Dorothy Thorpe

Born in Salt Lake City, UT on January 5, 1901, Thorpe graduated from University of Utah.  Hey first jump in glassware design was quite novel. She removed necks from glass bottles and wrapped the bodies with raffia to complement outdoor patio furniture. By the 1930s she had settled in Glendale, CA where she produced complete sets of table ensembles which were sold at Marshall Fields in Chicago and other stores in the U.S.  Thorpe was a designer, not a manufacturer, of glassware. She purchased ‘blanks’ from manufacturers, probably from Germany and Sweden, then decorated them with her personal designs. In 1945, Thorpe wrote to a collector that many of her floral motifs including eucalyptus, irises, roses, and narcissus flowers, were inspired by the flora and fauna that surrounded her on trips during her stay in Hawaii. She created these breathtaking designs which through a sandblasting technique. The effect is stunning true to life design, the white, frosted flowers emitting an ethereal glow. 

 However, she is best known for her simple and classic style; designing glassware with silver and platinum bands. This clean design was recently revived by the post-war series Mad Men; in particular, the Roly Poly glasses with Thorpe’s one inch silver band. The hand applied silver leaf design was applied to all sorts of cocktail hour tableware including chip and dip bowls, vases, coupes, parfait glasses, cigarette holders, and plates. She died in San Diego, CA on September 4, 1989.