Artistic glass is created from molten glass. At Caithness Glass, visitors can experience this craft up close.
It glows, steams, and sizzles. When the tension briefly eases between moments of intense concentration, the workers call out jokes to one another with laughter – all drowned out by the constant rock music blaring from the radio. The Caithness Glass workshop is a lively place – and an open one. Visitors can watch the glassmakers at work.
Today, Caithness Glass mainly produces paperweights. These are large spheres featuring motifs of varying complexity – flowers, people, animals, or even abstract designs. Depending on how intricately they’re crafted, these decorative pieces range in price from 20 to 200 pounds.
Caithness Glass now operates out of the Visitor Center near Crieff – a complex that also houses an exhibition on Scottish cattle drivers, a place to eat, and a small antique shop. Access to the workshop is through the Caithness Glass Shop.
However, not everything in the shop is made by Caithness Glass. The vases and drinking glasses are from Dartington Crystal or Royal Brierley, which are part of the same group but are not manufactured here.
The real appeal of the place, however, lies in the glassworks behind the shop. And there, customers can do more than just watch. Unless a pandemic is sweeping the globe, for a fee and with advance booking, visitors can make their own paperweights under the guidance of the professionals.
For those who find handling molten glass too risky, there’s the option to paint glass with your own designs. Or you can simply watch. Admission to the workshop is free, and a visit is definitely worthwhile.
Facts: Caithness Glass and the Scottish Glass-Making Tradition
When people think of Scotland, glass art is probably not the first thing that comes to mind. Yet the tradition of glassmaking dates back to the 17th century. Of course, these were often everyday objects, but even the drinking glasses commemorating the Jacobite Rising were more like works of art.
In the first half of the 20th century, the industry experienced a real boom. Manufacturers such as Monart, Ysart, Vasart, Strathearn, and Selkirk Glass developed their own distinctive styles, which have even made their way into the V&A Dundee design museum.
Caithness Glass was a latecomer to the scene. The company was founded in 1961 in Wick, Caithness, to support the local economy. By the 1990s, the manufacturer had grown into a major enterprise with additional production facilities in Oban and Perth. In the 1980s, Caithness Glass produced a distinctive style of vases that reflect the colors of the Highland landscape. Even today, they can often be found in Scotland’s thrift stores – and make a lovely souvenir for a fair price.
But after this heyday, things went downhill for Caithness Glass. The company was acquired several times, and all of its production facilities were gradually closed. Today, Caithness Glass is part of Dartington Crystal in England and has retreated to the Crieff Visitor Center.
Even today, however, the paperweights remain highly sought-after collector’s items.
Directions
With a GPS: The ZIP code “PH7 4HQ” will take you very close.
Without a GPS: Coming from Perth, take the A45 toward Crieff. In Crieff, however, do not take the turn toward Crianlarich; instead, continue straight ahead and follow the road toward Stirling – first straight ahead and then to the left. After crossing the bridge over the River Earn, follow the road slightly to the left along the river. After a short while, you’ll see the Visitor Center on your right.
