Title: Mueller Mirror and Art Glass Works Records
Inclusive Dates: 1890-2002

Creator:

• Mueller Mirror and Art Glass Works

Call Numbers: UWM Manuscript Collection 355; Accession 2022-031

Quantity:

• 3.8 cubic ft. (10 boxes)
• 1 oversize folder
• plus additions of 5 cubic ft. (3 boxes)

Repository:

University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Libraries, Archives Department

Archival Location:

UW-Milwaukee Libraries, Archives / Milwaukee Area Research Ctr. (Map)

Abstract:

Mueller Mirror and Art Glass Works, formerly the Milwaukee Mirror and Art Glass Works, made and furnished mirrors and stained glass windows for local and out-of-state churches, businesses, and private residences. The bulk of the records are window design drawings of flora, geometric patterns, and religious figures and symbols. Religious depictions include Christ, the Holy Family, Saints, the Cross, and the Star of David. A client ledger, advertisements, drawings of literary characters, and photographs of stained glass window installations are also included in the collection.

Language: English

URL to cite for this finding aid: http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wiarchives.uw-mil-uwmmss0355

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The Milwaukee Mirror and Art Glass Works was established by August F. Mueller and Frederick W. Inbusch in 1887. The company's first location was at 280 East Water Street, which was destroyed in the Third Ward fire in 1892. After the fire, the business worked out of various Third Ward locations. Mueller was the Secretary and Manager of the company and J.P. Kissinger, a local wine and liquor proprietor, was the company's first President.

Clients of the Milwaukee Mirror and Art Glass Works ranged from local, state, and out-of-state businesses and churches of various denominations to notable Milwaukee residents such as Frederick Pabst. The company's specialty was stained glass, and its stained glass mirror and window designs depicted mainly floral, geometric, and religious imagery. George W. Mueller, August's son, became President and Manager of the business in 1920 until the company's dissolution in 1929. In 1931, George started his own business and changed the company's name from Milwaukee Mirror and Art Glass Works to Mueller Mirror and Art Glass Works. He continued to provide the public with stained glass windows and mirrors until 1942.

The bulk of the collection consists of stained glass window design drawings of flora, geometric patterns, and depictions of Christ, the Virgin Mary, the Prodigal Son, the Cross, the Star of David, and other religious figures and symbols. The design drawings are comprised of vibrant watercolors on different types of illustration boards of various sizes. A client ledger, installation photographs, catalogs containing a partial list of customer and client satisfaction statements, and sketches of stained glass window designs and literary characters are also in the collection.

This collection was received in, and is organized in, multiple parts. Additional materials have not been physically or intellectually arranged and interfiled, and researchers may need to consult more than one part of the collection to locate similar materials.

The files are organized alphabetically by subject, then chronologically with the expection of accessions which are in recieved order. The window design drawings are organized by size, then alphabetically by subject.

• UWM Manuscript Collection 355: Records, 1890-1942

The collection contains one additional accession.

• Accession 2022-031: Sketches and paintings, 1990-2002

Citation Guide for Primary Sources

Access Restrictions

There are no access restrictions on the materials, and the collection is open to all members of the public in accordance with state law.

Use Restrictions

The researcher assumes full responsibility for conforming with the laws of libel, privacy, and copyright which may be involved in the use of this collection (Wisconsin Statutes 19.21-19.39).

Acquisition Information

The Corning Museum of Glass donated the collection to the Archives in February 2018 (accession 2017-027). Leona Tichenor donated accession 2022-029 on January 6th, 2023. Curtis M. Rolfe of the Rolfe Studio donated accession 2022-031 on December 16, 2021.

Processing Information

Phyllis Reske processed the collection at the Archives from April to May 2018 (Christel Maass supervised). Laura K. N. Jones integrated accession 2022-029 on April 11th, 2023. Ellie Goecken minimally processed accession 2022-031 on May 22, 2023.

UWM Manuscript Collection 355	Mueller Mirror and Art Glass Works Records, 1890-1942 Physical Description: 3.8 cubic ft. (10 boxes); 1 oversize folder
Box   1 Folder   1	Advertisements, undated
Box   1 Folder   2	Business Cards, undated
Box   1 Folder   3	Catalog and Recommendations from Clients and Newspapers, undated
Box   1 Folder   4	Client Ledger, 1890-1942
Box   1 Folder   5	Company Shares, 1896-1920
Box   1 Folder   6	Correspondence, 1917, 1936-1939
Box   2 Folder   7	Correspondence, Trinity M. E. Church (Joliet, IL), 1911-1913
	Drawings
Box   1 Folder   7	The Canterbury Tales, undated
Box   1 Folder   8	Christ's Crucifixion, undated
Box   1 Folder   9	Colonial Hotel, Delevan, Wisconsin, undated
Box   1 Folder   10	Emblems, undated
Box   1 Folder   11	Folktale Characters, undated
Box   1 Folder   12	The Heavenly Choir, undated
Box   1 Folder   13	Nursery Rhyme and Children Illustrations, undated
Box   1 Folder   14	Stained Glass Windows, undated
Box   1 Folder   15	White Horse Inn, Elkhorn, Wisconsin, undated
Box   1 Folder   16	Illustrations of Medieval and Renaissance Periods, undated
	Photographs of Installations
Box   1 Folder   17	1892 World's Fair and Lake Geneva Residence, undated
Box   1 Folder   18	Geometric Designs, undated
Box   1 Folder   19-20	Religious Figures, 1896-1930
Box   2 Folder   1	Scrapbooks and News Clippings of Church and Resident Clients, 1915-1941
	Window Design Drawings
	Small Size
Box   2 Folder   2	Christ and the Virgin Mary, undated
Box   2 Folder   3-5	Flora, undated
Box   2 Folder   6	Geometric Patterns, undated
Box   3	Geometric Patterns and Flora, undated
Box   4 Folder   1-2	Religious Imagery and Symbols, undated
	Medium and Large Size
Box   5	Christ, undated
Box   6	Christ, Holy Family, and the Virgin Mary, undated
Box   7	Folklore Characters and Designs for the White Horse Inn, Elkhorn, Wisconsin, undated
Box   8	Geometric Patterns and Flora, undated
Box   9-10	Religious Figures and Symbols, undated
	Oversize
Oversize Folder   1	Christ, Angels, and the Sower, undated
Accession 2022-031	Sketches and paintings, 1913, undated Abstract: Additions of pencil and charcoal sketches and designs, as well as paintings of stained glass. This accession is largely undated, with the exception of one sketch dated 1913. Physical Description: 5 cubic ft. (3 boxes)