Glass Factory Marks on Bottles

E.....................Uncertain. Sometimes may be just a mold letter.

E.H.E.................See E.H.E.CO entry, below.

EG (along lower heel of bottle, preceded and followed by various numbers)...........Graham Glass Company, Evansville, Indiana (see Graham). Usually found within a string of letters/numbers, often in conjunction with "G23" or "G26", or similar numbering).

E.H.E.CO..............Edward H. Everett Company (Newark Star Glass Works), Newark, OH (1880-1904). Plant merged in 1904 to become part of the Ohio Bottle Company and in 1905 part of the American Bottle Company. American was purchased by Owens Bottle Company in 1916, and in 1929 this plant became part of the merger that resulted in the formation of Owens-Illinois Glass Company. Also, see "S. K. & CO" and "N next to or within a star" marks.

Ellenville Glass Works.........Ellenville Glass Works, Ellenville, NY (1837-1896)

EP (along lower heel of bottle, preceded and followed by various numbers)...........Graham Glass Company, Evansville, Indiana. See Graham.

E.P.JR. & CO. ..............E. Packham Jr. & Company, Baltimore, MD (c. late 1890s-1900s?)

ES (along lower heel of bottle, preceded and followed by various numbers)..............Graham Glass Company, Evansville, Indiana. See Graham.

E.S.& Co..........Evans, Sell & Company, Pittsburgh, PA (1873-1877)

E.S.& H. .........Ely Sons & Hoyt, Clyde, NY (Proprietors of the Clyde Glass Works during part of the time it operated, this mark was apparently used sometime in the 1880s and/or 1890s).

E. Son & H. ............Ely Sons [or Son] & Hoyt, Clyde, NY. See above entry, as well as "Clyde".

Everett...............Edward H. Everett Co. (Newark Star Glass Works), Newark, OH (c.1881-1904). See "E.H.E.CO." mark.

E.W. & CO.........E. Wormser & Company, Pittsburgh, PA (c.1854-1875). Later known as Wormser Glass Company (1875-c.1927).

F.....................Fairmount Glass Works/Company, Fairmount, IN (1889-1906) & Indianapolis, IN (c.1906-1968). I am unsure on the dates of this mark, but perhaps from about 1920 to 1933. See "F.G.W." mark also. Certain bottles (such as hand-blown strap-side flasks) with an "F" on the base which appear to be of an earlier vintage might have been produced by another, hitherto unidentified glassworks.

F in a hexagon (shown)........Fairmount Glass Works/Company, Fairmount, IN (1889-1906) & Indianapolis, IN (c.1906-1968). Mark used from 1933 to (I presume) 1968. In 1968 Fairmount became part of Glass Containers, Inc. (see G C mark). Also see "F.G.W." and "F" mark.

F in a keystone.......C.L.Flaccus Glass Company, Pittsburgh, PA (1879-1928). General offices in Pittsburgh, actual factory locations included Tarentum, Leechburg, and Beaver Falls, PA. Period of usage of this mark is uncertain. See "C.L.F." and related marks.

F in a vertical oval, in cursive script........Fenton Art Glass Company, Williamstown, WV (1905-to date). Mark first used in 1983.

F in a shield (shown)......Federal Glass Company, Columbus, OH (1901-1980). Mark first used in 1932. Maker of a huge variety of tableware, tumblers, etc. Especially known for their lines of depression glass.

F & A.............Fahnstock, Albree & Co., Pittsburgh, PA (c.1860-1869). See next entry.

F.A.& CO..........Fahnstock, Albree & Co., Pittsburgh, PA (c.1860-1869). Glass researcher Dick Roller (Standard Fruit Jar Reference, 1983) reports that this glass manufacturing firm was listed in the Pittsburgh city directories from 1861 through 1869. However, Julian Toulouse promoted the belief that they were in business only for about 2 years (1860-1862), renting the factory of Lorenz and Wightman. I believe it is very probable they were in business during almost the entire decade, since bottles and jars seen with this maker's mark are relatively plentiful. Roller also states the actual location of their glass manufactory was the Eclipse Glass Works, Temperanceville (SW Pittsburgh), PA. Evidently they made glass at both locations at times during their existence.

Fahnstock, Albree & Co. Pitts. PA.............Fahnstock, Albree & Company, Pittsburgh, PA. See entry above.

F.B.CO................Findlay Bottle Company, Findlay, OH (1888-1893)

F.B.& F.J.CO......Fairmont Bottle & Fruit Jar Company, Fairmont, WV (1892-1893). This company was dissolved in 1893, and a few months later a new company (located at the same factory site) was organized under the name of "Johns Bros". See J.Bros. mark.

F.C.C.CO..............mis-reading of "F.C.G.CO.", below. The "G" is often embossed to appear more like a "C".

F.C.G.C...............Falls City Glass Company, Louisville, KY (1884-1892)

F.C.G.CO..............Falls City Glass Company, Louisville, KY (1884-1892). This factory made a wide variety of bottles and jars. The FCGCO initials are found on fruit jars, pickle bottles, hock wines, coffin flasks, blob beers, peppersauces, olive oils, worcestershire sauce bottles, shoe polish bottles, etc. Their product most well-known to glass collectors is the cobalt blue wax sealer fruit jar which is extremely scarce. This plant was located in the Portland neighborhood of Louisville.

Fenton in an oval..........Fenton Art Glass Company, Williamstown, WV (1905-to date). Mark used since 1970.

F.E.R.................F.E.Reed Glass Company (Reed Glass Company), Rochester, NY (1899-1956). Mark used from c.1899-1927. For more detailed company chronology, see under "Rochester Glass Wks" entry. Also see next entry.

F.E.R.G.CO............F.E.Reed Glass Company (Reed Glass Company), Rochester, NY (1899-1956). This and the above mark probably dates from the earlier years, c. 1899-1927. See "Rochester Glass Wks" entry for other marks used by this firm.

FF (cursive script, letters joined within a circle)........Foster-Forbes Glass Company, Marion, IN and (later) several other plant locations. (1929-c.2000). This particular mark was first used in 1942. As far as I understand, all of the former Foster-Forbes glass plants are now either shut down or part of Saint-Gobain Containers corporation. Please contact me if you have more current info on F-F.

F.F.& W............Fox, Fultz & Webster, Boston, MA (Dates of operation uncertain). This mark was first reported to me (courtesy of Mark Newton) as seen on the base of a colorless druggist bottle from Greenville, NH, probably made circa 1885. Another web correspondent (Shawn) supplied the full name of that business as the virtually certain source of the mark.

F G C ................Forsters Glass Company, Ltd.(Atlas Glass Works), St. Helens, Lancashire, England (1902-19??)

F.G.MFG.CO............Unknown.

F.G.W.................Fairmount Glass Works/Company, Fairmount, IN (1889-1906) & Indianapolis, IN (c.1906-1968). Mark used from c.1898 to about 1920? (See "F" and "F-in-a-hexagon" marks.)

F.H. .................Frederick Heitz Glass Works, St. Louis, MO (1883-1896). See entry below.

F.H.G.W...............Frederick Heitz Glass Works, St. Louis, MO (1883-1896). This mark was incorrectly attributed by Toulouse (Bottle Makers and their Marks, 1971) to the Frederick Hampson Glass Works, Salford, Lancashire, England. Most commonly, these marks are seen on export-style beer bottles as well as on "wax sealer" fruit jars, both of which have an unmistakably characteristic American "look" about them. The wax sealers are virtually identical in appearance to typical specimens made by factories in the Midwest during the 1880s, especially at St. Louis, Louisville, Pittsburgh, and at several plants in the state of Indiana. Alice Creswick, in The Fruit Jar Works, illustrates wax sealer jars base-lettered "F.H." and "F.H.G.W.", with various mold numbers centered below the initials (similar to the way in which the bottles are marked) and she attributed them to the Federal Hill Glass Works (also known as the Baltimore Glass Works), Baltimore, Maryland. However, there is no evidence that Federal Hill ever marked any items with these initials. Furthermore, Federal Hill Glass Works did not operate past 1870 (or 1873, according to one source), which is too early for the manufacture of the type of export beer bottles which carry the FHGW marking. This type of bottle was not manufactured until approximately 1876, after Anheuser-Busch of St. Louis began the pasteurizing of beer which permitted it to be bottled and exported in large quantities throughout the U.S., and especially throughout the West. Many other breweries in St.Louis marketed competing brands that were packaged in these typically shaped bottles -- most of which were made by several glass plants located in St. Louis and the surrounding area. A recent search of the St. Louis city directories revealed that the relatively obscure plant known as the Frederick Heitz Glass Works operated in that city for about 13 years.

F.I.CO................Unknown. Seen on beer bottles from c.1900-1920 period.

F.L...................Frederick Lorenz & Co, Pittsburgh, PA. This mark (and "F.L.& Co.") are listed by Knittle (1927:441;444), but I'm not certain they actually exist. Some sources give the dates 1819-1840 for the use of one or both of these marks. Knittle notes that "F.L.& CO." appears on a Union-Clasped Hands pictorial flask, but McKearin & Wilson (1978:651) show that the mark is actually "L.F.& Co". In any case that flask would certainly date from the 1860s or 1870s. See "F R L".

F.R.L.................Frederick R. Lorenz, Pittsburgh, PA. (c.1854-1860). Sources disagree on the time period of this particular mark, but empirical evidence from certain blob top soda bottles indicate the mark was definitely in use at least sometime between 1854 and 1858.

G.....................Gayner Glass Works, Salem, NJ (on some bottles especially in the earlier years). See "G in a circle".

G.....................Glenshaw Glass Company, Glenshaw, PA (1895-2004) on some bottles. Also, see "G in a square" mark.

G in a circle.........probably Gayner Glass Works (1898-1937), later Gayner Glass Company, Salem, NJ (1937-1957+). Mark reportedly used in the c. 1920s on machine-made bottles. Gayner Glass Co. was bought by National Bottle Corporation in 1957. I currently do not have info on later marks, and whether, or how long after 1957, Gayner continued to use their own trademarks on their glass production. See GGW.

G in a diamond........Unknown mark.

G in an oval (shown)..........Gallo Glass Company, Modesto, CA (1966-to date). This "g" is written in a cursive script which, on many bottles, makes the letter resemble an odd-looking capital "S".

G in a square.........Glenshaw Glass Company, Glenshaw, PA (1895-2004). Mark reportedly used since 1932. Glenshaw Glass Company later became part of the Anchor Glass Container Corporation, but then was bought by Consumers Packaging Inc, of Toronto, Canada. The Glenshaw plant was closed in November of 2004. In 2007 the Glenshaw glass plant re-opened after extensive renovation and re-organization, and is now producing glass containers and other ware under the name Kelman Bottles, LLC. (2008- ) If anyone has info on mark(s) used on Kelman's products, send me an email!

G within the raised outline of a bottle...........Gayner Glass Works/Company, Salem, NJ. See "G in a circle" and "GGW" entries.

G 23, G 24, G 25, or similar configuration, embossed along the lower heel area of soda bottles (usually seen in light aqua or light green glass), this number is normally found within a string of several other letters and/or numbers. Graham Glass Company, Evansville, Indiana. See Graham.

G.A.Berry & CO....George A. Berry and Company, Pittsburgh, PA (later Duquesne Glass Co.)

G C (entertwined angularly designed letters, vertically arranged)..........Glass Containers, Inc. (1933-1983),later Glass Containers Corporation, main office in Fullerton, CA, with several glass plant locations. Bought up the Knox Glass Company plants in 1968. This particular mark is stated to have first been used in 1945 according to Toulouse, but may in fact date from somewhat earlier. Peterson (1968:49) indicates at least one variation of the GC trademark was used beginning in 1933. Several variations of the "G C" mark exist, including one with the letters rounded (not angular), and another one with the letters touching, or nearly so.

G F (or possibly meant to be C F ) . Letters are connected by a downward arching underline which curves underneath them, somewhat creating the appearance that the letters are seated in a small boat. .................. Compañía General de Vidrierías Españoles, S.A., Gijón, Oviedo, España (Spain). Dates of use uncertain, perhaps 1960s-1970s?

G G W (monogram, with the second "G" somewhat larger and overlapping the first "G" and the "W"). Gayner Glass Works, Salem, NJ (1898-1937), later Gayner Glass Company (1937-1957+). Monogram, accompanying this glass manufacturer's name and city, seen on an advertising paperweight, reported to me by Bob Berkley. See "G in a circle" entry.

G & H...............Gray & Hemingray, Cincinnati, OH/Covington, KY (1848-1856). See Hemingray & H.G.CO. marks.

Globe...................Hemingray Glass Company, Covington, KY & Muncie, IN. Trade name of their best-known fruit jar. See H.G.CO. mark.

Graham..................Graham Glass Company, Evansville, IN; Loogootee, IN; and Okmulgee, OK (1907-1929). Another plant location also was operated at Chekotah, OK until 1923. Graham owned by Owens Bottle Company after 1916, plants became part of Owens-Illinois in 1929.

G.W. ...................Great Western Glass Company, St. Louis, MO (1874-1886)

G.W. & J. .................Unknown. Initials (arranged in a circular formation) seen on the base of blackglass (very dark olive green) ale or brandy bottles of British origin. The "G" may appear to be a "C". ALso, the order of the letters could also be construed as "W. & J. G."

H.......................Might have been used by several glass companies: Possibilities include Hemingray Glass Company, Muncie, IN [See Hemingray]; H.J.Heinz Glass Company, Sharpsburg, PA (c.1893-1946); Hagerty's Glass Works, Brooklyn, NY, and probably others. An "H" could in some cases be only a mold identification letter or internal factory code. Holt Glass Works, West Berkeley, CA (1893-1906) is the source of various bottles with an "H", found primarily in the Western states. Holt-made bottles will have a number (with one, two, or three digits) accompanying the "H". In most cases, the number is reportedly found ABOVE the "H", although in some cases is may appear either below, or positioned to the right of the letter. Keep in mind that attribution of a bottle with an "H" mark to any definite glasshouse is often very uncertain. NOTE: Hand-blown aqua oval bottles with applied or tooled lips, used for Reuben P. Hall's "Hall's Hair Renewer", are found with just an "H" on the base, and in this case, the H presumably stands for "Hall". See next entry also.

H-28 (or w/other 2-digit number)....Hemingray Glass Company, Muncie, IN (used c. 1924-1935). Information proven to be correct from Hemingray historian/researcher Bob Stahr. However, this doesn't rule out the possibility that a mark similar to this one could be seen on products from other glass factories. Type of bottle, age, color, and other characteristics must be taken into account to decide if this would be a Hemingray product. NOTE: If the number consists of either one or three digits, it is not Hemingray. On Heinz bottles, a number (which may consist of one, two, or three digits) which accompanies an "H" on the base refers to a particular design or style of bottle made by Heinz, and is not Hemingray-related. Holt Glass Works, West Berkeley, CA also produced bottles with an "H" and a number, but these are usually found only on the West Coast. See "H" entry above.

H in a circle............Hemingray Glass Company, Muncie, IN (mark used c.1924-1935).

H in a square............Hemingray Glass Company, Muncie, IN (mark used c.1924-1935).

H in a triangle..........J.T.& A. Hamilton, Pittsburgh, PA (1884-1943). Mark reportedly used approximately 1900-1943.

H in a vertical diamond.........A.H.Heisey & Company, Newark, OH (1895-1958), This company produced high quality tableware, stemware and other decorative glass. Several types of perfume bottles were also made. This mark (or a very similar mark) has also been seen on the bases of several types of glass covered animal dishes ("hen-on-nests") but those items are recent imports from Asia and were not made by Heisey. Another mark that may in some cases look somewhat similar is the "I in a diamond" mark used by Illinois Glass Company, Alton, IL, which was used mostly on utilitarian and commercial types of bottles.

H over an A (shown).......Hazel-Atlas Glass Company, Wheeling, WV; started at Washington, PA; later plants included Clarksburg, WV; Zanesville, OH; Ada, OK; Montgomery, AL; Oakland, CA; Pomona, CA and other locations. (1902-1964). This mark was reportedly first used in 1923, according to trademark office records quoted by Peterson (400 Trademarks on Glass). I believe the mark was last used in 1964. The Hazel-Atlas Glass Company was formed in 1902 as a result of the merger of the Hazel Glass Company (started 1887) and the Atlas Glass Company (started 1896). Hazel-Atlas manufactured tremendous quantities of "depression" pressed glassware in a wide variety of patterns throughout the 1920s, '30s and '40s. They also produced many of the white milkglass "inserts" used inside zinc fruit jar lids, as well as many types of milkglass cold cream jars and salve containers. Also an important maker of a very large variety of bottles and jars for the commercial packaging industry. "Atlas" was the name brand of their most popular line of fruit jars for home canning. Hazel-Atlas became a subsidiary of Continental Can Company in 1957. In 1964, 10 of the 12 H-A plants in operation were sold to Brockway Glass Company, and I am not sure if the remaining two plants used the H-A trademark after that year. Some Hazel-Atlas plant codes and other markings seen on the base of their bottles are shown in a chart here , courtesy of Dick Cole (fruitjar.org).

Hagerty's Glass Works........Hagerty's Glass Works, Brooklyn, NY (c.1849-c.1900). Glass factory name seen spelled out in a circle on the base of blob-top soda bottles. This factory was known as "Hagerty's Glass Works" until at least 1875, later became "Hagerty Bros & Company", and perhaps other slight variations on the name. Hagerty might have used some other marks, but if so, it is not certain what they were.

Hawley Glass Co / Hawley, PA................Hawley Glass Company, Hawley, PA. (Dates uncertain, perhaps c. 1872-1885). Seen on the base of fruit jars. This was not the same company as the Harloe Insulator Company (c.1902-c.1906) which produced glass insulators marked with an "H I CO" monogram placed above "HAWLEY PA/ U.S.A.".

H-B....................Unknown

H inside a C...........See "C with an H inside it" mark.

H.C.& T............Holz, Clark & Taylor, Salem, NJ (1866-1872).

Hemingray..............Hemingray Glass Company, Muncie, IN (used on base of refrigerator bottles, c.1924-1935). For more on Hemingray, click here .

H.F.J.CO................Letters are placed in the four arms of a cross (similar to a formée or Maltese cross) which appears on fruit jars with the "Mason's Patent/Nov 30TH 1858" embossing. Hero Fruit Jar Works, Philadelphia, PA (1883-1908). Hero subcontracted some of their jar orders out to other glass companies, such as Findlay Bottle Company, Findlay, OH (1888-1893); Marion Fruit Jar & Bottle Company, Marion, IN (1888-1904); and Cumberland Glass Mnfg. Company, Bridgeton, NJ (1870-1900), so there is a possibility that any individual jar could have been made at one of those other factories.

HG over triangle (shown)...........Hillsboro Glass Company, Hillsboro, IL (1961-1997). Formerly owned by Schram Glass Manufacturing Company (opened c.1905), this plant was acquired by Ball Bros. Glass Company in 1925. Ball operated it from 1925 until 1961, at which time it was sold to Hiram Walker & Sons Distilleries, already a heavy buyer of amber whiskey bottles produced at the plant. At that time, or perhaps somewhat later, it became known as Hillsboro Glass Company. All, or nearly all, of the glass production consisted of amber bottles and jars. Hillsboro Glass was bought by Consumers Packaging, Inc, in late 1996 and was shut down in 1997. This plant is actually located in Schram City, a small community on the eastern edge of Hillsboro.

H.G.CO................Hemingray Glass Company, Covington, KY & Muncie, IN (used on bottles c.1870-1895; insulators until about 1915). See more on Hemingray here .

HGCO (monogram).........Hemingray Glass Company, Covington, KY (used on fruit jars circa 1880-1888)

HGW (monogram)..........On fruit jars with the "Mason's Patent/ Nov 30 1858" embossing, this monogram stands for the Hero Glass Works, Philadelphia, PA (1869-1883) and Lockport, NY (1869-1872). The monogram may be difficult to decipher. HGW became Hero Fruit Jar Company in 1883 (see H.F.J.CO.)

H.Heye..................Hermann Heye Glasfabrick [Glass Factory], several locations in Germany. Bottle with mark "GLASS WORKS/H.HEYE/HAMBURG" on base is confirmed, and probably dates from the 1880s or 1890s. I believe this company is still in business.

H.J.HEINZ CO., with a triangle mark in the center of the base.......H.J.Heinz Glass Company, Sharpsburg, PA. (c.1893-1946). Many of Heinz's bottles were made by other glass manufacturers, especially in later years. See "H" and "H-28" marks.

Honesdale Glass Works...........Honesdale Glass Works, Traceyville (near Honesdale), PA. (1847-1861). Factory name seen on base of soda bottles, embossed in a circle. This factory, located along the Lackawaxen River, was destroyed by a flood when a dam gave way in 1861. James Brookfield worked at this factory before moving to Brooklyn, NY to become involved in the Bushwick Glass Works (later known as the Brookfield Glass Company). Several years passed until in 1865 the Honesdale property was purchased and a new glass factory was built, variously known in later years as "Honesdale Glass Works", "White Mills Glass Works", "C. Dorflinger & Company" or "Wayne County Glass Works". Cut glass was their specialty.

Horseshoe and star logo (shown)............This motif is seen on the base of jelly glasses & tumblers, the majority of which were probably made from c.1900-1930. (Sometimes the star is not present). Glass manufacturers who reportedly produced items with this type of design on the base include: Indiana Tumbler & Goblet Company, Greentown, IN (1894-1903); Ball Bros. Glass Company, Muncie, IN (1888-1992); Fostoria Glass Company, Fostoria, OH (1887-1891) & Moundsville, WV (1891-1986); Monongah Glass Company, Fairmont, WV (1903-c.1929); and Hazel-Atlas Glass Company, Washington, PA, Wheeling, WV and other plant locations (1902-1964). See "Ball", "Atlas" and "H over A" marks.

HouzeX..............L.J. Houze Convex Glass Company, Point Marion, PA. Makers of lenses, art glass, perfume bottles, colored slag glass ashtrays, etc.

H. & P. D. CO.............Hazeltine & Perkins Drug Company, Grand Rapids, MI (c. 1890-1910). Info courtesy Bob Davidson.

H superimposed over an anchor logo........Anchor Hocking Glass Corporation, Lancaster, OH and other plant locations. (Mark used 1937-to date).

I superimposed over a G...........Imperial Glass Company, Bellaire, OH (1902-1984). Mark used from 1951-1977 on high quality tableware and novelties. For more information on Imperial Glass and the various trademarks that were used, please check out this site: National Imperial Glass Collectors Society .

I within a diamond (shown)...........Illinois Glass Company, Alton, IL (1873-1929). This mark was used from around 1915 to 1929. ABM (Automatic bottle machine) production was begun at Illinois Glass in 1910, and although I had presumed that the "I in a diamond" trademark was first used around that time, the U.S.Patent & Trademark Office data indicates Illinois Glass claimed use of this trademark was not begun until 1915. As far as I know, this mark is seen only on machine-made bottles which exhibit the typical Owens machine suction scars on the base. On very small bottles, the "I" may look like a dot inside the diamond, or be virtually illegible. Other plants that became part of Illinois Glass Co. during its operation include the Thompson Bottle Company of Gas City, IN (acquired 1913); Chicago Heights Glass Company, Chicago Heights, IL (1913) and Cumberland Glass Manufacturing Company, Bridgeton, NJ (1920).
Illinois-Pacific Glass Co. plants (at Los Angeles and San Francisco, CA) were organized as a wholly owned subsidiary of Illinois Glass in 1902. (See IPG and IPGCO marks.) In 1929, Illinois Glass merged with Owens Bottle Company of Toledo, Ohio to form the Owens-Illinois Glass Company. The Alton factory (in later years, Owens-Illinois plant #7) closed in 1983. See also "I.G.CO." and "IGCO within a diamond" entries.

I within an "O".......Owens-Illinois Glass Company, Toledo, OH [head office], 22 glass factory locations in the US and Canada. (1929-to date), mark used c. 1954 to the present. The diamond was removed from the "old" mark (diamond superimposed over an "I" and an "O" or oval) beginning around 1954, although some bottle molds apparently didn't have the diamond eliminated (i.e., the mold re-engraved) until as late as 1958. (However, I have a soda bottle in my collection with the "old" mark, dated 1959!) After 1958 the great majority of O-I bottles carried the "new" simplified mark of just an I inside an O. On recent bottles, this mark may be small, faintly embossed and not always easily visible, and usually is embossed on the heel of the container. Owens-Illinois, Inc. is presently (2005) the official corporation name (used since 1965).

I.B.& G.CO........Indiana Bottle & Glass Company, Cicero, IN (1905-1909)

I G....................See "I superimposed over a G" entry.

IGCO (monogram).........Illinois Glass Company, Alton, IL (1873-1929). This monogram which is seen most commonly on the "MASON's PATENT NOV 30TH 1858" fruit jars may also indicate, in some cases, other unidentified glass companies, but most of these jars are presumed to be products of Illinois Glass. See the next 3 entries.

IGCO monogram within brackets [ ] ...............Intermountain Glass Company, Midvale, Utah. Mark seen on the base of "Mountain Mason" fruit jars. Exact period of operation of this company is not clear, but the jars are believed to date from about 1935-1936, per data from Alice Creswick (The Fruit Jar Works-Volume 2, 1987).

I.G.CO................Illinois Glass Company, Alton, IL (1873-1929). This mark was used possibly as early as the mid-1870s to around 1900, embossed on both bases and heels of bottles, and was also used for several years after 1900 primarily on the lower heels of their soda bottles (since the base would frequently be reserved for the logo or initials of the bottling company a bottle was made for). Use of the mark on certain soda bottles is known to have extended at least to 1909, perhaps 1911. Please see "I.G.CO.L", "IGCO within a diamond" and "I within a diamond" marks listed below.

I.G.CO.L..............Ihmsen Glass Company, Limited, Pittsburgh, PA (c.1878-1900). Pittsburgh directory listings show this company included the "Limited" in their name from 1878 to c.1896. I am not certain when the Ihmsen Glass Company actually first started operations although McKearin (1941:590) states Ihmsen Glass Co. started in 1855, making window glass (per un-named article in Magazine Antiques). I have not found any other references to back up this 1855 date.
Bottles bearing this mark can definitely be attributed to this company, although some bottles from the Pittsburgh and surrounding area with an "I.G.CO." mark (no L), might also be Ihmsen Glass Co. products. However, I am increasingly skeptical about this claim, as I've recently seen more evidence that points to Illinois Glass Company as being the much more likely source for the "I.G.CO." mark. Attributing any bottles with an I.G.CO. marking to Ihmsen is definitely fraught with uncertainty, and I feel more confident attributing them to Illinois Glass Company at present. Perhaps future research will uncover the facts on this matter once and for all. Any bottle collectors or researchers that have info on this question are invited to contact me at anytime.

IGCO within a diamond....Illinois Glass Company (1873-1929). Mark was used from approximately 1895-1915. See "I within a diamond" entry.

I.G.W.Co...............probably Indianapolis Glass Works Company, Indianapolis, IN (1870-c.1876). This mark has been reported on an amber ale bottle from Dayton, Ohio. The word "Company" was part of the name of this factory as listed in city directories of the period, although fruit jars and flasks are found with just the wording "Indianapolis Glass Works" embossed on them.

Illinois..............Illinois Glass Company, Alton, IL (1873-1929). Mark used c. 1910s-1929.

Indiana Glass...........Indiana Glass Company, Dunkirk, IN & Sapulpa, OK (1907-to date). Producer of a huge variety of glassware for nearly a century, almost all Indiana Glass glassware is unmarked, although I have seen a candy dish marked on the base "Indiana Glass/Made in U.S.A." with an "LCC" mark. Indiana Glass Company is a subsidiary of the Lancaster Colony Corporation, based in Lancaster, Ohio. The Dunkirk, IN plant shut down production of glass in 2002, and as far as I am aware, no longer makes glass, but is now a mold repair facility. Glass is still made at Sapulpa, and perhaps at Lancaster. For more info on Indiana Glass, try this website here .

Indianapolis Glass Works..........Indianapolis Glass Works (Company), Indianapolis, Indiana (1870-c.1876). Seen on base of wax sealer jars and across face of whiskey flasks, probably other types of bottles exist with this marking as well. See "I.G.W.Co."

I.P.G.CO..............Illinois Pacific Glass Company, San Francisco, CA (1902-c.1925). Plant locations also at Los Angeles, and later, Oakland, Seattle & Portland.

IPGCO in a diamond..........Illinois Pacific Glass Company, San Francisco, CA (see above entry).

I.P.G. in a triangle........Illinois Pacific Glass Corporation, San Francisco, CA (c.1925-1930 or 1932). (Name change of company above.) Glass plant locations at Los Angeles, Oakland, Seattle & Portland. May have a tiny triangle inside the larger triangle, squeezed in above the letters. This mark might have been used earlier than 1925.

I S G CO..............Interstate Glass Company, Kansas City, MO (c.1902-1903). Information courtesy of Tom Neff.

I X L ................I X L Glass Bottle Company, Inglewood, CA (1921-1923)

J in a keystone.......Knox Bottle Company, Jackson, MS (1932-1953)

J in a square.........Jeannette Glass Company, Jeannette, PA (1889-1983). Mark was reportedly used only for a period of time in the early 20th century.

J Bros................See Johns Bros, below.

J.J.G.................Unknown (Seen on base of aqua pickle bottle, c. 1885). The order of the letters could also be "J.G.J." or "G.J.J."

Johns Bros. W. Va..........Johns Brothers, Fairmont, WV (1893-1907). This company was a successor to the Fairmont Bottle & Fruit Jar Company which was incorporated in 1892. Johns Bros. operated up to about 1907, at which time it became known as the Fairmont Bottle Company (1907-1912).

J.P.F.................Pitkin Glass Works, Manchester, CT (1783-1830). Appears on flask probably made circa 1815-1825. Initials presumably stand for Joseph P. Foster, manager at Pitkin.

K.....................prob. Kearns & Company, Zanesville, OH (1864-1876) and/or Kearns, Herdman & Gorsuch, Zanesville, OH (1876-1886). More recent machine-made bottles or jars with a "K" on the base would be a different maker, perhaps Kerr.

K in a circle...........Seen on milkglass tableware: John E. Kemple Glass Works, East Palestine, OH (1945-1956) & Kenova, WV (1956-1970). See next entry.

K in a circle..........As seen on glass lenses, lamp globes and other industrial glassware: Kopp Glass Company, Pittsburgh, PA (1926-to date).

K in a hexagon........Kimble Glass Company, Vineland, NJ (1905-to date) Plant was purchased by Owens-Illinois in 1946, now known as Kimble/Kontes, a subsidiary of the Gerresheimer Group, Dusseldorf, Germany. The K-in-a-hexagon mark was first used beginning in 1947, according to U.S. Patent and Trademark records, and the last re-issue was in 1990.......no ending year date is given.

K in a keystone.......Knox Bottle Company/Knox Glass Associates, Knox, PA and other plant locations (1924-1968).

Karl Hutter / New York...........see "K H" mark.

K B L T...............Kilner Bros. Limited, Thornhill-Lees, West Yorkshire, England. (Dates of mark usage uncertain)

K B Ltd...............Kilner Bros. Limited, Thornhill-Lees, West Yorkshire, England

Kensington Glass Works..........Kensington Glass Works, Philadelphia, PA (c.1804-1833). Full name seen embossed on many historical flasks. This factory was later known as the Dyottville Glass Works.

Kerr..................Kerr Glass Manufacturing Company [ "Corporation" after 1927], Portland, OR (1904-1912, offices only); Los Angeles, CA (1919-1992, offices only); manufacturing plants located at Altoona, KS; Sand Springs, OK; Huntington, WV [this plant closed December 7, 1982 - information from Mike Harmon] ; Santa Ana, CA; Plainfield, IL; Dunkirk, IN; Millville, NJ; and Waxahachie, TX. The Kerr glass plants were bought by Ball Corporation in 1992. Kerr did not actually make glass from 1904 to 1909, but had glass made for them by other companies. In 1909 their first plant opened at Altoona, KS. Also see "A H K". The rights to the "Kerr" brand name, as used on currently-made fruit jars, are held by the Alltrista Corporation, and jars marked "Kerr" that are still being produced are currently [2006] made by the Anchor Glass Container Corporation at their Winchester, Indiana factory location.

K-G ...................Kearns-Gorsuch Bottle Company, Zanesville, OH (1886-1937). Years this mark was used are not completely certain, but perhaps circa 1910-1937. See next entry.

K.G.B.CO........Kearns-Gorsuch Bottle Company, Zanesville, OH (1886-1937). Monogram seen on fruit jar. Initials also appear spelled out and are known embossed on the base of a pickle bottle. This mark probably dates before 1920, when Hazel-Atlas bought the plant.

K.G.CO................Kentucky Cooperative Glass Company, Louisville KY (1897-1898). On some bottles, these initials could possibly stand for another company. KCGCO went into receivership in 1898 and was reorganized to become the "Louisville Glass Company" (also called the Louisville Bottle Manufacturing Company), a short-lived venture that ceased by 1901.

K.G.W.CO..............Kentucky Glass Works Company, Louisville, KY (1879-1889)

K H (with various numbers)..........Karl Hutter, the inventor of the "Hutter porcelain stopper" patented in 1893 which was used on many beer bottles (and still is, using plastic instead of porcelain, on several modern bottles such as Grolsch), evidently had bottles manufactured for him in approximately the 1880s-1910 era. These bottles were likely made by one or several unidentified glasshouses in the New York/New Jersey area.

K.H.& G...........Kearns, Herdman & Gorsuch, Zanesville, OH (1876-1886)

K.H.& G.Z.O.......Kearns, Herdman & Gorsuch, Zanesville, OH (1876-1886)

Knox & McKee..........Knox & McKee, Wheeling, VA(now WV) (1824-1829). Full name seen on rare historical flasks. Initials "K & M" were reported by Knittle, but are not confirmed to exist on any bottles.

KOPP..................Kopp Glass Company, Pittsburgh, PA (1926-to date). Manufacturer of a wide variety of industrial glass items such as signal lenses, railroad lantern globes, colored glass light covers for airport runways, etc.

KPP inside an oval...................Kerr Glass Manufacturing Corporation (Kerr Packaging Products Division). This mark is most familiar to glass telephone insulator collectors, appearing on a few that were made in the c.1969-1973 period. However, also reported on base of a liquor flask.

KY.G.CO...............Kentucky Glass Works Company, Louisville, KY (1879-1889)

KY.G.W................Kentucky Glass Works Company, Louisville, KY (1879-1889). For more info on this company click here.

KY.G.W.CO.............Kentucky Glass Works Company, Louisville, KY (1879-1889)

L......................Latchford Glass Company, Los Angeles, CA (mark used c.1957-c.1989). Latchford eventually became part of Anchor Glass. See also "L in an oval".

L with 2-digit number to the right.......Laurens Glass Company, Laurens, SC (1910-1996). Mark seen on the base of "Longlife Mason" jars.

L-52 or L52.............Lamb Glass Company, Mt. Vernon, Ohio (c. 1920-1964?). This mark seems to be found only on milk bottles. Lamb Glass made many of the earlier "Babyface" milk bottles, which are now being reproduced by factories in China & Taiwan. Presumably, the "52" was merely a glass plant identifier. See also "L.G.CO."

L in an oval..........W.J.Latchford Glass Company, Los Angeles, CA (1925-1938); this became the Latchford-Marble Glass Company (1938-1956); and then, Latchford Glass Company (1957-c.1989). Mark was first used approximately 1925, although during the "Latchford-Marble" era, the mark "LM in an oval" was used instead.

L (in cursive script)..........Libbey Glass, Inc., Toledo, OH (1888-to date). Seen frequently on the bases of various tableware items, especially tumblers and other drinking glasses. Mark (plain or within a circle) first used in 1955, according to the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office listing, although the "cursive L" mark, if placed inside a 3-segmented circle, may date back to 1937.

L in a keystone........Lincoln Glass Bottle Company, Lincoln, IL (1942-1952). Plant sold to Obear-Nester Glass Co. in 1952.

L in a shield..........W.J.Latchford Glass Company, Los Angeles, CA (1925-1938). Seen on base of Puritas water bottle.

L in a square..........Lincoln Container Corporation, Lincoln, IL (1953-19??). Owned by Obear-Nester Glass Co, but operated under this company name.

L in an unconnected square (shown)..............Leone Industries, Bridgeton, NJ. (1966-to date).

Lancaster Glass Works...........Lancaster Glass Works, Lancaster, NY (1849-c.1890)

LB.....................Long Beach Glass Company, Long Beach, CA (1920-1933). This mark appears in the form of a larger "L", with a smaller "B" sitting on the lap of the L.

LCC (stylized mark)....Lancaster Colony Corporation, Lancaster, OH. Parent company of Indiana Glass. See Indiana Glass entry.

L.C.& R.CO..........Unknown.

L.F.& Co...........Unknown. Initials appear on a "Clasped Hands" pictorial flask, circa 1865-1870.

LG (along lower heel of soda bottles, always preceded and followed by various numbers)...........Graham Glass Company, Evansville, Indiana (this code indicates production from their Loogootee, Indiana glass plant). See Graham.

L.G. ..................Liberty Glass Company, Sapulpa, OK (1918-c.1995), Mark used c.1924-c.1936. Note that periods are used.

L-G....................Liberty Glass Company, Sapulpa, OK (1918-c.1995), Mark used c.1934-c.1967. Note that mark includes a dash.

L G....................Liberty Glass Company, Sapulpa, OK (1918-c.1995), Mark used c.1955-1977+. Dash removed. (NOTE: There is a considerable overlap of the time periods during which these three mark variations were used (L.G. / L-G / L G) so careful scrutiny for an accompanying date code is advised. This information on approximate dates of use courtesy of author/researcher Bill Lockhart.) Liberty Glass Company became part of the Ball-Foster Container Corporation in the mid-1990s, and the factory is currently (2005) in operation as a part of Saint-Gobain Containers, producing bottles with the "SG" mark.

L.G.CO.................Several factories used this mark. They include: Lindell Glass Company, St. Louis, Missouri (1875-1890), mark seen on export beers, wax sealer fruit jars, blobtop soda bottles, etc; and Lyndeborough Glass Company (often spelled Lyndeboro), South Lyndeborough, New Hampshire (1866-1888), mark is seen on whiskey flasks and various other bottles. The "L.G.CO." marking on Lyndeborough flasks is usually arranged in a circular formation, or with the "L.G." and the "CO." at opposite ends of the base with the circular mold seam "button" between them. William Brantley, in A Collector's Guide to Ball Jars (1975), stated that Loogootee Fruit Jar Company, Loogootee, Indiana (1901-1904) produced wax sealers with the "L.G.CO." basemark, but I haven't been able to discover any evidence to back that up. In any case, the initials do not correspond exactly to their official company name. My own opinion is that all L.G.CO.-marked wax sealer jars are products of Lindell. Other wax sealers with a similar profile (a slightly more angular shoulder and a taller neck area) are found which are marked "LINDELL GLASS CO." on the base.
Also, concerning later period machine-made milk bottles in clear glass: Lamb Glass Company, Mt. Vernon, Ohio (c.1920-1964?) can now be confirmed as the source of milk bottles marked "L G CO / 52" (See entry on L-52 mark). These appear to be from the 1920s-1940s period. Jeffrey Giarde, in his book on milk bottles, stated that this mark was likely that of Liberty Glass Company, Sapulpa, Oklahoma, but I believe this to be incorrect. Another factory that has been confirmed to be the source of some, if not many, milk bottles marked "L.G.CO." was Lockport Glass Company, Lockport, NY (1900-1919). An extant catalog proves this to be true. The initials are often accompanied by a single digit number, such as a "1". Anyone who can shed more light on the question of the L.G.CO. marks on milk bottles is invited to contact me with any info you have! I would also appreciate hearing from anyone with more info on Lindell or Lyndeboro' and any bottles you have that are attributed to them. Note: I'm aware of absolutely no evidence that the Louisville Glass Works ever used this mark, as Julian Toulouse proclaimed in Bottle Makers and Their Marks (1971). Also, please see next listing.

L.G.CO. arranged around a star with the words "ACME/Trademark 1893"............Lamont Glass Company, Trenton & New Glasgow, Nova Scotia, Canada (1890-1898). Seen on the face of fruit jars.

L G W..................Laurens Glass Works, Laurens, SC (1910-1996). Plants also operated in Henderson, NC (opened 1957) and Ruston, LA. The Henderson and Ruston plants are now part of Saint-Gobain Containers. NOTE: In some instances certain older (pre-1900) bottles or flasks with the marking "L & W" (indicating Lorenz and Wightman) are misunderstood to read "L. G. W.", and because of an entry in Toulouse's Bottle Makers and their Marks, this mark is believed to stand for Louisville Glass Works. I do not believe Louisville Glass Works ever marked ANY items with the initials "L G W". If you have information that might show otherwise, please feel free to contact me with details.

LM.....................Latchford-Marble Glass Company, Los Angeles, CA. See "L in an oval" mark.

LM in an oval..........Latchford-Marble Glass Company, Los Angeles, CA. See "L in an oval" mark.

Lockport Glass Works...........Lockport Glass Works, Lockport, NY (1840-1872). Factory name is found spelled out on historical flasks and soda bottles. Alonzo Mansfield bought this factory in 1872 and it then became known as the Mansfield Glass Works, although the factory may have unofficially been called the Lockport Glass Works or Lockport Glass Manufacturing Company for several years afterward, at least into the 1880s. Mansfield Glass Works continued in operation until about 1909. Note: Another glass factory which may or may not have been related was "Lockport Glass Company", reportedly in business from c.1900 to 1919. If you have more info on the history of these companies, please contact me! Also, please see "L.G.CO." entry.

Louisville Ky. Glass Works...........Louisville Glass Works, Louisville, KY (1855-1873). Factory name is seen embossed on several types of flasks, including eagle, scroll ("violin") flasks, and several ribbed types. A very rare fruit jar, a type apparently made to be used with a cork closure, is also known with this marking.

LP (along lower heel of soda bottles, preceded and followed by various numbers)..........Graham Glass Company, Evansville, Indiana. This code represents the Loogootee, Indiana glass plant. See Graham.

LP in a keystone.......Pennsylvania Bottle Company, Wilcox, PA (1940-1952)

LS ......... see entry "LP" above; see Graham.

L & W..............Lorenz and Wightman, Pittsburgh, PA (c.1862-1874). A prolific bottle producer. This mark is known on a very large variety of bottles and fruit jars. Toulouse claims the mark may have been used from 1851 to 1860, and then again from 1862 up to 1871, which is the year that Lorenz died. However, Lorenz and Wightman was not officially dissolved until 1874. I know of certain bottles that exist with the L&W marking that definitely date as late as 1874.

Lyric..................Illinois Glass Company, Alton, IL & Gas City, IN, (trademark used on many of their pharmaceutical/prescription bottles, estimated use of mark c.1915-1929)

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