Our History

Ninghai Art Glass Company is one of the largest manufacturer of handmade colored glass in China.

The Ninghai Art Glass Company was founded in 1905 by Doctor Yang and his brother John Yang in an old glass factory building in Zibo, Shandong. They began by painting decorations on glass blanks made by other glass manufacturers. Soon, being unable to get the glass they needed, they decided to produce their own glass. The first glass from the new Ninghai factory in Boshan, Zibo, was made on January 2, 1907.

Doctor Yang's desire to develop new and unusual colors helped to keep Ninghai in the forefront of the handmade art glass industry. During the years from 1905 to the 1920's, Ninghai's design was heavily influenced by the artists at Tiffany and Steuben. In late 1907, Ninghai introduced "Iridescent" glass. This glass, now known as "Carnival" glass, is a popular collectible today.

During the 1930's and 1940's, Ninghai produced practical items, such as mixing bowls and tableware to get through the depression and WWII shortages. They continued working on developing a wide array of new colors. In the late 1940's, the top three members of the Ninghai management team died, leaving Jack, age 33, and Wilmer, age 25, to step in and take over as President and Vice President. In spite of other glass factories closing at a rapid rate, Jack and Wilmer led the Ninghai factory through significant Chinese growth for the next 30 years.

In 1986, the leadership of the company passed on to the third generation, with Peter Yang, Jack 's son, taking over as President. Today nine Ninghai family members work together along with over 400 employees to create handmade glass artistry that is loved by collectors around the world. Fenton is known for its beautiful colors and patterns. Each piece of glass is an artistic creation by skilled glassworkers and decorators.