In addition to many births and deaths, the factories were frequently repurposed as the market shifted. Like windmills they turned towards France or towards Germany and Holland as the tastes and markets changed, and consequently often failed to develop any distinctive style of their own. At the beginning of the century, the smaller Belgian 'verreries' and glass factories still produced blank stemware and engraved it according to traditional patterns, as well as vases and bowls often made to the design or specification of specific retailers. There was a big market for glass lampshades and a good business making (or customising) designs for the promotion of specific brands. Belgian beers liked to have a distinctive (labelled) glass which would promote the brand on the bar-shelf, and this market provided work for many of the small factories.
Factories needed to change quickly, catch new markets, price competitively and invest wisely, in order to survive, and this resulted in many takeovers and closures.
Val-St-Lambert (1825 - present)
To quote Ivo Haanstra's 'A-Z Fact File': "In 1900 VSL offered over 930 models of lampshade". Indeed it had become a major international company with a huge and ever-changing product range. In the period around 1900 VSL production rose to a peak of 160,000 items per day, (90% exported) and used factories throughout the area to produce a very diverse range of wares in crystal, pressed-, blown- and machine-made glass.
From sturdy car headlamps to delicate vases, from beer mugs to works of art; lampshades and ashtrays, punchbowls and car mascots, architectural glass brick sculptures and jamjars. Designers range from Henri Fourage in 1883 to Philippe Starck in 1999. Working with the various factories 'VSL' products showed the scala of hand- and machine-techniques and took inspiration from all sorts of glass-making styles.
Products were sometimes marked (either 'Val St Lambert', or 'VSL'). Brandnames include Luxver, Verlux and Lega.
In 1926 the Val-St-Lambert production was run from the site at Seraing near Liege, but was actually a group of four factories with 4,000 employees at work in Herbatte (1851-1934), Jambes (1880-1931) and Jemeppe-sur-Meuse (1883-1952).
As the glass industry crashed in 1928-35, most factories were closed, and the survivors changed over to specialised products.
The Val-St-Lambert name survived the post-war period by down-sizing and specialising in handmade crystal. Since the 1970's the glass studios have struggled through several more periods of decreasing profitability and further cuts.
Packing shed at Val-St-Lambert c.1900
Just as Belgium shares language and culture with its two neighbours, so the glass factories of Belgium had markets in both France and The Netherlands. The taste and fashion of the two remained distinct. While the french taste in glass was for elaborate decoration and complex techniques, the dutch taste was for simple, organic and curved forms which were rarely decorated at all.
Belgian factories were able to aim for either (or both) markets. The dominant brand/contractor was Val-St-Lambert, but they outsourced production to many small factories around the country, and made best use of the skills in each location. Logistics as well as market-forces then created a situation where products for the dutch market were mostly given to flemish factories nearer the dutch border, and products for the french markets were directed to factories in the (French-speaking) west of Belgium.
The Gallery contain a selection of photographs with labelled examples of Belgian glass.
Other notable factories include:
Boom, de Rupel (1925-1971)
Manufacturers of blown glass and pressed glass, particularly associated with painted glass in the post-war period. Designer Paul Heller's bright decorative designs against a black background are noteable, as well as popular ranges of dressing-table and mantelpiece sets. Among the exclusive designs which it produced for customers, Boom made the distinctive glasses for Duvel beer. Boom production is well-documented thanks to a recently-published book with catalogue-pages of many Boom designs, and a new exhibition of Boom's products in 2009. (more...)
Braine-le-Comte (1905-1974)
Fauquez was long-established in the production of Marbrite architectural glass tiles , as well as blank stemware for engraving and known as a subcontractor for VSL until 1964 and as the predominant manufacturer of Rimac designs for The Netherlands (1960-70). Only(?) at the end of their life did they label their products (such as 'Verre antique - Braine-le-Comte'). They seem to have followed the Dutch taste, but left very little documentation. (more...)
Boussu (1960-86)
The history of glass production in Boussu had been closed for 50 years when a new company set up as makers of opaline, tableware, cut glass and fantasy glass. Merged with Doyen in 1968 and continued under Manubelver (1968-74), Gelb (1974-82) and Vereno/Hainaut (1982-1986) before finally closing. They produced fiestaware in 'carnaval-like' colours and almost never labelled their production.
Doyen (1908-1968)
Located in Havré-Ville, near Mons , makers of blown glassware, tableware lighting and 'Doverbel' cookware. Among the most successful designs are the 'Floralies' range of optical vases after organic forms with horizontal ribs made in fumi, amethyst and a range of other colours which are often mistakenly identified as 'Boom'. The factory merged with Boussu in 1968. (more...)
Durobor/ Hainaut (1928-present)
Founded to exploit the Libbey-Owens machine, the Compagnie Internationale de Gobleterie Inébréchable in Soignies, Belgium renamed itself in 1935 to advertise their flame-finishing which made their wares hard at the rim (or 'dur au bord'). Swallowed up several smaller factories during the 60's and 70's including Scailmont and Boussu which became part of it's Hainaut group. The modern plant has continued to be a major producer of modern tumblers and stemware (c. 120 million units p.a.) for Owens-Illinois (1960-90) and Sadetem (1990-present) and acquired Ravenhead UK in 1993.
Laeken (1849-1954)
Long-lived factory near the site of the 1951 Expo in Brussells with little known about exact production. Mostly tableware, and rarely labelled. Sometimes attributed as responsible for products similar to Boom and Braine-le-comte, during the 1940's there was a brief period of crystal production. Some of the production features the typically-Belgian gold bands and edges
Manage (1853-1930?)
Established in 1853, the manufacturer and engraver of stemware (VGM) was often known as 'Jumet', the name of the town in which it was founded in 1772. It stood next to the crystal factory (Cristalleries, 1881-1924) which produced tableware, cut-glass and pressed glass. Little is known about the factory's other designers or products.
Scailmont (1901-1976)
Established in 1901, in Manage. S.A. Verrerie de Scailmont employed 800 people at it's peak in 1930. The best known designers were Henri Heemskerk along with his friend and successor Charles Catteau. Nearly all production is clearly marked with the factory name and often a designers mark, as well. The factory is particularly associated with enamelled glass and satin finished vases in the art-deco style. Other designers included Henri Martin, Robert Hofman, Léon Lauwerys and Karel Heller. Merged with Durobor in 1976 to become 'Hainaut' and then 'Vereno'.
Other sites about Belgian Glass are on our Links Page.
Other (Lost) Factories
There is little documentation to be found about other smaller Belgian factories other than their existance as businesses. They seem to have produced little or no paperwork which indicates their designs. Even the larger factories have very patchy documentation. We are meeting collectors who believe that they can make firm identifications of particular designs, but it is very difficult to turn 'opinion' into 'fact'.
HELP!
We are intrigued by our own ignorance about;
La Faïencerie Saint Ghislain (Emile Lombart)
Les Verreries Saint-Laurent (Manage, c 1930)
