Bournique Glass Company slag swung vase ca 1910

This vase is 11" high x 4" diameter top x 3" diameter bottom.

From http://estatesalestore.com/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=240003

Bournique Glass Company of Kokomo, Indiana

The company was in operation from 1907-1916 in Kokomo, Indiana. In 1913, the founder, Adolphe Bournique, passed away. His father, Joseph, trained in glass at Baccarat and was known as one of the greatest gaffers (glass blowers) in this country's history. Adolphe's company was primarily a maker of sheet glass for the stained glass window trade, however they did do some art glass including high end lamp shades and vases.

More history here: https://www.kog.com/in-depth-history.html

After Francois left, the Board at Kokomo hired Adolf Bournique as the new superintendent of the OGW. Bournique was born in Baccarat, France in 1863, and emigrated to America with his parents in 1874. His father, Joseph, became one of the pioneer manufacturers of opalescent sheet glass when he established a factory on Johnson Av. in Brooklyn in 1881.118 As a young man, Adolf worked in that factory with his father, learning the art of making colored opalescent glass. Despite Bournique’s boast that he supplied glass to prominent stained glass artists like John LaFarge, the factory closed after a year or two because “the demand for [opalescent] glass was very limited in those days”.119 After leaving Brooklyn, Adolf “erected and managed factories for many purposes, including the manufacture of optical glass, bottles, colored lantern glass, electric bulbs, and shades and globes of all kinds”.120 Since his obituary states that he came to work for the OGW in 1903, it is likely that he worked under Francois for a time before becoming superintendent.121

In addition to Marion and Clarksburg, the OGW engendered one other competitor, this time1916 advertisement for Kokomo Opalesecent Glass right in their own backyard. The Russell Glass Co. was started in Kokomo in 1903 by two local men, W.A. Russell and Elsberry E Springer, who must have been lured by the success of the OGW. They erected a factory with an eight-pot furnace, and employed about 20 men manufacturing cathedral and opalescent glass in direct competition with the OGW.122 By 1907 this factory had closed (for reasons unknown), and the property was taken over in May of that year by Adolf Bournique (the OGW superintendent!) and two other “Kokomo capitalists”, William J. Berry and James A. Wells. The Bournique Glass Co. initially announced plans to “engage in the general glass manufacturing trade”, perhaps to mollify the owners of the OGW over his departure.123 Regardless, the factory was soon manufacturing the same product line, and proved to be a serious competitor for many years. Bournique died in 1913, after which his widow took over the running of the business for another thirteen years. She finally sold her interest in September of 1926, and the new owners discontinued the manufacture of stained glass shortly thereafter.