Dec 17, 2018 1 min read

Duncan Miller Glass

In the late 1800s, Washington, Pa., became an attractive place to locate industry because of abundant cheap natural gas for furnaces and newly developed railroads for transporting raw materials. When fire destroyed his glass company on the South Side of Pittsburgh, George Duncan relocated to Washington County in 1893.

Duncan Miller differentiated itself with its fine handmade glass. The National Duncan Miller Glass Society says, “this was accomplished by employing highly skilled workers, and using unique batch formulas to produce colorful glass. The production process for each piece usually required 10 craftsmen.” John Ernest Miller was responsible for the trend-setting Duncan Miller designs over 52 years. One famous design created in 1876 is the Three Face pattern, reportedly inspired by Miller’s wife, Elizabeth.

The Three Face compote pictured was donated to the Washington County Historical Society by Mrs. James E. Duncan.

Linda Zelch is a volunteer for the Washington County Historical Society and a member of the antiquities committee.