Posted by Robare M. Novou on November 09, 2003
Robare M. NovouI did a google search and came up with tilghmans first british patent...#2147.
I dont have the british patent site, maybe someone out there has it or can look it up.
RMN
Mike JacksonAccording to an article in Signs of the Times, Sandblasting has been around since 1870, when the first patent was issued to a british subject by the name of Benjamin Chew Tilghman. No patent number was listed, only a diagram showing the setup. I will have to go down to the local library and look it up...give me a few days on this.
Also, from the book "Great Glass in American Arhitecture" comes this bit of info from page 47...
From E.C.Hussey's Home Building of 1876, was an ad in the back for "Tilghman's Sand Blast Works of New York". Manufacturers and Dealers in Plain and Colored Embossed Glass.
From Bicknell and Comstock's Specimen Book of 1880, appeared an ad for the New York Sand Blast Works. Touting Sand Blast Cut and Embossed Glass windows, Ground Glass a specialty. We are prepared to do all ornamental glass-work for Buildings, Banks, Office, etc., as well as Colored Signs and Globe Work, at reasonable rates.
Another tidbit to consider is that Rawson and Evans Did Stained glass (art glass) windows and valances. Ill have to send Mr. Jackson a scan or two for posting.
RMN
The 1876 date certainly fits the time frame for Rawson and Evans. We don't know exactly when they started yet, but it was probably after 1876. Their first patents were for improving methods of blasting and stencil materials, so some version the process was obviously already being done by Tilghman's and probably others.
It would be nice to find an ad in the old ST magazines that states something like "Finest glass work since 1885". That would help a lot, but I will have to wait for the packet to even have a chance at that info.
Thanks again,
Mike Jackson
Denver Chapter of the Letterheads