Glassworks Incorporated

What Glassworks Incorporated does

Glassworks, Inc. is a privately held custom architectural art glass manufacturer founded in 1969 in Seattle, Washington, and owned since 1990 by principal Tish Oye. The company designs, fabricates, and installs bespoke glass elements — including countertops, tabletops, walls and partitions, doors and windows, vanities, business signage, and specialty installations — for architects, interior designers, contractors, hospitality and gaming operators, restaurants, universities, corporations, and homeowners. All fabrication occurs in-house at its Seattle studio, using traditional artisan techniques: kiln-forming (slumping at 1400-1600°F), cast glass from crushed cullet in custom molds, fused/layered glass stacks, surface texturing (etching, glue-chipping, sand-carving), back-painting, silvering/mirroring, and glass frit application. The company maintains a portfolio of named product series (Dense, Legacy, Infinity, Escala, Studio Glass, River, Wisp, Mist, Dubai, Kiln-formed, Layered) that serve as starting points for fully custom commissions.

The business operates on a project-based B2B2C model with direct engagement of decision-makers. Pricing is quote-based rather than tiered, with typical quote turnaround of 1-3 business days and production lead times of 4-8 weeks from design approval to installation. Distribution is entirely direct: customers visit the Seattle showroom at 927 Rainier Avenue South, the team ships and supervises installations globally, and the company maintains channel relationships with design professional networks (NEWH, Washington Glass Association, IIDA, ASID). The customer base spans notable enterprise logos (Four Seasons, Hilton, Caesar's Palace, Starbucks, Microsoft, Princeton, Purdue) alongside direct-to-consumer residential work.

The company is woman- and minority-owned (State of Washington certification) and active in community giving through a referral-linked nonprofit donation program. As of August 31, 2025, Glassworks announced its planned retirement and closure after 55 years of operation, with existing orders fulfilled through the wind-down date. No external institutional investment, venture capital, or parent company is associated with the business.

Name

Glassworks Incorporated

Legal name

Glassworks, Inc.

Website

https://glassworksinc.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1969

Operating status

Closed

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Glassworks, Inc. is a privately held Seattle-based fabricator of custom architectural art glass serving architects, interior designers, contractors, and homeowners with kiln-formed, cast, and layered glass products for commercial and residential installations; the company announced planned closure on August 31, 2025 after 55 years.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Architectural Art Glass Manufacturing

NAICS

Glass Product Manufacturing Made of Purchased Glass (327215), Glass and Glass Product Manufacturing (32721)

SIC

Glass Products, Made Of Purchased Glass (3231)

akta.pro primary industry

Glass Fabrication & Processing Services (Cutting/Edging/Drilling/Polishing) (IMADAHAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Decorative, Patterned & Privacy Glass (Frosted/Textured/Colored) (IMADAHAG), Windows (IMADAIAC)

Keywords

• Custom architectural glass
• Cast glass fabrication
• Kiln-formed glass
• Glass countertops
• Art glass manufacturer

Headquarters

HQ city

Seattle

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Custom Architectural Glass Fabrication: One-time custom glass fabrication services for architectural applications including countertops, tabletops, walls, partitions, doors, windows, vanities, and business signs. Projects are quoted individually based on custom design specifications, dimensions, complexity, and material choices. Production timeline is typically 4-8 weeks from design approval to installation.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Glassworks Incorporated designs and hand-fabricates custom architectural art glass in its Seattle studio, producing made-to-order countertops, tabletops, walls and partitions, doors and windows, vanities, business signs, and specialty installations for architects, designers, contractors, hospitality operators, and homeowners. Every piece is custom-quoted, engineered to project specifications (including safety-tempered and laminated options), and delivered within a typical 4-8 week production timeline, with global crated shipping and on-site installation supervision available.

Product overview

Glassworks Incorporated is a custom architectural art glass manufacturer offering a portfolio of hand-crafted glass products and fabrication services. Their core offering consists of cast glass series (Dense, Legacy, Infinity, Escala, Studio Glass, River, Wisp, Mist, Dubai), kiln-formed glass, and layered glass. These products are fabricated into architectural applications including countertops, tabletops, walls and partitions, doors and windows, business signs, vanities, and special projects. Every piece is manufactured in-house at their Seattle studio from start to finish. The company offers both standard product series and custom design services working directly with architects, interior designers, contractors, and homeowners.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Dense Series Custom fabricated cast glass in Arctic Dense and Caribbean Dense color variations, with semi-opaque clarity and a denser casting matrix that conceals mounting methods, used in architectural applications.
• Legacy Series Custom cast glass made from layers of 1/2-inch thick glass producing exceptionally clear, luminescent surfaces with a smooth flat top and an organic water texture finish on the bottom.
• Infinity Series Custom cast glass combining a layer of opaque glass with clear cast glass on top, producing striking visual depth through bubble and opacity combinations.
• Escala Series Glassworks' most highly textured cast glass fabrication, with a flat smooth top and polished profile sides, available in blue, bronze, clear, crystal clear, and green.
• Studio Glass – Clear High-quality cast studio glass distinguished by striking clarity, offered in Crystal Clear and Ice Blue variants as thick clear panels with bubbles and a lightly textured bottom.
• Studio Glass – Color Cast specialty glass in color combinations such as Tuxedo (black/white) and Madrona (amber/bronze) that deliver the look of stone while allowing light transmission.
• River Cast glass offering a tranquil color element with layers of blue suspended in clear glass, adding color and depth without a chaotic confetti appearance.
• Wisp Series Fabricated cast glass in Arctic Wisp and Caribbean Wisp variants, offering a soft organic look that is durable, easy to clean, requires no sealing, and emits no VOCs.
• Mist Series Cast glass with areas that appear as mist or fog suspended within the glass, creating a soft organic look with a lightly textured bottom and a flat smooth top.
• Dubai Cast glass combining deep texture and subtle frosting for a unique opacity that provides privacy while still allowing natural light transmission.
• Kiln-Formed Glass Heat-processed glass line that embosses texture on glass through kiln slumping, creating privacy while allowing light to pass through, available in Water Texture, Crumbles, Luna, Elevator, Optic Flow, Maru, Fire Polish, and Applied Color options.
• Layered Glass Layers of glass fused together to create color options with luminescent surfaces, including Aisu, Aisu with Crumbles, Buru, Color Flecks, Luna, Metal Tints (gold/copper), Midori, and Seido.
• Glass Countertops Custom glass countertops fabricated for residential kitchens and bathrooms using Glassworks' cast, kiln-formed, and layered glass techniques.
• Glass Tabletops and Dining Tables Custom glass tabletops and dining tables fabricated to specification for residential and commercial spaces.
• Glass Walls and Partitions Custom glass walls and partition panels fabricated for architectural installations in residential, commercial, and hospitality settings.
• Glass Doors and Windows Custom glass doors and windows, including door inserts and lite panels, fabricated to specification for architectural projects.
• Glass Business Signs Custom glass business signage panels fabricated for corporate and small business clients.
• Glass Vanities Custom glass bathroom vanities fabricated to specification for residential and commercial bathroom installations.
• Special Glass Projects Custom architectural art glass projects including sculptures, wall art, and specialty one-of-a-kind installations commissioned for unique design briefs.
• Glass Samples Physical sample kits provided to prospective clients to evaluate glass types, textures, and colors before placing a custom order.

Quantifiable outcome

• Projects completed for 2016 (best year to date), indicating strong operational performance
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers25 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature16 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered active and minor.

• Meta MarbleactiveChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2012Meta Marble features select glass slabs by Glassworks, Inc. in their showroom. Meta Marble is described as combining the finest service, established sources, and selection of the best quality products for creating projects of the highest quality, durability and beauty.
• LUXE MagazineminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012Glassworks participated in Barkitecture Seattle 2012 hosted by LUXE magazine, benefiting Seattle Children's PlayGarden and Seattle Humane Society. Created custom 'dog bone' leaded glass windows for auction.
• NEWHactiveStrategic or Co-development PartnerNEWH is a professional networking organization for the hospitality industry. Glassworks is actively engaged with NEWH and has provided custom awards for NEWH events, supporting the organization's initiatives.
• Washington Glass AssociationactiveStrategic or Co-development PartnerWashington Glass Association (WGA) is a regional glass industry organization. Glassworks is actively engaged with WGA and has provided custom awards for their events.
• IIDAactiveStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational Interior Design Association (IIDA) is a professional network for interior designers. Glassworks is actively engaged with IIDA as part of their industry outreach.
• ASID (American Society of Interior Designers)activeStrategic or Co-development PartnerASID is a professional organization for interior designers. Glassworks supports ASID Washington State Chapter through active engagement and participation.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Joel Berman Glass Studios: Custom cast and kiln-formed architectural glass studio producing decorative panels, cast glass installations, and architectural art glass for hospitality, corporate, and residential projects — directly overlapping Glassworks' product lines (cast, textured, layered) and customer segments.
• Nathan Allan Glass Studios: Designer and manufacturer of decorative architectural glass including cast, kiln-formed, textured, and textured-privacy glass for hospitality, commercial, and high-end residential projects — a direct competitor in custom architectural art glass fabrication.
• Pulp Studio: Los Angeles-based decorative architectural glass manufacturer producing custom-printed, cast, and textured glass for commercial interiors, hospitality, and retail — overlapping Glassworks' decorative, patterned, and privacy glass offerings.
• Skyline Design: Manufacturer of decorative architectural glass including printed, etched, and textured glass walls, partitions, and facades for commercial interiors — a direct peer in custom glass surfaces for hospitality and corporate interiors.
• Vitrocsa: Designer and fabricator of minimalist architectural glass wall systems, sliding doors, and windows — adjacent peer competing in high-end architectural openings where Glassworks supplies custom doors, windows, and partitions.
• Cricursa: Spanish curved and shaped architectural glass manufacturer for facades, skylights, and interior partitions — comparable as a custom architectural glass specialist serving global commercial and luxury-residential projects.

Broad incumbents

• Bendheim: Established architectural glass supplier offering decorative, textured, etched, and specialty glass across a broad catalog — competes with Glassworks on architectural and decorative glass while serving a much wider project base and distribution footprint.
• Spectrum Glass (Owens-Illinois): Large-scale stained and art glass manufacturer supplying sheet glass, fusible glass, and mosaic materials to studios and fabricators — overlaps with Glassworks as a glass-input and finished-product supplier to the architectural art glass market.

Emerging players

• Glasmalerei Peters: Specialty art glass studio producing bespoke stained, fused, and cast architectural glass for interiors and public art — comparable as a smaller artisan glass fabricator serving architectural and interior design clients.

Regional players

• Cambridge Architectural: Manufacturer of architectural mesh and metal fabric for building exteriors and interiors — not a glass peer but an adjacent specialty architectural surfaces supplier competing for similar design-specifier attention in hospitality and corporate projects.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/glassworks_inc
• Facebookfacebook.com/glassworks.artglass
• Instagraminstagram.com/glassworksincseattle
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/glassworks-inc.

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Glassworks Incorporated