Brookfield Glass Company

Brookfield Glass Company was an American glass company based in Brooklyn, New York and was known for producing industrial glassware such as insulators and jars.^[1]

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. By the early 1920s, production had stopped at the Old Bridge plant and the company dissolved.^[1]

References