c. 1960–1969
HAND MADE / FAYETTE / GLASS
Blue rectangular Fayette label, a Smith distribution name.
label · Label on glass · Mount Pleasant, Pennsylvania
Glass
Le Smith Glass marks
On Label on glass from Mount Pleasant, Pennsylvania, Le Smith Glass marks carry “SMITH / HANDMADE (small surrounding lettering indistinct)”.
- Active years
- From 1907
- Country
- United States
- Products
- Pressed tableware, Vases, Punch services, Milk glass, Carnival glass, Novelty and turkey dishes
- Marks
- 6
The original company began in 1907, shut down in 2004 and sold its assets in January 2005; a successor operated in 2007. SHA gives final factory closure 2010, with outlet continuing in 2013.
What to look for
- Look closely inside the S: small G and C letters distinguish the SGC monogram from the plain S.
- Read removable labels in full. Fayette is a Smith distribution name, while collector tags and full-name clear labels use different wording.
- Match the moulded form with a dated catalogue as well as the mark. Smith reused moulds from McKee and Imperial.
Marks & lettering
6 marks
Undated
COLLECTOR’S / CARNIVAL GLASS / BY L. E. SMITH
Decorative hanging tag expressly naming Collector’s Carnival Glass and L. E. Smith.
label · Label on glass · Mount Pleasant, Pennsylvania
Undated
S
Plain moulded S without the small G and C.
moulded · Pressed glass · Mount Pleasant, Pennsylvania
Undated
S with G in upper curve and C in lower curve
Curving S incorporates smaller G and C initials.
moulded · Pressed glass · Mount Pleasant, Pennsylvania
Undated
SMITH / HANDMADE (small surrounding lettering indistinct)
Gold-edged black oval foil with block Smith and Handmade wording.
label · Label on glass · Mount Pleasant, Pennsylvania
Undated
HANDMADE / L. E. Smith Glass / IN THE USA
Clear rectangular label with full script L. E. Smith Glass and In the USA.
label · Label on glass · Mount Pleasant, Pennsylvania
About L. E. Smith
L. E. Smith Glass Company was established in Jeannette, Pennsylvania, in 1907 by Louis E. Smith and associates. It initially leased the decorating plant of McKee-Jeannette. In 1909 the company bought the former Anchor Glass works in Mount Pleasant, where production restarted in January 1910. Smith left the business in 1911, but the company retained his name under Charles Wible’s leadership.
Early products included practical household glass, tumblers, mustard containers and lighting components. The range grew to encompass colored tableware, milk glass, vases, novelty pieces and large punch services. The Mount Pleasant and Pebbled Band lines belong to its earlier decorative output. A glass turkey dish introduced in 1943 became a lasting specialty. In the postwar decades the company developed decorative shapes and revived older moulded patterns, including moulds obtained from other manufacturers.
Smith produced collector editions and iridescent Carnival glass during the 1970s and later. Some glass carried an S or SGC monogram, while removable labels supplied the Smith or Fayette names. Ownership changed several times, including an Owens-Illinois purchase in 1975. A 2004 production stoppage was followed by a 2005 asset purchase and renewed operation under Port Augustus Glass. The later history includes further closure and continued retail activity.
Also known as: Smith Glass · Fayette Glass · SGC · L. E. Smith Glass Company
Look-alikes & how to tell them apart
L. G. Wright
Moon and Star pieces can occur under different producers. Distinguish Wright-related W marks and shapes from Smith’s S or SGC.
Weishar
Later Moon and Star production uses a Weishar signature; the pattern itself is not an exclusive Smith identifier.
Imperial Glass →
Smith acquired and reused Imperial moulds. Compare the maker monogram, model and colour; an old design alone does not identify its manufacturer.