Incredibly Rare Sandwich Glass
One Piece Could Be Worth Thousands Of Dollars
While Cape towns have always been known for their scenic beaches and byways, during the 19th century, Sandwich gained national recognition for its glassworks. Today, one piece of this exquisite, incredibly rare art glass could sell for hundreds of thousands of dollars. While museums and private collectors hold much of this treasure, the Sandwich Glass Museum has more than 5,000 pieces for visitors to view.
In 1825, Bostonian Deming Jarves decided to start his own glassworks, the Boston and Cape Cod glassworks, on the edge of this Cape town. Although many believe he was lured to the Cape for its sand, a critical ingredient in glassmaking, the town's thick forests-fuel for the furnaces--were the real attraction. (Ironically, the sand of our peninsula wasn't fine enough for glassmaking; sand was actually imported from the New Jersey shore!)
During its heyday, the Boston and Sandwich Glass Company employed more than 500 workers and produced over a hundred thousand pounds of glassware weekly. To create the finest glass, Jarves lured artisans from across the globe-Ireland, England, Belgium and Bohemia-to the tiny town of Sandwich. Back then, glassblowers were highly skilled artisans, serving minimum 7-year apprenticeships. Jarves wanted none but the most skilled for his glassworks.
Originally, like other existing companies, Jarves produced free blown glass. However, since this was a time-consuming and costly process, he looked for other methods of glassmaking. Eventually, he perfected the art of mold-blown glass and pressed glass. His company also earned a reputation for fine, hand-cut glassware.
As the glassworks grew, the town followed suit. Jarves built homes for his employees around the factory, and many of the modest dwellings from "Jarvesville" still exist today. In, turn, brickyards, machine shops, barrel makers and other businesses emerged to support the town and its major industry.
Ironically, in 1858, Jarves' Board of Directors forced him out of the business; however, he and his son then founded the Cape Cod Glass Works less than a mile from his original factory. Although they developed a successful-albeit smaller-glassworks, the business ended with the death of its principals.
The emergence of the railroad greatly affected the glassmaking businesses on Cape Cod. Midwestern competitors were shipping cheaper goods east, cutting into the local profits. On New Year's Day, 1888 the original Boston and Sandwich Glassworks closed its doors, and many of the industry workers left the Cape to find work. Without its major industry, Sandwich assumed a ghost-like quality until tourism awoke the quiet town.
Today, look for a simple marker at the corner of Jarves and Factory Streets. Imagine the fiery glass furnace that once stood here. Picture the artisans who brought their skills and languages to this seaside community. Then visit the Main Street museum. You'll not only see a stunning collection of opalescent and brilliantly colored glass, but a treasured piece of history.
The Sandwich Glass Museum is located at 129 Main Street in Sandwich Center. It is owned and operated by the Sandwich Historical Society, who established the museum in the early 1920s to preserve and showcase the rare glass.
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