Early Manufacture and Use of Pigmented Structural Glass

The Russell Stover Candies, Nashville, Tennessee, shows the company's historic use of deep, mirrored violet pigmented structural glass storefronts. Photo: Douglas A. Yorke, AIA.

Although pigmented structural glass enjoyed widespread popularity from the beginning of the Great Depression to the outbreak of World War II, its origins can be traced to the turn of the century. In 1900, the Marietta Manufacturing Company claimed to be the first producer of pigmented structural glass, rolling the first sheet of a "substitute for marble," Sani Onyx. Penn-American Plate Glass Company quickly joined its ranks, manufacturing white and black Carrara Glass around 1906. Penn- American Plate Glass no doubt selected the name "Carrara" for the white glass's close resemblance to the white marble of the Carrara quarries of Italy. Shortly thereafter, Libby-Owens-Ford Glass began production of their own version called Vitrolite.

Initially, Sani Onyx was produced for such utilitarian purposes as refrigerator linings. Manufacturers perceived the glass as a practical, easily cleaned, and sanitary product. Its uses, however, expanded rapidly. By the second decade of the 20th century, consumers viewed pigmented structural glass as an inexpensive substitute for marble counter tops, table tops, wainscoting, and restroom partitions. The first large-scale interior architectural application of pigmented structural glass was in the Woolworth Building (1912-1913) when Architect Cass Gilbert sheathed the restrooms with Carrara Glass. Later in the decade, the decorative possibilities of the glass received even more attention.

As the century progressed, architects began to substitute pigmented structural glass for traditional building materials in new construction. Large expanses of architectural detailing such as sleek door surrounds, polished interior lobbies, and striking commercial storefronts became expected and familiar features within new, expanding downtown business districts in the 1920s and 1930s.

In addition, designers quickly found pigmented structural glass to be an increasingly popular modernizing material for older and out-of-date buildings. As a result, storefronts became a favorite subject for "modernization." New Deal programs, including low-rate insured Federal Housing Administration loans in combination with a "Modernize Main Street" competition sponsored by the Architectural Record and Libby-Owens-Ford Glass, stimulated the remodeling fervor. By 1940, pigmented structural glass veneers had become synonymous with the "modern look." The numerous pigmented structural glass storefronts surviving today are testimony to the popularity of these remodelings.

The extensive use of rich, black Vitrolite in this design impressed the judges of the 1935 "Modernize Main Street" competition and the architects were awarded first prize. Photo: Courtesy, The Architectural Record.

The winners of the 1935 "Modernize Main Street" competition illustrated what many considered good contemporary design. The judges of the competition, including Albert Kahn, William Lescaze, and John Root, awarded architects who incorporated "simplicity," "economy," "unbroken horizontal lines," "expressed function," and "pure colors contrasting light and shadow" in their designs. Simplicity of design often translated into curvilinear recessed entries which protected consumers from inclement weather--eliminating cumbersome canvas or metal awnings--and providing additional display window space.

Although the glass was originally produced only in white, the range of colors from which architects could choose soon included black, beige, and ivory. By the 1930s, more exotic colors such as tropic green, forest green, robin blue, suntan, and jade were offered by the principal manufacturers in addition to the stock colors of gray, yellow, and tan. Agate or marbleized treatments in fanciful imitation of the "real" materials were also available. The back surface was occasionally silvered to give a rich mirror finish. Most of these colors and finishes were available in standard thicknesses from 1-1/32 inch to 1-1/4 inches. The glass's smooth exterior was obtained either by fire polishing during the normal glass fabrication process or by mechanical polishing when a high mirror finish was desired. In both cases, the smooth, slick, reflective surface made the material intensely popular with architects or designers who sought the "modern look."