The House of Glass, an Historic Elwood Favorite

Photo courtesy of The House of Glass, Inc.

At the age of 12, Joe Rice began working at his family’s glass blowing factory in Elwood, Indiana, where he quickly discovered a passion for designing and creating glass art. Fifty years later, this third generation glass blower’s dedication and craftsmanship has turned his family’s business, The House of Glass, into one of the most well-known in north-central Indiana.

Founded in the early 1900s as St. Clair Glass, Joe Rice’s family business has grown considerably over the years and has even become part of the Indiana Artisan program, an elite group that aims to promote high-quality entrepreneurial food and art-related businesses in the Hoosier state. While still maintaining the heritage and traditions of the past, The House of Glass has learned to embrace new ideas and technology to cater to a wide array of customers.

Photo courtesy of The House of Glass, Inc.

Every piece of work is individually handmade and absolutely beautiful. I can’t get over how intricate and perfectly designed each piece of glass is. All products are made of soda lime glass and are modestly priced, which makes them the perfect gift for any occasion! They even have products perfect for fall, such as this small pumpkin below priced at $20.

Photo courtesy of The House of Glass, Inc.

While The House of Glass continues to make Joe’s grandfather’s traditional glass flower paperweights, they also have expanded their products considerably to items such as decorative figurines, marbles and personalized gifts, just to name a few.

Items can be purchased on the company website or at their showroom in Elwood (Google Map link). The House of Glass also offers group tours for those wishing to get a behind-the-scenes look at the shop,  which I would highly recommend!

Joe Rice is a juried member of Indiana Artisan – the official organization to review, recognize and promote the work of Indiana’s highest-quality art and food artisans. Find out more about Tom by visiting his bio page on IndianaArtisan.org or by visiting TheHouseOfGlassInc.com.