How to Use ACGA Cut Glass Research Materials
Basic Catalog Access
The online research materials are organized into groupings by type of information. Select the grouping of interest to activate a screen presenting the list of all available materials within a category. Choose a listed publication to access the menu of displayable information for the chosen publication. There is usually an illustrated introduction, followed by several document sections. In most cases there is a pattern index to aid in location of specific patterns and shapes within the document.
Each document section is browser displayable. Simply click on the desired section, and wait while the file downloads. Time required depends on the Internet link speed available but is usually less than a minute. [For the technically inclined, page image sections are rasterized gray scale multi-page .pdfs, usually scanned at 300 dpi so that "fine print" text can be read online. File sizes are usually 3MB to 6MB.]
The groupings are:
Brilliant Era Glass Cutting House Catalogs
Catalogs describing cut glass products, published by companies that produced and sold cut glass during the Brilliant Era (1876-1916). Quite useful for pattern identification, price comparisons and dating.
Brilliant Era Glass Cutting Blanks Catalogs
Catalogs describing blanks provided to other firms for cutting. Published by companies that made blanks for cutting and sold them to cutting houses.
Brilliant Era Glass Promotional Booklets
Non-catalog informative and promotional pamphlets and booklets distributed to retailers and end users of cut glass products during the Brilliant Era.
Distributor Catalog Cut Glass Sections
Wholesale distributor catalog sections describing cut glass to be sold to retail stores. Sometimes the maker of the cut glass is identified, but often the cutting houses are not explicitly documented. Fruitful research information sources!
Retailer Catalog Cut Glass Sections
Retail catalog sections describing cut glass to be sold to the general public. Sometimes the maker of the cut glass is identified, but often the cutting houses are not explicitly documented. Useful in pattern identification, dating and selling price research.
Brilliant Cut Glass Reference Books
Books about cut glass published during the Brilliant Era. These were usually private publications having limited distribution and were intended for ceremonial presentation or promotion.
Brilliant Era Cut Glass Advertisements
Cut glass related advertising and illustrated promotional articles from trade journals. Extremely valuable research tools, because many advertised patterns and shapes never appeared in surviving old catalogs.
Factory Papers and Documents.
Includes workbooks, job slips, letters, purchase orders, packing slips, factory exterior and interior imagery and similar documents.
Research Tools and Other Documents
This grouping includes the Master Index as well as a collection of investigatory tools, research notes and papers that were published as chapters in LABAC books.
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