Brookfield Glass Company
Brookfield Glass Company was an American glass company based in Brooklyn, New York known for producing industrial glassware such as insulators and jars.[1]
 A sparkling CD 145 or "beehive" insulator from the telegraph era made by the Brookfield Glass Company circa 1882. | |
Formerly | Bushwick Glass Works |
|---|---|
| Industry | Glass |
| Fate | Defunct |
| Founded | 1864 |
| Founders | Martin Kalbfleisch James Madison Brookfield |
| Defunct | 1921 |
| Headquarters | Brooklyn, New York |
Number of locations | Brooklyn, New York (1864–1912) Old Bridge, New Jersey (1906–1921) |
Area served | United States |
| Products | Telegraph insulators, jars |
History
Brookfield Glass Company began in 1864 as Bushwick Glass Works, a bottle manufacturing company. Its founder was James Madison Brookfield. [2] In 1864, Martin Kalbfleisch, the owner of Bushwick Chemical Works, built the factory to produce demijohns used for storing acid produced at his factory. Brookfield was appointed the owner. In 1869, Brookfield purchased the glassworks from Kalbfleisch and food storage jars were the primary item produced, specifically pickle and relish jars.[1]
Insulators
In the 1870s and 1880s, the need for insulators increased as more telegraph lines were put into use. During the 1870s, Brookfield began producing large amounts of insulators at their Brooklyn plant,[2] and the quantity of insulators produced was second only to the Hemingray Glass Company. It is estimated that over 100 types of insulators were produced by Brookfield. In 1902, a second plant was opened in Old Bridge, New Jersey. The Brooklyn plant was closed shortly after in 1912. In 1921, production had stopped at the Old Bridge plant and the company dissolved.[1]
| CD | Style | Nickname |
|---|---|---|
| 152 | 40 | Hoopskirt[3][4] |
| 145 | 21 | Beehive |
| 106 | 9 | Pony |
| 121 | 16 | Toll |
| 133 | 3 | Bullet |
| 157 | 38 | Teepee |
| 162 | 19 | Signal |
| 164 | 20 | |
| 208 | 44 | Cross-Top |
| 287.2 | ||
| 300 | ||
| 160 | 14 | Baby Signal |
| 169.5 | Type I | |
| 101 | ||
| 112 | 8 | Keg |
See also
- Hemingray Glass Company
- Insulator (electrical)
References
- "BROOKFIELD GLASS COMPANY (Bushwick Glass Works)". Glassbottlemarks.com. Retrieved 2016-07-30.
- "1868: History of Martin Kalbfleisch and Bushwick Chemical Works". Reference.insulators.info. 2008-10-18. Retrieved 2016-07-30.
- "The Hemingray Database: Nicknames". Hemingray.info. Retrieved 2016-07-30.
- "ian macky's glass site". glassian. 2015-11-21. Retrieved 2016-07-30.