Jain Type Glassware

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Jain Type Glassware - Part 1

JAIN - India Glassware - Part 1

(or)

One of as many as eight other un-named Indian glass producers.

JAIN was the first glassworks founded in India and reportedly created some of the best known examples from that Country. Instigated in 1928 by Shri Chhadamilal Jain, iridized glass was first made there in 1935. The factory closed in 1986.

These words of wisdom come directly from Bob Smith, who has made extensive study of Jain Glassware. He declares their marigold coloring to be top grade! A quote from Bob, as long ago as Sept. 2007: “ at minimum, 85% of the Indian carnival glass seen on eBay and elsewhere was not made by Jain, but by many other Indian glass companies. (At least eight and still counting.) Everybody has gotten into the bad habit of calling all Indian carnival “Jain”, because that’s the only Indian glass company they know about. Jain’s carnival glass success had other Indian glass companies jumping on the carnival bandwagon, making clones of some of Jain’s original patterns, but none could produce the same quality glass as Jain. Hence, Jain takes a bad rap for some dreadful marigold glass that they had nothing to do with.” We inquired about the maker of Spice Grater and Shazam patterns. Bob’s reply in April 2006: “Neither of those patterns were made by Jain. Bob has corresponded with a Mr. Sanjay Jain, owner of the Khandelwal Glass Works in the town of Sasni, India, who confirmed that they made carnival tumblers (which they call luster tumblers) up until the year 1970. Although this owner has the Jain name, he is no relation to the owner of the other Jain Glass Works in Firozabad.”

Dean & Diane Fry, 5/11