GLASS! July 30, 1768 at the Colden Store, Coldengham, New York

Saturday, July 30, 1768
Coldengham, New York
Store of Cadwallader Colden, Jr.

Glass

Hons Yurry Haas paid one-and-one-half shillings for a Looking Glass at the Colden Store, on this day, 250 years-ago.

Looking Glass c. 1760-1770. Although marked by a Philadelphian cabinet maker, John Eliott, the glass was likely imported. Image Courtesy of the emuseum at Colonial Williamsburg.  

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This article is one in a series of a daily accountings of Colden Store transactions. Be sure you read the first installment for an introduction to the store. You should also read this article which appeared in the Journal of the Orange County Historical Society.

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Only two Looking Glasses were sold at the Colden Store. James Dailey purchased one in the prior November for fifteen shillings. The one purchased by Haas must have been very small for one-and-one-half shillings.

The glass industry in the colonies was in its infancy in the mid-18th century. One of the first successful glass companies was founded by Caspar Wistar in 1739 in New Jersey. It appears these companies focused on bottles and stemware and did not make mirrors or window-panes. Therefore it is likely that the Looking Glasses and window panes sold at the Colden Store were imported.

Colden sold panes of glass on fourteen occasions. Panes were priced at six pence or four for two shillings.

The bigger purchases indicate who may have been building a new home:

Andrew Graham - 112 panes
James Crawford - 24 panes
Johannes Felter - 16 panes
Samuel Smith - 16 panes

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