Glass museum rolls out red carpet
A clay target that was manufactured at Duncan & Miller Glass Co. during World War II.
Duncan & Miller Glass Co. manufactured rocket motors during World War II.
The Duncan & Miller Glass Museum, 525 Jefferson Ave., Washington, is preparing for two events. They are:n The National Duncan Glass Society’s Chapter One Antiques and Collectibles Sale, which will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at the 4-H Building at the Washington County Fairgrounds;n Free admission to the museum Nov. 11 for all veterans of the armed forces and their families.On display at the museum are examples of some of the rockets and clay pigeons used by the military for target practice that were made by a unit at the Duncan & Miller Glass Co.According to a story published Nov. 3, 1945, in The Washington Reporter, Duncan & Miller “became an important manufacturer of rockets, bomb parts and the nation’s largest maker of clay targets.”It made perfect sense that Duncan & Miller would produce war materials. After all, the precise, meticulous work done by glass mold makers and mechanics was exactly the skill needed for certain wartime products. In their peacetime roles, mold makers worked with cast -iron molds, cutting and carving into them delicate, intricate patterns.According to the article, “Duncan executives and engineers convinced ordnance officials that these men could apply this skill on intricate bomb and rocket parts so urgently needed.”However, the number of experienced mold makers was limited. So, Duncan executives formulated a plan in which mold makers and mechanics were turned into instructors and overseers for hundreds of unskilled girls who were taught to do the machining, assembling, welding and other operations. The first war contract for which this was done was for 500,000 adapter-boosters, which, according to the Reporter, are “delicate pieces of a mechanism which is screwed into the tail of a bomb and helps control the detonation of the charge.” The adapter-boosters were used in bombs of all sizes. During the war, the local plant turned out nearly 1 million of the adapter-boosters.Saturday’s sale will include George Duncan and Duncan Miller Glass, other elegant glass, EAPG, china, pottery, costume jewelry, some furniture, glass identification, old bottles and prints. Free gift wrapping is available for items purchased at the sale. Homemade brunch, lunch and desserts also will be available for purchase. Call 724-678-6627 for more information. Proceeds from the show benefit Chapter One and the National Duncan Glass Society.In addition, those involved with the Duncan Workers Family Project are trying to record information on Duncan workers who worked at George Duncan, George Duncan & Sons and Duncan & Miller Glass Co. for a history of Duncan and the handmade glass industry. There will be a table for the project at the sale. Those who attend are encouraged to share any information.