Three Rivers Glass search

raw · articles · ingested 2026-07-24

Three Rivers Glass Company — Homepage

Source: https://threeriversglass.org/

Source: https://threeriversglass.org/ Fetched: 2026-07-24

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Tagline: “Fine commercial glassware made in Three Rivers, Texas — 1922–1937.”

Founding & Location: Charles R. Tips established the factory in 1922 in Three Rivers, situated at the confluence of the Frio, Atascosa, and Nueces rivers. Tips also founded the town itself. The operation distinguished itself by processing local resources into finished goods rather than exporting raw materials.

Production Resources: The facility utilized naturally occurring quartzose sand and abundant regional natural gas to manufacture bottles for beverages and jars for food and cosmetics, combining commercial durability with artistic design.

Business Success: Within years, the company dominated the Texas commercial glassware market, achieving annual gross sales of roughly one million dollars during the 1920s.

Company Closure: Ball Glass Company acquired Three Rivers Glass in 1937, and operations ceased in 1938, concluding a 15-year period that demonstrated Texas’s viability in glassmaking.

Legacy: Collectors actively seek pieces bearing the Three Rivers trademark. The state erected a historical marker in 1973 at the former factory site.

Sources cited on page: Texas Historical Commission, Handbook of Texas