Vitrolite
Encyclopedia
Vitrolite was an opaque
pigmented glass
manufactured by Pilkington Brothers
in the United Kingdom
and The Vitrolite Company (1908-1935) then Libbey Owens Ford
(1935-195?) in the United States
. The material was available in various colours and was used for internal and external tiling and façades of buildings from the 1920s to the 1950s, and is often associated with the streamlining of the Art Deco
and Art Moderne movements. Vitrolite has not been manufactured in the United States since 1947.
Because Vitrolite is glass, it shares the benefits and problems of glass. Due to it being a non-porous substance, unlike a material such as marble
, it does not harbour bacteria, accordingly it was used extensively in bathrooms and kitchens. It is a delicate substance, breaking easily and became obsolete with the emergence of cheaper and more durable substances.
Opacity (optics)
Opacity is the measure of impenetrability to electromagnetic or other kinds of radiation, especially visible light. In radiative transfer, it describes the absorption and scattering of radiation in a medium, such as a plasma, dielectric, shielding material, glass, etc...
pigmented glass
Glass
Glass is an amorphous solid material. Glasses are typically brittle and optically transparent.The most familiar type of glass, used for centuries in windows and drinking vessels, is soda-lime glass, composed of about 75% silica plus Na2O, CaO, and several minor additives...
manufactured by Pilkington Brothers
Pilkington
Pilkington Group Limited is a multinational glass manufacturing company headquartered in St Helens, United Kingdom. It is a subsidiary of the Japan-based NSG Group...
in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and The Vitrolite Company (1908-1935) then Libbey Owens Ford
Libbey Owens Ford
The Libbey–Owens–Ford Company was a producer of flat glass for the automotive and building products industries both for original equipment manufacturers and for replacement use. The company's headquarters and main factories were located in Toledo, Ohio, with large float glass plants in Rossford,...
(1935-195?) in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The material was available in various colours and was used for internal and external tiling and façades of buildings from the 1920s to the 1950s, and is often associated with the streamlining of the Art Deco
Art Deco
Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
and Art Moderne movements. Vitrolite has not been manufactured in the United States since 1947.
Because Vitrolite is glass, it shares the benefits and problems of glass. Due to it being a non-porous substance, unlike a material such as marble
Marble
Marble is a metamorphic rock composed of recrystallized carbonate minerals, most commonly calcite or dolomite.Geologists use the term "marble" to refer to metamorphosed limestone; however stonemasons use the term more broadly to encompass unmetamorphosed limestone.Marble is commonly used for...
, it does not harbour bacteria, accordingly it was used extensively in bathrooms and kitchens. It is a delicate substance, breaking easily and became obsolete with the emergence of cheaper and more durable substances.
External links
- Vitrolite Specialist Historical information and images, as well as preservation tips.