Degenhart Owl History

First introduced as the "Wise Ole Owl," the Degenhart Owl was made by Degenhart's Crystal Art Glass between 1967 and 1978. They were one of the most popular items created by the Degenharts. Customers would eagerly wait for the latest color releases. By the time the last owl was produced in 1978, there were around 200 different colors on the factory ledgers! Owls also came in decorated, iridized and frosted options. When combined with all the many color variations and finishes, a collector could easily have a collection of several hundred owls. Our color reference guide lists almost 360 different colors/finishes. We suspect there could be more. The information below was largely sourced from the following: "Degenhart Glass and Paperweights Collectors Guide" by Gene Florence, "The Degenhart Glass Story" by Jabe Tarter, an article published on "The Mustard Dandelion" by Haley M, and an article published by "The Daily Jeffersonian" on Feb 10, 2018. These resources provided a wealth of priceless information regarding the Degenhart's history and for that we are truly grateful.

The Degenhart Crystal Art Glass Story.

The Degenhart Crystal Art Glass Company was started in 1947 by John & Elizabeth Degenhart. John had an extensive history in glassmaking. He started working in glass factories at the age of 9 along with his older brother Charles, who was 10 years old at the time. They were so tight on funds that John and his brother shared one pair of heavy-soled work shoes. This meant that the two boys had to work separate shifts. Charles worked the day shift and John worked the night shift. By 15 John started working at the Cambridge Glass Company in Cambridge, Ohio. John also met his wife (Margaret Elizabeth Bennet) at the very same factory. She was responsible for packing glassware for shipment. The pair met in 1907 and were married a year later on Dec 12, 1908.

John and Charles continued working at the Cambridge Glass Factory for almost 40 years. John became the head of the pressing shop. In addition to the normal work duties, it was often common for glass workers to fashion whimsical items such as paperweights, canes and links of chains. For several years before World War I, Charles began making paperweights for his family and friends. After a while, he and his eldest sons started to receive orders from all over the area. Soon, a small off-hours business was born.

The Charles Degenhart and Sons Paperweight business grew so much that in the late 1920s, John began helping his brother. In addition to the paperweights, they also made articles such as perfume bottles and lamps. They also developed a deluxe gearshift knob which they patented in 1929. All of these items were made after hours at the plant with the blessings of The Cambridge Glass Company’s management.

During all those years, John and Elizabeth never gave up on their dream of owning a glass factory. While John worked at Cambridge Glass, Elizabeth went into the antique business to save, work and materialize their dream. She bought and sold antiques for more than 40 years to help make this dream become a reality. In 1946, John Degenhart was able to retire from Cambridge Glass. He was now free to pursue their lifelong dream. In 1947, after many years of saving, all their hard work paid off. They opened Degenhart's Crystal Art Glass Factory. It was a one room plant located in Cambridge, OH. Elizabeth was 58 years old at the time!

Photo Credit: Degenhart Glass and Paperweights and The Degenhart Glass Story.

Photo of Degenhart's Crystal Art Glass Factory in 1975.

Photo Credit: Degenhart Glass and Paperweights

A Tragedy Followed by Perseverance.

Owning a glass factory kept the Degenharts incredibly busy. They started out with only five glass moulds, so during the early years paperweight production made up the bulk of their sales. John's expert knowledge and skill in creating a fine paperweight shone bright during this time. Even though he didn't invent the Rose paperweight, he made some of the finest weights in the world. By the year 1964, 24 novelty moulds were being worked by the factory in a dozen colors. More than 50 different styles of paperweights and related items were made by John.

Sadly, in 1964 John suddenly passed away. Jean Melvin in her book "American Paperweights and Their Makers" said in response to his death "The world has lost one of its most valuable artists in weight making in the passing of John Degenhart".

Before John's funeral, someone was overheard saying "Well I guess this is the end of the Crystal Art Glass". That person underestimated the determination of John's widow, Elizabeth Degenhart. After John’s death, Elizabeth hired Zack Boyd (age 76) and his son Bernard C. Boyd to operate the glass manufacturing after her husband John's passing. Many colors evolved under the hand of Zack which may never be able to be duplicated ever again. Zack passed in 1968 and Bernard C. Boyd began the responsibility of mixing glass chemicals and preparing glass batches. Bernard, like his father, loved exploring chemical combinations that produced innovative glass colors and slags. No one else made as many variations of glass colors and especially slag colors as the Boyd's. Mrs. Degenhart had the only known complete book of glass formulas from the Cambridge Glass Factory. It had been given to her husband when the factory closed. Having this precious possession meant endless possibilities for creating new colors of glass.

A Glassmaking Legacy is Passed On.

Degenhart's Crystal Art Glass continued to thrive for many years. Mrs. Degenhart's glassmaking operations were drawing so much attention throughout Ohio that Governor James A. Rhodes honored Elizabeth on October 2nd, 1975 by declaring her as Ohio's "First Lady of Glass"! Elizabeth also helped establish the Degenhart Paperweight & Glass Museum in Cambridge, Ohio which included her personal glass collection.

Mrs. Degenhart passed away on April 16, 1978. The factory officially closed on April 21. The glass color in the tank at the time of her death was named in honor of her: Elizabeth's Blue.

Upon the death of Elizabeth Degenhart, Bernard Boyd, Degenhart’s glass maker, was given the opportunity to purchase the factory. Bernard C. and his son, Bernard F., did exactly that in October of 1978. Boyd’s Crystal Art Glass was shipped all over the U.S. and has even been sold in England. The senior Boyd liked to experiment with colors that varied from opaque to crystal. He prided himself in making beautiful colors. No salespeople were ever employed. All of their sales were made by word of mouth, which reinforced the demand for the colorful pieces manufactured by the Boyd family. After 35 years of successful business, Boyd's Crystal Art Glass factory officially closed in 2013.

The Degenhart Paperweight & Glass Museum closed in 2011. Elizabeth's personal glass collection was divided among three museums where it would be admired and cherished for countless years to come.

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