Thank you, Lord, for the thrilling moment when we saw this brilliant red signal light in Heinz History Center’s glass exhibit and realized it was one of the types of products my Dad, his father, and his brothers made as glassworkers at Kopp Glass.
When asked by young me about his job at what I knew as the “glasshouse,” my Dad would say that he “made runway lights and traffic lights.” I’d never seen a runway light up close until today. Based on its age, I can't help but wonder if my grandfather made it. The accompanying sign read:
Signal Light, c. 1940
The red color of this signal light shone true over great distances, guiding airplanes safely to the ground in Pittsburgh. Local colorist Nicholas Kopp discovered the selenium red formula in 1894 that made this signal and thousands of others so effective. Kopp Glass, Swissvale, Pa.; red glass, pressed.
What a meaningful capture you have today - there is always the possibility that maybe your grandfather did make this one! Interesting reading about the signal light.
