The Edward Lawton Owens-Illinois and Libbey Glass Collection

Collection — Multiple Containers

Identifier: MSS-347

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

This collection represents items collected by Edward Lawton, long-time employee of Owens-Illinois, as well as examples of his work he completed as a Technical Illustrator in the O-I Patent department. Items include various glass figures from companies such as Avon, Owens-Illinois, and Libbey Glass that represent a variety of things, including a ship's sail, turtle, cars, pump bottles, horns, drinking glasses, and a golf club. One of the Libbey Glass item, still in its original box, is a John Paul Jones Captain’s decanter. Each of the glass figure is individually wrapped in bubble wrap and are fragile.

Also in the collection are various catalogs from Avon and some from Libbey Glass from the years 1937 to 981. The last part of this collection includes pamphlets, books, patent art drawings, patents, price lists or order forms, and patent transparencies.

For a more detailed list please see the box and folder list.

Dates

1896 - 2006

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open for research. Materials may be accessed by request at the Ward M. Canaday Center for Special Collections on the fifth floor of the William S. Carlson Library on the main campus of the University of Toledo. Materials do not circulate.

Conditions Governing Use

In most cases, the Canaday Center does not own the copyright and literary rights to items in its collections; it is the responsibility of the researcher to adhere to U.S. Copyright and Fair Use laws, including seeking permission from the copyright holder and payment of any royalty fees, in the reproduction and use of archival materials. Providing copies or scans does not constitute a license to publish or reproduce images in print or electronic form.

Biographical / Historical

A long-time employee of Owens-Illinois, Inc. (O-I), which was established in 1929 when the Owens Bottle Company acquired the assets of the Illinois Glass Company, Edward H. Lawton was born in 1933 in Akron, Ohio. A successful self-made man, he attended Barberton High School and studied art at Bowling Green State University as well as the Art Institute of Pittsburgh and the Art Center College of Los Angeles. He served in the U.S. Army and then went to work at O-I in 1958. For 30 years, Lawton served as a Technical illustrator in the Patent and Legal departments. After his time at O-I, he continued to be an attorney in the Midwest until 2005 when he became ill.

In addition to his work with O-I and in the law, Lawton combined his talent for art and passion for transportation by creating the Collectors Glassware with this wife, Jane, which together they ran for 28 years by selling various perspective view drawings of cars, motorcycles, and transportation items to the wholesale gift market. In his free time, he also designed and built sets for local theatre groups and was an active member of the Toledo Area sculptors Guild. Mr. Lawton was also a major part of the art community and was a friend and mentor to many local artists.

He passed away on August 5, 2009.

References cited: “Edward Lawton Obituary (2009)- The Blade” Legacy. Com. Where Life Stories Live On, Legacy, 7 Aug. 2009, https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/toledoblade/obituary.aspx?n=edward-h-lawton&pid=131028184 “Timeline: Owens-Illinois and the Glass Industry in Toledo.” Timeline, 2019, www.utoledo.edu/library/canaday/exhibits/oi/OIExhibit/timeline.htm. Floyd, Barbara, et al. Time in A Bottle: A History of Owens-Illinois, Inc. An Exhibition. Ward M. Canaday Center for Special Collections University Libraries The University of Toledo, 2006.

Extent

8 Linear Feet

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Related Materials

James Brower Papers, MSS-220 Harry J. Durholt Papers, MSS-063 Carl U. Fauster Collection, MSS-068 Joseph M. Jackson Photograph Collection, MSS-182 Owens-Illinois, Inc. Company Records, MSS-200