From the cutting designs created by the original Waterford brothers, Havel created Lismore, a crystal pattern that would eventually be regarded as the best-selling and finest crystal pattern worldwide. Havel studied products of the original Waterford company that were on display in the National Museum of Ireland. The Waterford style was picked up again in Ireland in 1947 by two Czech immigrants: Kael Bacik and Miroslav Havel. The Lismore pattern, seen here on a tumbler, was one of the earliest–and ultimately the most popular–patterns produced by Waterford.Īfter 70 years of building a reputation for the finest and clearest glass, including a nod from King George III who had his vacation home outfitted with Waterford crystal, the original Waterford factory was closed in 1853 because of lack of funds.
The Penrose brothers were opportunist businessmen. So, by meeting England’s large demand for this decorative glass and also escaping the import taxes, there was a lot of money to be made. England also had a very high import tax for glass at the time-a tax that didn’t apply to Ireland. The brothers, neither of whom had a background in glass production, produced fine flint glass, a very popular decorative glass in England at the time. The original Waterford company was first opened in 1783 by William and George Penrose. The History of Waterford The town of Waterford circa 1895. Waterford Crystal is an Ireland-based crystal manufacturer in the town of-you guessed it-Waterford, Ireland. Waterford has become a casual, household name for very fine, luxury crystal. Now that we have that settled, let’s revisit our original question: What is Waterford Crystal? Crystal even sounds different: when you clink together two crystal glasses, you’ll hear a high-pitched, tinny sound, much different from the deep thud one hears when glasses (like beer mugs) are clinked. The higher lead content also causes crystal to refract light in a different way than glass, which creates that well-loved sparkle. When compared to traditional glass, it is often thinner, more clear, and heavier. The lead content of crystal changes many of its qualities. Crystal has a higher lead content than regular glass, which is part of why it sparkles in the light. The increased lead content means that crystal takes longer to cool off than glass, which allows glassblowers more time to carve the intricate patterns often seen on crystal items. In the US, any glass with a lead monoxide content of one percent or more qualifies as crystal, while in Europe, crystal has to have between 10 and 30 percent of lead monoxide. The standards for classifying a glass as “crystal” vary across the world.
That said, those beautiful Waterford wine decanters are for show-not for actual storage. The Environmental Protection Agency says it is safe for drinking water to carry 15 micrograms of lead per liter, which is far more than one will consume from drinking wine out of a crystal glass for a few hours. Ultimately, the answer is no-lead crystal is no more of a risk to your health than your average diet. Even the Waterford website discourages customers from storing liquids and foods in the crystal, which would give the lead more time to leach from the crystal into the food. In the 90s, there was a health scare as the Food and Drug Administration issued a warning about consuming your food out of lead crystal. In addition to their extensive lines of stemware, Waterford makes an array of glass ornaments and decorative items. Lead crystal is very strong and often used in wine glasses and decorative ornaments. Most crystals have a combination of silica, soda and lead-oxide. Let’s back it up a little and start with this question: What is Crystal? A Waterford crystal record player on display in the House of Waterford Crystal in Ireland.Ĭrystal is a type of glass, specifically glass made with lead. If you are looking to sell your Waterford, or purchase some at your next estate sale, read on to learn all about this long-standing tradition in crystal glassware. Waterford crystal is often an item people sell at estate sales and many sellers have no idea what their Waterford is worth. Whether you’re seeking a replacement for your wedding crystal collection, or simply like the vintage look of crystal items in your home and on your dining table, Waterford crystal can make a wonderful addition to your antique collection.
Wine glasses and other stemware are a type of Waterford crystal item that can be found in many homes.
Waterford crystal is one of those brands. The Waterford company makes a variety of crystal items for the home.Ĭrystal stemware was a classic wedding gift for many decades and this tradition still stands when it comes to the best, timeless brands of crystal.
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