The Museum's Collections

In 1980 the collections of glass numbered about 2,000 items. Today that number has risen to almost 10,000. Another 8,000 pieces were removed recently from the buildings at the Red House Cone at Stuart Crystal prior to their renovation and are now in storage. It is hoped that eventually most of the collection will be available to view on line, but this is a long-term project. In the meantime, one of the largest paperweight exhibitions held at the Museum was photographed by Brian Slater of Just Glass and most of the Museum's paperweight collection can be viewed by clicking this link http://www.justglass.co.uk/Gallery/BDH/index.htm.

Glass from the district forms the majority of objects in the collection, dating from the 19th and 20th centuries, but there are also important groups of British glass from other periods. The Parkington Bequest, for example, filled a major gap with its stunning 18th century pieces. Loans from private individuals, glass companies and other institutions form a sizeable amount of the collections, and often comprise of glass which is under-represented in the Museum's own holdings. The Keatley Trust is one example, specialising in loans of 20th century material to museums.

 

Although the Museum lost its annual purchase fund a few years ago, due to local government cuts, it is still able to buy important items using monies from other sources. Since 1986 Broadfield has benefited by generous sponsorship from the engineering group, Hulbert of Dudley via their supportive Managing Director Graham Knowles. Since their founding in 1994, the Friends of Broadfield House Glass Museum have raised over £30,000 towards assistance with purchases, and capital grants from Dudley Council have allowed the Museum to acquire expensive items of cameo and engraved glass with support from the Heritage Lottery Fund, the Victoria and Albert Museum, and the National Art Collections Fund.

 

One of the Museum's most unusual acquisitions, is the base of a mid 16th century glass furnace. It was the most complete remaining one of its type around the area of Rugeley and Eccleshall in Staffordshire. The foundations had survived with the platforms showing where the glass pots had stood but the superstructure had long disappeared. The furnace was situated on land just outside Rugeley, which was being systematically worked for gravel and sand, and it would have been demolished in due course. The rescue process did not involve dismantling it stone by stone, as is the usual method, but instead a steel ramp was constructed underneath the entire furnace which was then lifted intact. Any loose material was kept in place by covering it over with kitchen foil and then spraying polyurethane foam across the whole structure. Protected in its waterproof cocoon, the furnace was transported by low loader to the Museum where it awaits to be displayed, in a wooden structure in the grounds of Broadfield House.

 

Commissions
When the Museum cannot find a suitable example on the market to represent a glass artist it will sometimes commission special pieces for the collection. Keith Cummings, David Peace, David Smith from Webb Corbett, and Cyril Kimberley from Thomas Webb were all commissioned to create unique works. For the Millennium celebrations the Museum commissioned twelve artists to create a group of works based on the local glass history and the hopes for the new era. Six artists worked with community groups to produce site-specific works for each groups' building while another six created individual pieces for the Museum collection. Funding was obtained from Dudley Council and the Millennium Festival Fund.