Irish Cut Glass Revival

Setting the standard for indigenous makers, J. Hill’s Standard is a new Waterford company making hand-crafted contemporary cut crystal – reviving centuries-old methods passed down through generations of skilled craftspeople?

Be sure to check out Elements, one of the collections new Irish hand-cut crystal company J. Hill’s Standard – which uses traditional mouth-blown glass – commissioned specially for its launch last month. Designed by in-demand Dutch duo Scholten & Baijings and produced in Waterford, the captivating collection is an ode to light and elegance.

Above: Dutch designers?Scholten & Baijings

The new Irish company – who are filling the creative vacuum left by the demise of the venerable Waterford Crystal – chose the Amsterdam-based design team for their distinct graphic lines and beautifully balanced use of colour. Stefan?Scholten?and Carole?Baijings?then developed a palette of ?cuts? to be applied to the crystal in combination with layers of texture and tone. The idea was to create a whole new take on the typical Irish cut glass, with each glass in the series having a different design, letting the customer customise their own collection.

Waterford is synonymous with hand-cut crystal, and at one time was home to 120 furnaces and 3,500 craftsmen. Alas there are now only a small number of workshops practising traditional making methods, so J. Hill’s Standard’s goal is to revive the craft, create a sustainable business and even set up a glass-blowing school in the future, all of which will hopefully draw glass professionals from around the world to the area as a hub for research and development. Here’s to Waterford being a cut above once more.

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For more great people putting the focus back on craft, check out our interview with Jonathan Legge from Makers and Brothers here.

Sheenagh Green for @image_interiors