This authoritative book presents new information about the late 19th‎- and early 20th‎-century cut glass industry in Corning‎,‎ New York‎.‎ The recent discovery of a mass of archival material relating to T‎.‎ G‎.‎ Hawkes and Company‎,‎ including thousands of letters‎,‎ has enabled the author to research business practices in the glass industry in more detail than ever before‎.‎ Using this new information‎,‎ together with her already considerable knowledge‎,‎ Jane Shadel Spillman has produced the first book on American cut glass to go beyond the glass and examine the workings of the industry itself‎,‎ including labor relations‎,‎ sources of blanks‎,‎ special orders for the White House‎,‎ Hawkes‎'‎s representation at the Paris world‎'‎s fair in 1889‎,‎ and communication between the cut glass industry and silver manufacturers such as Gorham and Tiffany‎.‎ Competition and cooperation between the glass cutting firms are also highlighted‎,‎ and considerable attention is paid to other companies‎,‎ such as J‎.‎ Hoare‎,‎ H‎.‎ P‎.‎ Sinclaire‎,‎ and O‎.‎ F‎.‎ Egginton‎.‎