Royal Brierley / Stevens & Williams (England) glass

Royal Brierley is a fine cut glass brand, based in North Devon. It is one of the oldest crystal glass brands in England. The trading name Stevens & Williams was used until the 1930s when the company became Royal Brierley Crystal to signify its royal warrant of appointment as glassmakers. The first royal warrant was awarded by King George V and the most recent by Charles, Prince of Wales.

The company was founded in 1776 by Robert Bague at Brierley Hill, near Stourbridge in the English Midlands. The glassworks was originally located in the village of Brierley, but it moved to a new site in Moor Lane in 1784. The company was acquired by Joseph Silver in 1824, and it was under his ownership that the company began to produce high-quality cut glass.

In 1847, the company was acquired by William Stevens and Samuel Cox-Williams. The two men more... renamed the company Stevens & Williams, and they continued to produce high-quality cut glass. The company was awarded its first royal warrant in 1919 by King George V.

In 1968, the company changed its name to Royal Brierley Crystal. The company continued to produce high-quality cut glass, and it also began to produce a range of other glassware, including stemware, tumblers, and bowls.

In 2002, the company's factory in Brierley Hill closed. The company's operations were moved to a new factory in Tipton, England.

Royal Brierley Crystal is now owned by Dartington Crystal and continues to produce high-quality cut glass, and also produces a range of other glassware. less...