History of the Vitro Agate Factory in
Parkersburg, West Virginia
(Written by former owners of The Vitro Agate Corporation,
edited by The Marble Museum)

Henri Arthur (Art) Fisher, Lawrence E. Alley and Press Lindsey founded The Vitro Agate Company on April 19, 1932 at Vienna, West Virginia. In the late 1930s, Fisher and Lindsey bought out Alley, and later Art Fisher bought out Lindsey. The original marble-making machines used by Vitro were designed and built by Mr. Fisher. In, May 1945, the company moved to a larger building in Parkersburg.

In, January 1969, The Gladding Corporation purchased Vitro Agate and its name changed to The Gladding-Vitro Agate Company. In, January 1982, Gladding-Vitro was purchased by The Paris Manufacturing Company of South Paris, Maine, and the name changed back to Vitro Agate. From the time of the name change in 1982, however, the company continued to use the on-hand stock of Gladding-Vitro Agate labels, until they were exhausted in 1984. A new Vitro Agate design was then put into use.

Plant Managers over the decades of operations have included Howard Hildreth, Blaine E. Lemon, D. I. Gandee, Richard Ryan and the current manager, Lewis L. Moore, who has been employed at Vitro since 1950, and he became manager in 1982 (now retired).

In, September 1987, Richard J. Ryan, former plant manager, and his partner Timothy Sullivan, purchased the Vitro Agate factory. There will soon be a new line of marbles with new packaging and labels.

The Vitro Agate Company Today

In 1992, Jabo, Inc. purchased the Vitro Agate Corporation and became the oldest and largest marble manufacturing company in the world. Jabo operates a factory in Reno, Ohio and the Vitro Agate Company in Williamstown, West Virginia.

In, November 2001, the Dolton Family purchased the Vitro Agate Company’s historical archives from a former Vitro Agate Company owner. The collection was donated to The Marble Museum in December of 2002 for preservation. The Vitro Agate Collection includes some of the following:

1. Letters written by Art Fisher.
2. Over 100 historical photographs from Parkersburg.
3. Dozens of photographs from Anacortes.
4. A study of spherical machine patents by Art Fisher dating to 1857.
5. Original 1941 Vitro Agate Company trademark document for "Marine Gems."
6. Original Vitro Agate Company logo "proofs."
7. Original Vitro Agate Company pre-war sales brochure.
8. Original Gladding-Vitro and Anacortes sales brochures.
9. Dozens of original marble, tank, cats-eye, and package machine drawings and blue prints.
10. Original Vitro Agate Company "National Tournament Rules."
11. Original 1930s "Jumpcheck" game documents, legal correspondence and patent submittal documents. Important insights into Art fisher’s marble game inventions!
12.The two examples of the company’s attempt to make a machine-made sulphide marble, plus one of the only two loose figures.
13. Two of the only five "Vitro Agate Company" world logo marbles made.
14. 38 of the Vitro Agate Company experimental confetti marbles.
15. Letters written by Blaine E. Lemon, Howard Hildreth, D. I. Gandee and Louis L. Moore.
16. Tooling, for example an Asbestos Fire Suit worn at the furnace tanks.
17. The contents from the Anacortes showroom and a salesman sample box.
18. Misc. other company documents, newspaper articles, marble collecting newsletters and books from the company’s old files.

These materials are being complied for a new Vitro Agate Company handbook available in the near future.

(Rare 11 ˝" by 17" Original photograph of Art Fisher’s Marble Machine)
Donated by Raelyn Dolton

(Rare 1" Vitro Agate Company, "World Logo Marble")
Donated by Raelyn Dolton

The Marble Museum wishes to thank Raelyn Dolton for contributing this important historical marble company find to "The National Marble Museum project." The Marble Museum is especially interested in donations of Vitro Agate Company marbles, additional letters or documents, original packaging and Fisher "Jewel Trays" to add to the Vitro Agate Collection. Write to The Marble Museum, PO Box 1093, Yreka, CA 96097