California Glass Works

Another glassworks that little is known about is the California Glass Works, a concern that began in 1881 and seems to have slipped into oblivion some time after 1882. I've only found three sources of information for this firm, the first coming from a book published in 1882; in it is written "The California Co-Operative Glass Works were established at San Francisco in 1881 by John L. Kelly & Co., with a capital of $7,000. The industry furnishes employment to 40 men and boys, who are turning out green, amber and white vials, bottles, and demijohns, to the value of $4,000 monthly. The works are located at the foot of Ninth Street."

This article came from the November 19th, 1882 issue of the San Francisco Alta California newspaper, which wrote; "at a recent meeting of the Bottle Beer Protective Association, J. F. G. Eggers, President, a contract for 200,000 beer bottles was awarded to the California Glass Works. The bottles formerly need by this Association were made in France. It is now found that as good if not better bottles for beer can be made in this city as in a foreign country. We stated in our issue of yesterday that it was the San Francisco Glass Works that had been awarded the contract. It should have been the California Glass Works, as above. The California Glass Works is a new and enterprising company, in which some of our most prominent citizens are largely interested."

In the book Bottle Makers and their Marks, Julian Toulouse states this glassworks had started in 1881 but was sold by sheriff's sale in 1882, the new owners made bottles in green and amber glass but again failed after a year. S.F. & PGW bought and closed it in 1883, but the workmen started the Oakland Glass Works in 1884.

It would be nice to know if any identifiable markings are known on any bottles from this firm.