Paden City Glass was located in Paden City, West Virginia, approximately five miles from New Martinsville, where the New Martinsville Glass Company was in production in the early Twentieth Century. The first workers at the Paden City plant were enticed from the New Martinsville plant, so the very earliest Paden City production is reminiscent of that the New Martinsville in 1915, when the new company was founded. Under the leadership of father and son David and Samuel Fisher, the company prospered for many years, only closing in 1951 at a time when many American glass houses were closing.

Besides some new molds based, perhaps, on the New Martinsville production, the new Paden City Company possessed some glass molds from the defunct Higbee Glass Company. The metal, i.e. glass, of the Paden City Glass Company is very clear, and their early forays into colored glass met with similar success in producing clear, brightly colored glass. Beginning with black (ebony) and white (opal) glass, the company soon added several several shades of green and blue to their production. Described by the present day glass collectors as depression glass, the Paden City colors included a strong yellow, amethyst, cobalt, two shades of pink and a fine ruby glass. Cheriglo, a true pink glass, became synonymous with Paden City Glass Company during the 35 years it produced glass.

Many lines of glass shapes were produced by Paden City, all of them known by the line number until named later. Some lines were robust enough to by used in commercial soda fountains and restaurants and can be found in a myriad of pieces for home or commercial use. Many of these glass forms were also sent to decorators to be enhanced by those enterprises, and for that reason much of Paden City glass is not marked. The educated eye can identify Paden City glass by the shapes, colors and perfection of the glass itself.

Paden City is also known for its beautiful etched patterns, made for decorating plates, but modified to to fit any relatively flat, unmodeled surface of the glass pieces made at the West Virginia plant. The various etching patterns, generally featuring birds or flowers, have appropriate names. The more exotic patterns include those with Oriental scenes or dragons. Between the numbers of pieces in the many patterns and the possible etched patterns on those pieces, there are many beautiful pieces of Paden City glass from the mere 35 years of their existence. If you already own etched glass, you may already have some Paden City in your collections.

Paden City glassware does take an educated eye to identify, but those selling antique or vintage glass should be able to show you some of this beautiful glassware on request. Ongoing research continues to quantify this glass, but no record of glass production has survived the company, so the numbers of pieces in any given pattern, etching or color are unknown other than a general “common”, “uncommon” and “rare” scale, with prices set accordingly. Paden City also made glass from molds owned by other people on request, as well as having their molds move onto other glass companies when the company folded in 1951, so there is some additional confusion for collectors added by these events.

Paden City glass is beautiful in its combinations of form, color and finish. Look for it at glass shows or antique stores near you or as your travel.

See Paden City glass.

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