News Release

Antique Glass Exhibit at Homewood House Museum

The exhibition will include objects from the collections of major museums, seldom-seen treasures from private collectors and items from Homewood's permanent collection. Glassware for eating and drinking made or used in Maryland between 1785 and 1835 will be the primary focus of the exhibition.

Maryland was the site of one of the first American glasshouses to produce fine tableware on a commercial basis, operated by John Frederick Amelung near Frederick. Amelung arrived in 1784 from Germany with a letter of introduction by Charles Carroll of Carrollton, signer of the Declaration of Independence and father of Charles Carroll Jr., Homewood House's original owner.

The exhibit will look at the many types of glassware popular during the Federal Era in Maryland, including imported glass, mirror glass, ‚glomise or reverse painted glass used as furniture and architectural ornamentation, lighting fixtures, tinted spectacles for reading and other optical devices to enhance vision, and even musical instruments.

Special programs scheduled in conjunction with the exhibit will include a symposium on antique glass on March 24, appraisal days on Jan. 22 and March 3 for visitors to learn about their own glass from experts, demonstrations of ‚glomise and glassblowing techniques on Feb. 3 and March 4, group tours to working glasshouses on Jan. 21, Feb. 5 and March 4, and entertaining and educational family programs including a concert of period music played on glass instruments.

For more information on Bubble to Bottle, Pontil to Prism: Early Glass in Maryland, call 410-516-5589.

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