End Of The Day

[Teegate]

All,

The item in the attached photo’s is owned by a member of this site. They acquired this around 10 years ago and the person who gave it to them acquired it long before that. It is called an “end of the day chain” and this particular piece may be a Christmas ornament. If anyone knows differently please step forward. Workers at the glass works would collect the remnant's of glass after a long day at work, and make various items that they would keep or give away, hence the name ‘”end of the day.” It is believed that this item may have been made at Hermann City and it was kept in one or more residences on Bulltown Road until the last two owners acquired it. All of the photo below except one by me were taken by the owner.

While researching this piece, another member of this site was instrumental in passing along this link on YouTube of a video made by Drew Techner that mentions Hermann workers making chains. If you have any info that can add to this please pass it along. You also may want to check out Drew’s other video’s if you have not done so already.

Guy

 

[Jerseyman]

Guy:

Thanks for sharing photos of the glass chain—a very nice one, to be sure!

Producing the chain could be construed as end-of-day work, but it is also described as “Tempo work” by many glassblowers. Glassblowers generally referred to coffee breaks as “Tempo,” a break time for which they did NOT receive remuneration. As Roy C. Horner put it,

“Tempo was a time for many things. A time to sit around and talk over the happenings of the day.
Maybe a hot discussion would develop on the glass house money and how it was discounted when you purchased something at the company store.
A time to make that fancy glass cane you had promised someone or to add a few links to the chain you were making for the Christmas tree.
What better time to make a whimsy for your wife—it’s cold in that dog house.” (Roy C. Horner, Tempo and the Glass Folks of South Jersey. Gloucester County Historical Society, 1985, page 4)

Thanks again for sharing the images!

Best regards,
Jerseyman

 

[46er]

When I was working, the folks in the glass works would make little things with any leftover druing slow times or breaks and leave them outside their area in a box for others. I don't ever recall seeing a glass chain. Very nice.

 

[MarkBNJ]

That's really amazing, Guy. I assume that glass is not as fragile as it looks, otherwise I can hardly imagine it surviving.

 

[Teegate]

Thanks Jerseyman for quote from the book. Very nice!

Mark...the chain at one time may have been longer, since I believe it has broken sometime in the past.

Guy

 

[woodjin]

That is really cool Guy! 46er, which glass works did you work in?

 

[Teegate]

All,

Due to the generosity of the member of this site who owns the “end of the day” chain mentioned above, it now is in the possession of the Batsto Visitors Center and on display. With the very grateful help of a few other members of this site and the Superintendent of Wharton, the wishes of this individual to have the chain available for all to see has been accomplished. And I suspect that without Ben’s website this event would not have occurred. Thanks Ben!



If you are going to the Glass & Bottle show this Sunday at Batsto, take a few minutes and visit the museum for a first hand look at the chain. It is located in it’s own display at the glass area of the museum. And obviously you can visit the museum at any other time the center is open and view it then.

Thank you to all who were involved in making this happen!

Guy

 

[woodjin]

Very cool.

 

[Teegate]

Also, if you go to the Museum you can check this out.

Click the photo's when they open to make them larger.


http://teegate.njpinebarrens.com/09242009/pig1.jpg


http://teegate.njpinebarrens.com/09242009/pig.jpg


Guy

 

[Teegate]

“End of the day chain”

Donated in Memory of Sue Ann Guhle Weidner Wallace. (1924-2000)
Mrs. Wallace was given this chain when a young girl, on a trip, during Prohibition (1929-1933), with her father to his distiller, a Mr. Ford who resided on Bulltown Road. Ford, told her it had been made by his ancestor at a local glass works. This writer thinks she thought it was made at Crowleytown. But it could have been made at any one of several glass works in the area Crowley, Bulltown, Batsto to name a few. It is thought by one or more to be a Christmas decoration possible made at Hermann City. Mrs. Wallace kept it safe for over 50 years, until her demise. It was then past to her friend who has donated it to Batsto in her memory.

 

[glowordz]

A great "whimsy"!

Glo

 

[Teegate]

All,

I am bringing this 2009 thread forward after noticing that a young boy posted a video on youtube after visiting the Batsto museum and remarking how cool the "end of the day chain" was that is mentioned in this thread. It is quite fulfilling to see that the youth of today find it interesting. I was present when the owner of the chain offered it to the museum in 2009 and she was adamant that the chain was not to be hidden away somewhere, rather, it was to be displayed for all to see. This video shows she made a great contribution to the museum.


Screenshot and the video link below it. Fast forward to 1:00 and watch for about 10 or 15 seconds. It is quick.

Guy

 

[46er]

I have seen it, glad to see someone had the foresight to save it, not easy with glass. Where I worked we had a staff of glassblowers who made the various custom and regular glass objects the research folks needed. In their spare time they would make various stuff and was given several. Some good imaginations in that group