Deco in Glass: The Designs of George Sakier for the Fostoria Glass Company

George Sakier was one of the original industrial designers in the U.S. with his own successful design firm based in New York. He designed in many mediums from bathroom fixtures, ceramics, packaging and, particularly, glass. The Fostoria Glass Company was one of the largest and long lasting of the hand-made, hand-finished glass manufacturers serving the middle America home market. The collaboration between Sakier and Fostoria began in 1926 and lasted until 1982. Several of Sakier’s Art Deco designs for Fostoria are held in art museums across the country and were featured in museum exhibits of American Design in the 1930s.

This presentation will focus on the art deco glass designs Sakier created for the Fostoria Glass Company from 1928 through the 1930s. Featured will be his designs in stemware, dinner ware, and accessories for the home such as vases, candlesticks, console sets, and smoking items. The presenter will cover both the designs themselves as well as insight into their design-to-manufacture collaboration process.

Mary Sue Lyon has been a collector, researcher, presenter, and author on many aspects of the glass production of the Fostoria Glass Company for several decades. She served as the editor of the newsletter of the Fostoria Glass Society of America from 2012 – 2020. She has had articles published in several glass-oriented journals and newsletters and had her first full length book published in 2025 on Fostoria’s factory decorations. She co-chaired an exhibit and seminar on the George Sakier designs for Fostoria at the 2017 Fostoria Glass Society convention.

Social hour with appetizers, 5:30 pm CT; Presentation: 6:15 pm.

Fee: $40.

You must register at chicagodeco.org by 5:30 pm Friday, April 10.