Waterford Crystal

About this book

Waterford Crystal is the lavishly illustrated history of Ireland's most iconic cut glass manufacturer, their name synonymous with high-end glassmaking throughout the world. Former Waterford Crystal cutter and local historian, John Hearne, explores how the art of glassmaking first arrived in Waterford county at the turn of the sixteenth century. Hearne reveals how Waterford Crystal developed as a brand under the guidance of skilled artisans and shrewd business leaders with an eye for ingenuity. Waterford developed a reputation for quality glass and crystalware a reputation that became global and was rocked and buoyed by events that span centuries, including the American Revolutionary war, the World Fair in London, World War Two and the attacks of 9/11. A testament to innovations in design and brilliant marketing strategy, Waterford Crystal also examines the brand's failures -- dubious accountancy practices that led to a long and bitter strike in 1990, the avarice and self-aggrandisement that ultimately led to the company's demise in 2009. Published to preserve the memory of Waterford Crystal and to provide a legacy for future generations of glassmaking, Hearne pays tribute to some of the finest artisans this country has ever seen, whose passionate devotion prefigured inspired works of art-turning basic ingredients, sand and ash, into objects of aesthetic beauty.