildings, but that they should also tackle decoration, furniture and tableware. His first designs for vases and stemware date from 1900 - but it would be 20 years before the Leerdam glass factory actually produced any of his designs.

In 1915, the first glass designs were commissioned by P.M.Cochius, director of Leerdam Glassworks, from the architect Karel P.C.de Bazel. Around the same time, Cochius commissioned glass designs from other famous architect-designers such as Cornelis De Lorm, Chris Lanooy, Chris Lebeau, and Hendrik P.Berlage and from the young factory designer Andries Copier (pronounce koh-peer).

The regular production of anonymous glass continued, but designer glasses soon became quite popular. They were stamped with an acid etched mark to identify the designer. The factory colour scheme included clear crystal, amber, purple, dark amethyst, black amethyst, matt black, green and yellow-green, light blue and blue, and some glasses had iridised or light gold-lustre finishes. After 1928, the colours brown and red were added, as well as grey-violet.

Leerdam commissioned designs as a full set of matching glasses. Such a glass service would consist of a wine decanter, a cordial decanter, a water decanter, a large and a small wine glass, a champagne glass, glasses for port, cordial, liqueur, beer, water and lemonade, a green glass for white wine, finger bowls and various dishes.

As for the idealistic aims of quality for the masses, it was soon discovered that the masses did not drink port or burgundy from expensive crystal goblets: so designer glasses remained expensive.

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