Southern New Jersey is a region rich in glassblowing history. From the Wistarburg Glassworks in the 18th century to the Clevenger family in the 20th century, many individuals and companies have produced a variety of glass items which are highly valued by collectors today.

Fire Insurance Maps of New Jersey Glassworks

Ernest Hexamer created a series of insurance maps of Philadelphia beginning in 1857. The maps below were created in the period 1866 to 1896 and are in the collection of the Philadelphia Free Library. Below you will find links directly to the individual maps and information.

View manufacturers and map information.

We have put together a timeline of facts related to the Clevenger operations. Also included is information on bottles produced at their factory.

View the complete Clevenger page which show a timeline of events of the company as well as information about the bottles that were produced there.

In 2009, tools and molds from the Clevenger Glassworks were sold at auction. View the photo album of this auction.

Hank Flowers' Old South Jersey Glass - Lots of photos of rare and beautiful items plus an inventory of bottles and glass for sale.

You can buy many items produced by Clevenger Glassworks from Sweet Dreams Creations.

Historic Batsto Village, a nationally recognized historic site, is located in Wharton State Forest in Southern New Jersey. The Village has changed and survived during several different periods of American history. Archeological investigations have also discovered evidence of Prehistoric life in the Batsto area. Evidence shows land use dating back several thousand years.

Early Iron Years:
Charles Read is credited with building the Batsto Iron Works along the Batsto River in 1766. Batsto had the natural resources necessary for making iron. There was bog ore which was "mined" from the banks of the streams and rivers, wood from the forests became the charcoal for fuel, and water became the power for manufacturing. John Cox, a Philadelphia business man, became part owner in 1770 and full owner by 1773. The Iron Works produced household items such as cooking pots and kettles. During the Revolutionary War years, Batsto manufactured supplies for the Continental Army. Manager Joseph Ball became owner of Batsto Iron Works in 1779.

Richards Years:
In 1784, William Richards, uncle of Joseph Ball, became a major owner of The Iron Works. This began the Richards’ era at Batsto which would last for 92 years. William was ironmaster until he retired in 1809. Son Jesse was in charge until his death in 1854; and he was followed by his son Thomas H. By the mid 1800’s, iron production declined and Batsto became a glassmaking community known for its window glass. Soon the glass business was also finished, and Batsto was in receivership.

Wharton Years:
Joseph Wharton, a Philadelphia businessman, purchased Batsto in 1876 at a Masters Sale. Wharton continued to purchase property in the area surrounding Batsto. He made improvements on the mansion, and on many of the village buildings. He was also involved in a variety of forestry and agricultural endeavors. Joseph Wharton died in 1909. From his death until 1954, the Wharton properties in the Pine Barrens were managed by the Girard Trust Company in Philadelphia.

State Ownership:
New Jersey purchased the Wharton properties in the mid 1950’s. The state began planning for the use and development of the property. The few people still living in the Village houses remained as long as they wanted. It was in 1989 that the last house was vacated. Today Batsto Village is a New Jersey Historic site and is listed on the New Jersey and National Registers of Historic Places.

The collection of Leslie Prugh of Bound Brook, NJ as it was displayed in the 1950's in Bound Brook, NJ.

A few years ago at our 2007 show in South River a collection of Abbott Farm artifacts turned up. The Abbott Farm site is one of the most famous prehistoric archaeological sites in the country. It is a grouping of over a dozen sites within a very close geographical proximity that make up the Abbott Farm Complex. This site just south of Trenton, NJ is now on the National Historical Register. The artifacts seen here were surface collected by farmers in the 1920s and were sold to early pioneer collectors such as John Welsh. Welsh later sold many items from his collection to Leslie Prugh of Bound Brook, NJ. Mr. Prugh was an avid Native American artifact collector in the 1950's and the photos in this album are photos of part of that collection that was offered for sale at public auction several years ago.

View the Artifacts