Cut crystal glass making (skilled trades & manufacture)

British cut crystal glass, known for its brilliance and intricate designs, has become a hallmark of craftsmanship.

In 1674, George Ravenscroft, a glassmaker based in London, patented a new method for producing glass by adding lead oxide to the mixture. Lead oxide made the glass easier to work with, heavier, and more brilliant due to its increased refraction of light, giving it a high level of clarity and sparkle. This lead crystal became highly suitable for cutting, as it could be deeply engraved and polished, giving rise to intricate designs and brilliant finishes.

The 18th century saw the expansion of the British glass industry, with Stourbridge in the Midlands and London becoming key centres of production. Stourbridge, in particular, became known for its high-quality glass.

During the 19th century, the British crystal industry reached its height. Crystal glass was highly sought after, and many of the intricate cutting patterns we associate with traditional crystal glassware today were developed.

Prominent British glassmakers like Webb Corbett & Sons, Royal Brierley (now owned by Dartington), and Edinburgh Crystal, rose to prominence. These manufacturers became internationally recognized for their high-quality, handcrafted crystal glass. Waterford Crystal (an Irish company) also became associated with high-quality cut glass, producing some of the finest examples of lead crystal.

After World War II, the British crystal glass industry, like many traditional crafts, faced challenges from mass production and competition from foreign manufacturers. However, the reputation of British cut glass remains strong. From the mid-20th century onwards British glassmakers shifted focus from mass production to preserving the artisanal quality and heritage of glass cutting.

Handmade cut glass is a highly intricate and skilled process that involves shaping, cutting, and polishing glass to create intricate designs.

• Glass Blowing – The process typically starts with blowing glass with a high degree of precision, often using moulds.
• Annealing – After the glass is shaped, it needs to be slowly cooled in a kiln.
• Marking the Design – Once the glass has cooled, the surface is marked with guidelines for where the cuts will be made.
• Cutting the Glass – The glass is cut using various diamond or carborundum grinding wheels. The artisan carefully grinds into the surface of the glass to create the desired pattern. The wheels cut grooves into the glass, which have straight, sharp angles and the effect is to increase the sparkle of the glass by adding more light-reflecting surface. Many surfaces are then cut a second time, a process known as smoothing, to create a finer finish. Almost nobody does this process any more as it adds considerable time to the production process.
• Polishing and/or acid polishing – The crystal is immersed in an extremely strong acid solution (50 degrees C) to polish the glass. This process extremely well with lead crystal which led to its historic success.

• Acid polishing
• Production glass blowing

Training and Recruitment Issues

• Recruitment in the UK has become very challenging due to a lack of skills and training. Companies are now often looking to recruit from overseas. The regulations and salaries for skilled worker visa makes this prohibitively expensive for UK manufacturers.
• Small companies lack the capacity to take on trainees.
• Insufficient job security prevents guaranteed employment after training.
• High setup costs and lack of specialist equipment hinder training.
• Limited time available to train new entrants.

Market Issues

• Manufacturers must now target consumers directly instead of relying on traditional luxury retailers.
• Profit margins are unsustainable for smaller producers.

Small Business Challenges

• Rising premises costs.
• Energy costs have become unsustainable, especially for businesses using glass kilns and furnaces.

Ageing Workforce

• The majority of the workforce is over 50, with few new trainees entering the trade.

Global and Geopolitical Issues

• Brexit has increased costs and complications for overseas exports.

Cumbria Crystal sponsors students at the Royal College of Art to gain experience in production glass cutting and blowing.

They also run a competition where students can submit designs and earn royalties if their designs are accepted for production by Cumbria Crystal. See the Kaleidoscope Collection launched by Cumbria Crystal in 2024

• Steven Wright – Wessex Crystal
• Steve Hammond
• Reg Everton & Son – Dawn Crystal
• Stewart Davies – Dawn Crystal
• Robert Thomson – Cumbria Crystal
• Jitka Wilcox – Cumbria Crystal
• Ben Seale – Cumbria Crystal trainee

ying two or more makers

• Cumbria Crystal
• Dawn Crystal
• Wessex Crystal
• Dartington Crystal
• Royal Brierley (part of Dartington Crystal)

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cut_glass
• https://glassencyclopedia.com/cutglass.html
• “English Glass” by W.A. Thorpe
• “The History of English Glassmaking 1558-1835” by Hugh Willmott

Our thanks go to our 2025 contributors and reviewers:

• Chris Blade – Cumbria Crystal
• Alistair Malcolm – Stourbridge Glass Museum

We consult with a wide range of practitioners and organisations to review and update the Red List. Some choose to remain anonymous but all feedback is taken into account.

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