McKee Glass Company Art for Sale and Sold Prices

Biography

Also known as McKee and Company in Pittsburgh, PA (c. 1834-1888), and Jeannette, PA. (1888-1951). Some four or five McKee brothers were involved in the founding of this industry in Pittsburgh. Samuel and James were two of the McKee brothers who were involved with about three individual McKee factories operating at the same time. The main products were bottles, fruit jars, and window glass. Some bear embossed marks with the name “M’Kee” s identification. Telegraph line insulators are sometimes marked “S.McKee & Co” at about the time of the Civil War and the decade thereafter. In 1888 the McKee Brothers’ Works or glass factory moved to Jeannette, Pa. Within a year it was combined with the National Glass Company. By 1903, the company broke away from that combine and reorganized as the “McKee Glass Company”. During this era they produced pressed pattern glass, milk glass and opaque and black wares as well as window glass. In the 1917 era a McKee company of Jeannette, PA produced for the Dodge Motor Company glass headlight lenses. In 1951 the factory became the McKee Division of the Thatcher Glass Company. Jeannette Glass Company acquired the McKee Company property and made pressed glass works and ornamental table ware until Jeannette closed in 1983. In the depression era of the 20s & 30s, the McKee Company produced design lines known as Turkey Track and brocade.