Post War British Glass

author: Angela Bowey

The major glassware producers in Britain after the war were Davidson's, Sowerby, Jobling's, Bagley, Chance Bros., Whitefriars and Caithness. This article shows pictures of some of the kinds of glass these companies were producing. I am very grateful to Adam Dodds who worked for Sowerby's, Davidson's and Jobling's during this period, and to several other experts who have shared their knowledge of the glass of this period.

Generally the designs were all pre-war designs, since very few of these companies invested in designers during this period. The exceptions were the design work for heat resisting glass products like Pyrex. There was a huge pent-up demand for pressed glass products just after the war and initially they could all sell everything they could make. Perhaps that is why they invested so little in innovation.

Almost all the designs shown below were produced in their thousands, literally by the ton, just after the war. Many can still be found on market stalls and second hand shops, garage sales and auctions, for very reasonable prices. They will be the collectable glass of tomorrow, no doubt!

Post-War Glass by Davidson's of Gateshead

The "Chippendale" bowl shown below on the left is by McKee (USA) and is marked "Pres cut" the bowl on the right is a Davidson's Chippendale bowl. The moulds for Chippendale were imported into Britain before the war, when the British Government imposed heavy taxes on imported glass, and it was made by Davidson's from then on.

Post-war Glass by Sowerby's Ellison Glassworks of Gateshead

Post-war Glass by Bagley's of Knottingley

If you are looking for collectible post war glass, you can usually find a good selection on offer on ebay. Click on this link to see Post War British glass currently for sale on ebay.

If you have enjoyed this short article, you will probably enjoy the following books, which we recommend:

Bibliography for this article:

Pottery Gazette and Glass Trade Review, Reference Book 1947
Pottery Gazette and Glass Trade Review, Reference Book 1948
Sheilagh Murray "The Peacock and the Lions" Oriel Press, 1982
Simon Cottle "Sowerby: Gateshead glass" Tyne and Wear Museums Service, 1986.
Exhibition catalogue: "Davidson's Glass: from Gateshead to the World" Tyne and Wear Museums Service, 1993
" The Glass Industry of Tyne and Wear: Part 1: Glassmaking on Wearside" Tyne and Wear County Council, 1979.
Raymond Slack "English Pressed Glass 1830-1900" Barrie and Jenkins, 1987.
Roger Dodsworth (ed) "British Glass Between the Wars" Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council, 1987.
Frederick Cooke "Glass: twentieth-century design" EP Dutton, 1986.
Lesley Jackson (ed) "Whitefriars Glass: the art of James Powell and Sons" Richard Dennis, 1996.

Click here to see British glass currently for sale on ebay.

The items below are for sale right now on eBay - we thought you would like to see these examples which include some Post War British glass.

You could also check out our Recommended Books on Glass.

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INFORMATION about Bagley Glass!

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2nd Edition book US$33.90 plus pp.

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