Stiegel, << STEE guhl, >> Henry William (1729-1785), was an important early American manufacturer of fine glass. His factories were the first in the American Colonies to make glassware as good as that being imported from Europe. Stiegel typically adapted European designs for his wares, which included clear and colored vases, bottles, glass tableware, and decanters. Many pieces had enameled or engraved decorations. He was among the first glass manufacturers to insist on production in which every piece of glassware matched a set model.
Stiegel was born near Cologne, Germany. He came to Philadelphia in 1750. In 1763, he began making glass at Elizabeth Furnace. He opened two more glass factories in Manheim, Pa., in 1765 and 1769. At the height of his success, Stiegel lived in a large house, wore elaborate clothes, and was called baron. But his extravagant living and risky investments brought financial ruin. In 1774, the Stiegel glass company closed.
