Pressed glass in Western Pennsylvania the topic of upcoming program at Heinz History Center

Before it was known for steel, before it was known for iron, Pittsburgh was known for glass.

“Pittsburgh was the national center of the glass making industry beginning around 1820 and lasted more than 100 years, until the 1940s,” said Anne Madarasz, chief historian and curator at the Heinz History Center.

A book co-authored by an O’Hara woman explores the work and history of one iconic manufacturer, the Bryce Glass Co., which was known for its artful pressed glass. The history center will host a book signing and discussion for “Bryce Glass: Art and Novelty in Nineteenth-Century Pittsburgh” on April 11.

Debra M. Coulson of O’Hara and Harley N. Trice, great-great grandson of company founder James Bryce, penned “Bryce Glass: Art and Novelty in Nineteenth-Century Pittsburgh.” They plan a question-and-answer session after their April 11 presentation to discuss the artistry of Bryce’s designs between 1850 and 1891.

What set Bryce apart were designs that looked like they belonged on the tables of the wealthiest Pittsburghers, but were affordable, Coulson said.

“Pressed glass transformed the lives of everyday people be making beautiful tableware widely available to those who could not afford the expensive blown and cut crystal enjoyed by wealthy neighbors,” Coulson said.

The presentation by Coulson and Trice is in partnership with the National American Glass Club Pittsburgh Chapter’s exhibit, “Glass: Shattering Notions” on the fourth floor of the history center, which features more than 1,000 pieces of glass from Western Pennsylvania,” said Madarasz.

Coulson and Trice took about two years to complete their book, which was published by D Giles Limited of London in February.

The Bryce Glass Co. was one of the largest producers of pattern glass in America, shipping its products globally for 113 years.

Bryce was a Scottish immigrant who began his glass making journey at age 10 in Pittsburgh.

He earned $1.25 per week as a child laborer apprentice at Pittsburgh glassmaker Bakewell, Page & Blakewell.

In 1850 at age 38, Bryce founded his namesake company in Pittsburgh’s South Side. It later moved to Mt. Pleasant in Westmoreland County and ceased operations in 1965.

Following the authors’ illustrated, Power Point presentation, they will sign their books. People attending can also view a one-day-only exhibit from the History Center’s Bryce Glass Co. collection.

“It’s a chance to hear a story that focuses on one of the hundred of companies that were in the region,” Madarasz said. “This is the story of one of them that made glass for the average person and the White House and embassies around the world. Bryce was innovative, imaginative and one of the exceptional companies in the region.”