The role of glass knobs in glassmaking and furniture

Magazine Antiques, May, 1996 by Kenneth M. Wilson, Kirk J. Nelson

The abundance of surviving glass knobs and advertisements offering them for sale throughout the country indicate their widespread acceptance and use after about 1820. They appear to have been especially popular in Baltimore, where in the February 13, 1822, issue of the American and Commercial Advertiser Hugh Gelston offered a variety of merchandise including curtain pins and glass knobs. Five Baltimore merchants advertised in the same paper: H. Dawes on March 2, 1824, offered "Sideboards with glass knobs"; Jonas Hastings on March 5, 1824, had for sale "I Mahogany Sideboard, glass knobs"; Wm. M. Ellicott and Company, agents for the Baltimore Flint Glass Company, advertised "a great variety of PLAIN AND CUT GLASS KNOBS" on January 14, 1830; Mitchell, Henry and Company had for sale "9 boxes assorted Glass Knobs" on April 5, 1830; and James H. Marston, the agent for the New England Glass Company, offered on February 17, 1830, and in subsequent issues, "Cut and Plain knobs," and on April 17 of that year he advertised "BUREAU KNOBS, Plain, Twisted, Pressed Patent, Pearl, Enamelled, Blue, &c. &c." In the Baltimore Daily and Commercial Advertiser from March 27, 1835, periodically through at least January 1, 1836, Marston advertised a long list of glasswares including "KNOBS - 5800 dozen from 3/4 to 2 1/2 inch flint, plain, Ribbed, Twisted, Rose, Strawberry and Star diamond, plain ring and pillar pattern, KNOBS, with Spindles, 150 groce SPINDLES, assorted sizes, extra." The knobs shown in Plate VII match two described in this advertisement.

On October 30, 1820, Moses Poor, a commission merchant, and C. L. Learles, an auctioneer, advertised for sale in the City of Washington [D.C.] Gazette, "4 elegant sideboards, with cut glass handles....made by one of the best cabinet makers in Baltimore."(26)

The New England Glass Company could claim widespread sales of their glass knobs. Peter Morton, the company's agent in Hartford, Connecticut, for example, advertised on June 26, 1826, in that city's Connecticut Courant, "20 dozen Glass Cut Knob Handles for Doors and Cabinet Maker's use, among which are a great variety of new patterns." It is possible that the Providence Flint Glass Company in Providence, Rhode Island, in operation from 1831 to 1833 was the source of the "GLASS FURNITURE TRIMMINGS - Just received and for sale by the dozen or gross" advertised by Fuller and Dodge in the Manufacturers and Farmers, and Pawtucket and Providence Advertiser on October 22, 1832. Caleb Greene advertised in the same newspaper on December 7, 1835, "one hundred and seventeen doz. Glass Knobs" and on April 26, 1838, "50 doz. glass knobs." In the Boston Daily Advertiser of April 1, 1840, the New England Glass Warehouse offered "GLASS DOOR KNOBS...GLASS SHUTTER KNOBS" and "500 set Premium Glass Door Knobs."

The vogue for these rather elaborately decorated glass trimmings on fashionable furniture, whether pressed or cut, declined after about 1850. Simpler knobs, usually pressed, continued to be used on less pretentious pieces of furniture such as cupboards and washstands throughout the rest of the century. From about 1900 to 1930 they were also used on kitchen cabinets made by various firms in Indiana, among them the Hoosier Manufacturing Company of New Castle, the Showers Brothers Company, and the Sellers Company.