Mid Century Bar Glasses by Georges Briard

Like Mr. Toad from the Wind in the Willows, some new thingamajig chuggs by, mesmerizes me, and becomes my obsession. This time round it is mid century bar glassware. Georges Briard designed these highball glasses in the 1950s or 60s. Briard, like other top tier bar glass designers such as Fred Press, Culver Glass Company, and Ceraglass, used 22k gold in his designs. That is why these vessels have a gorgeous glow.

Ukrainian-born Briard was named Jakub Brojdo at birth. He was also a painter and would use his real name on his art pieces, but Georges Briard became his signature as a designer of commercial glassware and dishware, which were sold in stores such as Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue. His notable designs were produced first by M. Wille Company, and later in a partnership with Philip Stetson. In 2004, he was awarded the Frank S. Child Lifetime Achievement Award by The Society of Glass and Ceramic Decorators, in honor of his extraordinary contributions to the glass and ceramic decorating industry.