Posted by Rudy Veraar
on December 29, 2025
Arthur J. Nash, a skilled glassmaker from Stourbridge, England, joined Louis Comfort Tiffany in 1892 and played an indispensable role in the technical development of Tiffany’s glass empire. Nash was hired to build and oversee the Corona Glass Factory (later Tiffany Furnaces).
The Strategy of Vertical Integration in Corona
This facility in Corona, Queens, established in 1893, was crucial to Tiffany's strategy of vertical integration. By bringing glass production in-house, Tiffany could control quality, experiment continuously, and protect his "closely guarded secrets" regarding patented glass formulas from competitors.
The Secret of Favrile Glass
Nash's chemical and craft knowledge was the key to realizing Tiffany's artistic vision. He was instrumental in developing the secret formulas and mixing colors in a molten state, creating the extraordinary range of colors and effects in glass. Together with Tiffany, he developed methods for producing glass that was rich in texture and color, without the use of paint. This process involved blending different colors of molten glass and adding metal oxides to achieve iridescent finishes.
The Nash Dynasty and Legacy
Nash managed the glass factory in Corona until 1919. His influence on the company structure persisted after his death in 1922; his son, A. Douglas Nash, continued glass production through the A. Douglas Nash Company after the dissolution of Louis C. Tiffany Furnaces in 1924, until production ceased around 1930.
Read more:
Discover more about the chemical innovations and techniques that Arthur J. Nash perfected in our Article on Favrile Glass and the Copper Foil Technique. This establishes the technical basis for the superior quality of Tiffany's glass.
