(O.V.G.CO. mark on glass electrical insulators)
This factory operated for a rather short period of time, but nevertheless produced a fairly large number of insulators that are found frequently throughout most of the United States. All units from this operation are marked “O.V.G.CO.” on the skirt. The factory also made some battery jars, besides the insulators which was their primary product.
Ohio Valley Glass Company operated in the small town of Pleasant City, Ohio, located along State Route 146 approximately 20 miles south of Cambridge (a town in Ohio well known for glassmaking!).
The company was officially incorporated in August of 1902, and the land for the operation (about 4 acres) was purchased on September 16th of that year. Since construction of the plant would have taken some time, it is probable that actual production of insulators may not have started until sometime in the very early months of 1903.
By late 1904 the company was in trouble and was not making enough money to pay all the bills and meet payroll. By January 1905 the plant was in receivership. The insulators in inventory at the time of closure, plus the molds and other equipment were eventually sold to several companies and individuals, and in August of 1906 Hemingray Glass Company purchased the land and buildings.
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It is likely that all (or nearly all) of the O.V.G.CO insulators were actually made sometime during the years 1903 and 1904.
A total of 8 different styles of insulators were made, including the CD 106 (same style as the “Hemingray No. 9”), CD 112 (“keg” style marked #11) , CD 121 (toll or long distance style similar to units marked AM TEL & TEL CO), CD 133 (“standard” or “bullet” telegraph style), CD 145 (beehive), CD 160 (small pony signal) , CD 162 (signal) and the very uncommon CD 196 (a type of transposition or “tramp”). The highest production, and thus the styles which are most commonly found today, would be their CD 106, CD 112 and CD 145 insulators.
Colors include shades of blue, several shades of aqua, and greens (including a light celery green, yellow green, and medium to darker greens). A very few units have been found in a light sun-colored purple or amethyst (SCA).
Note: Another glass manufacturing company with the same name operated in Bridgeton, Ohio circa 1881-1888. That company produced fruit jars with an OVGCO monogram, and had absolutely no connection with this later one in Pleasant City.
For much more detailed information on this Ohio Valley Glass Company (and others with the same firm name), please check out this article by the late Frank Swies: https://www.insulators.info/articles/ohio_valley_glass_company.htm.
(Other sources of info include an article from “A History and Guide to North American Glass Pintype Insulators“, John & Carol McDougald (1990) which was written by Bob Harding with information from Glenn Drummond, R. David Dale, and Darrell Moore; and The Fruit Jar Works (1995) by Alice Creswick).
For general background information on glass insulators, please check out my page General Overview on Glass Insulators.
For an extensive list of glass manufacturers’ marks seen on bottles, fruit jars, insulators, tableware and other glass items, please click here to go to the GLASS BOTTLE MARKS pages, page one.
Please click here to go to the Home Page.
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I grew up in Pleasant City but OVG was gone. The factory was later used by United Food Co. of Cambridge to manufacture stock tonics for animals. It is now razed and completely gone. John
Hi John,
Thanks a lot for your post. I appreciate your info on the old O V G CO factory. So many things change, as time moves on.
Take care,
David
My Dad worked for the Archer Bros United Food Co. in the early 60’s. He and Dick Oliver were the only two employees then.
My family and I grew up in Pleasant City, Oh. In fact, my grandfather worked at the glass factory long before I was born. Thanks for this info. Neat stuff to read about.
Hi Wendi,
Thanks very much for your post! Just curious, can you tell me his name, and do you know what position your grandfather had or what type of work he performed there? Best regards,
David
What a great help you were. After you sending me the information, I was able to actually find the vase located on ebay for $29.95. I had looked for hours and hours with no luck. Thank you so much David.
David thank you very much for your response. I did look up items from Summit upon your request and the mark is not the same. My mark is a V with a O sitting in the top open end of it and a G at the bottom of the V. The mystery continues. Thank you again.
Hi Cathy,
I did some more searching online, and I have found your mark! O V G (Olde Virginia Glass, Fenton). On David Doty’s site on Carnival Glass, he writes:
“In 1971, Fenton added Carnival items to it’s Olde Virginia Glass line. These are marked with the capital letters “O,” “V,” and “G,” stacked vertically.”
This info is found on his webpage at http://www.ddoty.com.
Take care, and hope this helps!! David
Hi, I’m in the UK and have a brown Ohio Glass insulator. I love it!
Hi Louise,
I am guessing you have a brown porcelain insulator made by Ohio Brass Company, of Mansfield Ohio. Their most commonly seen mark is the “letter B inside an O”. Their insulators are primarily made of porcelain (and in recent years, polymer/plastics). They have made a huge number of styles of insulators over the years. I don’t have information on that company here on this glass site, but you can find more info by searching the web with “Ohio Brass” insulators.
Thanks and take care!
David
I have a heavy green ruffled edge vase that has the marking O in a V then a G directly below, could this have been made by this company?
Hi Cathy,
No, your vase was definitely not made by the Ohio Valley Glass Company. That company made only utilitarian ware (insulators and battery jars) not tableware. The only possible exceptions might be if an employee had made an “off-hand” “one of a kind” or “whimsy” piece just to take home, or as a gift, which happened often at some factories during the early years of handmade production of glass. I am wondering if your vase was made by Summit Art Glass Company. Some of their pieces are marked with a “V inside an O” which stood for Russ Vogelsong. However that may not be the same mark that you are describing. If it’s not Vogelsong, then I don’t know. It might also be a foreign piece? ~David