5/19/26: There are still two weeks left to take advantage of our 10% off gift shop sale and enter the drawing for a door prize each week and a grand prize drawing on May 30th.
5/16/26: Congratulations to Anna Walters from Niagara Falls, NY on winning the Cosmos miniature oil lamp in this week’s drawing. No picture, at least yet, since she lives out of state.
The drawing next week is for Consolidated Shell & Seaweed Toothpick holder and a Fostoria Glass Company Bicentennial Plate featuring the Kaubisch Memorial Public Library.
5/9/26: Congratulations to Carol Leforge who won the Consolidated Glass Company Beaded Dahlia Salt and Pepper set in this week’s drawing.
Visit the Glass Heritage Gallery to enter for next week’s drawing, a Consolidated Lamp & Glass miniature Cosmos clear pattern oil lamp.
5/8/26: We are glad to see that the Fostoria Area Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau listed the Glass Heritage Gallery, the Iron Triangle Rail Park, and a picture of the Fostoria Garden Club donated Butterfly sculpture in the new Ohio Travel Guide among the things to do in Fostoria.
We are looking forward to an increase in visitors as a result of this and the Union Pacific Big Boy visits this year. Be sure to visit us soon to see some exciting new displays.
5/4/26: Fostoria Glass Gallery celebrating America 250
Fostoria-area residents and tourists alike are being invited to join the Fostoria Glass Heritage Gallery as it participates in the 250th anniversary of the United States becoming an independent nation.
With glass manufacturing having been one of the earliest industries in the new nation, the gallery is “celebrating the contributions of those in the glass industry during the month of May this year,” Bill King, president of the Fostoria Ohio Glass Association, wrote in a news release. The glass association operates the gallery, which opened in 1992 and holds about 1,300 pieces made in Fostoria between 1887 and 1920.
Gallery personnel decided on May as their celebration period due to the America 250-Ohio Commission having assigned the month for honoring the nation’s arts, culture and literature.
Hoping to draw greater numbers of people, the gallery is conducting four weekly drawings for glass items, to be followed by a grand-prize drawing. All visitors to the gallery will have their names entered into the drawing for the week in which they visit, as well as into the grand-prize drawing, Also, any items purchased from the gift case will be 10% off.
This week, through Friday, the drawing prize will be a pair of Dahlia salt and pepper shakers on a clear base, made by the Consolidated Lamp and Glass Company. The prize for the May 9-15 drawing will be a Cosmos pattern miniature oil lamp produced by the Consolidated Lamp and Glass Company.
The winner of the drawing for the May 16-22 drawing will receive a Fostoria Lamp and Glass Company-made shell-and-seaweed toothpick holder and a Fostoria Glass Company bicentennial plate that features Kaubisch Memorial Public Library.
After the week of May 23-29, the drawing winner will receive a Nickel Plate Glass Company Columbian Coin celery vase.
All of the weekly drawings will take place on Saturdays. The grand prize drawing is scheduled for May 30, with the winner receiving a large open bowl bearing the glass gallery’s signature Victoria pattern. King and glass association board member Charlene Kelbley estimated the bowl’s value at about $75 to $100.
Visitors to the gallery may first notice the windows decorated for the month by Kelbley and featuring both display boards and various glass items.
Folks may then proceed to view items in a number of display cases. Many of the pieces are on loan from collectors, while others have been donated or purchased by the glass association with donated funds.
The glass association is a nonprofit, and while it always welcomes donations via QR code — it has a major project near in the building’s basement.
“We’re doing fairly well as an organization, but we still have challenges, like the basement walls that are going to require a substantial investment,” King said. “We could use help in financing the repairs in the basement walls.”
While hopes are for more visitors this month, King said such results would be hard to predict. He believes the gallery now being listed in the Ohio Travel Guide may be of help.
“It’s just a line (in the guide), but still, people who are looking for things to do can see it and, hopefully, get here. Just like today,” King said, nodding toward the rainy outdoor weather. “If people come to go up to the lake and it rains and they can’t do lakeside activities, they may be looking for something to do. We hope we can fill the spot.”
All told, though, King and Kelbley said the visitation is largely unpredictable.
“With gas prices at $4.99 (per gallon), who knows?” Kelbley said with a laugh.”
“We can never tell, really,” King said. “The more that’s going on in the whole area, the more likely we are to get more visitors and more publicity.”
King and Kelbley said the gallery has had visitors from all over the United States and some foreign countries.
“We have a gentleman who comes in every couple of years who lives in Hawaii and he goes to a college conference, I think, in Michigan,” Kelbley said. “He comes down here, and he loves the Victoria pattern and he buys pieces here. … He buys several pieces every time he comes.”
Said King: “Sometimes he takes them, sometimes we ship them.”
The gallery is open from 10 a.m., to 4 p.m., on Wednesdays through Fridays and from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., on Saturdays. Group tours on other dates may be arranged by calling 419-435-5077.
Not pictured in the Review Times newspaper article above are board members Jason Droll and John Weber, and docent Susie Kinn.
Article originally published by Scott Cottos for the Review Times.
5/1/26: America’s 250th Anniversary Celebration! On July 4 of this year, America will celebrate our 250th Anniversary of signing the Declaration of Independence. Glass making was one of the earliest industries of this new country. The Glass Heritage Gallery is celebrating the contributions of those in the glass industry during the month of May this year.
Thanks to Charlene Kelbley, our windows are decorated with pictures of glass factories that were located here. Displays of the glass worker’s artistry in various pieces of glass are also in the windows.
As part of the celebration, we are offering a 10% discount on all gift shop items. In addition, we are having a weekly drawing for glass manufactured in Fostoria during the period from 1887-1920. Every visitor will be eligible to enter the drawing. After all weekly drawings, we will have a grand prize drawing that will include the name of each person who entered a weekly drawing.
The weekly drawings are:
- Week 1: May 1- May 8, is a pair of light green, Consolidated Lamp & Glass Company Beaded Dahlia Salt and Pepper shakers on a clear base.
- Week 2: May 9-15 is a Comos pattern, miniature oil lamp produced by the Consolidated Lamp & Glass Company.
- Week 3: May 16-22 is for a Consolidated Shell & Seaweed Toothpick holder and a Fostoria Glass Company Bicentennial Plate that features the Kaubisch Memorial Public Library.
- Week 4: May 22-29 is for a Nickel Plate Glass Company Columbian Coin Celery Vase.
- The grand prize drawing is for our Victoria signature pattern large open bowl.
Drawings for each weekly prize will be held on Saturday each week. The drawing for the grand prize will be held on Saturday, May 30.
4/1/26: This is not an April fools joke! April is here and so is our full time schedule; Wednesday-Friday 10-4 & Saturday 10-3. Be sure to visit to see these recent additions; they are breathtaking!
3/6/26: Thanks to all the visitors, donors and supporters who made this possible!
Glass Heritage, Inc., recently opened an organization fund with the Greater Fostoria Community Foundation with the purpose of supporting the operations, programming and/or capital needs of Glass Heritage, which does business as the Fostoria Ohio Glass Association.
“The Fostoria Ohio Glass Association was organized in 1992 to promote public awareness and appreciation of the history of the Fostoria, Ohio glass industry,” Bill King, president of the Fostoria Ohio Glass Association, was quoted as saying in a news release from the Greater Fostoria Community Foundation. “Our desire to continue this mission is why the board decided to establish a fund within the Greater Fostoria Community Foundation, ensuring future generations will know the importance of glass manufacturing in Fostoria.”
The glass association chose to open a non-endowed organization fund, which is a relatively new type of fund being offered through the Greater Fostoria Community Foundation, the release says.
“We are happy to support the efforts of the Fostoria Ohio Glass Association with this type of fund that gives them the flexibility to use more of the fund balance than would a classic endowed fund, which only allows the use of a calculated percentage of the fund’s balance,” Michele Cochran, executive director of the Greater Fostoria Community Foundation, was quoted as saying in the release. “The non-endowed organization fund must maintain a minimum $10,000 balance and allows up to 12 distributions per year, giving them access to use the funds as needs arise or to let the fund continue to build if no distributions are needed.”
The fund announcement came just ahead of today’s opening of the Fostoria Glass Heritage Gallery for its 36th year. The gallery, located at 109 N. Main St., is a museum that showcases glass made in the 12 glass plants in the city from 1887 to 1920. More than 1,100 pieces of glassware and lamps are on display, with new pieces having recently been added.
During March, the gallery will be open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. The hours will expand its operating hours in April to 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., on Wednesdays through Fridays and from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., on Saturdays. Visitors and groups needing special arrangements beyond those days and times should contact the gallery by calling 419-435-5077. Admission is free.
Memberships help in purchasing glass for display and support the mailing of Victoria Views newsletters, utilities, insurance, general maintenance, advertising and other operating expenses.
None of the officers, docents or others are compensated for their work.
Memberships in the Fostoria Ohio Glass Association may be obtained by completing a membership form. New members will receive a copy of “Fostoria Glass II,” a book written by Mel Murray that is valued at $20. Mailing of the book requires a $4 cost to cover shipping.
Memberships are renewable at the end of each year.
Donations to support the Fostoria Ohio Glass Association Fund may be made at 342 Perry St., P.O. Box 684, Fostoria, OH 44830. Donations may be made online.
Article originally published by staff reports for the Review Times.
3/5/26: As of today, the Fostoria Glass Heritage Gallery at 109 N. Main in Fostoria is open from 10-3 Thursday through Saturday. Stop in to see our beautiful collection and recent additions.
At the pre-opening luncheon on March 3, Marilyn Lambright and Carol King were presented certificates in appreciation of their many years of dedicated service as board members and docents.
2/26/26: One week from today, we begin our 36th year of operation at the Fostoria Glass Heritage Gallery in Fostoria, Ohio. Over 1100 pieces of Fostoria manufactured glassware and lamps are on display and available for the public to enjoy. Be sure to visit to see our recent additions. We are open in March on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday from 10-3. Beginning in April our days and hours are Wednesday-Friday 10-4 and Saturday from 10-3. If you need special arrangements, please do not hesitate to contact us and we will try to accommodate you.
If you are a member, membership expire at the end of each year, so if you have not renewed, please do so soon. This will save us time and money from sending reminders. If you are not currently a member, you can become a member by filling out the membership form and mail or email it to us. New members will receive a copy of Mel Murray’s book, Fostoria Ohio Glass II, a $20 value. However, if the book requires mailing, if you want the book, it will require an extra $4 to cover shipping. Thanks for your support and we look forward to seeing you this year!