Learn More About Waterford Crystal 

When brothers George and William Penrose founded the Waterford Glass House in 1783, they made a bold promise - to make Waterford crystal in "as fine a quality as any in Europe… in the most elegant style." It was no idle boast. Ancient secrets of mixing minerals and glass allowed them to create a crystal of beautiful and mysterious qualities. It sang sweetly at the tap of a finger. It felt soft and warm to the touch yet possessed strength and durability known only to Waterford crystal. And it radiated a distinctive, silvery white brilliance, which Waterford Crystal's artists enhanced with deeply cut ornamentation giving the finished pieces a vivacious, traditional Waterford crystal sparkle.

A dazzling array of drinkware, serving accessories, and decorative crystal flowed from the Glass House into the aristocratic homes of Europe and America. King George III ordered a set of Waterford Crystal sent to his residence at a fashionable resort, where "it has been much admired" by court society. At two exhibitions, the Royal Dublin Society bestowed medals for superb design on Waterford Crystal's entries.

Just as Waterford's art was reaching its full flower, the financial climate turned grim. In 1851 a suite of ornamental banqueting crystal was displayed at the London Exhibition to universal acclaim; and in the same year Waterford was forced to close their factory, largely because of crushing taxes.

This great Waterford tradition lay dormant for a hundred years. But when Irish independence rekindled a passion for Irish arts in the 1940s and 1950s, a group of businessmen resolved to bring back to life the industry that had made the city of Waterford famous.

After that period of dormancy, the Waterford story resumed in 1947, when glassmaker Kael Bacik hired fellow Czech Miroslav Havel as Chief Designer for his fledgling glassmaking operation in Ireland. Havel spent many hours at the National Museum of Ireland studying surviving examples of the Penrose brothers' crystal from the 18th and 19th centuries. The traditional cutting patterns made famous by the artisans of Waterford became the design basis for the growing product range of the new company. They recruited a small band of hand-picked artists, and under the guidance of these masters, young apprentices learned the intricacies of the art of crystal. In a few short years Waterford Crystal reclaimed its pride of place in the world of crystal glassware and became once again the pride of Ireland.