Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All the United States West Virginia Weston Blenko Man

Blenko Man

This colorful West Virginia cowboy greets passersby with a glassy stare.

Weston, West Virginia

Added By
Edward Denny
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
Blenko Man   Edward Denny / Atlas Obscura User
  Edward Denny / Atlas Obscura User
Steuben Collection at the Museum of American Glass.   Edward Denny / Atlas Obscura User
Marbles from the National Marble Museum   Edward Denny / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

When the Museum of American Glass reopened in 2007 in its new location, a friable fellow made from iconic West Virginia glass took pride of place. Blenko Man, a celebrity of silica, was the brainchild of Rock Wilson, an avid collector of Blenko glass. He commissioned the renowned sculptor John Zidek to assemble unique pieces from his collection into a tribute to a once-ubiquitous industry in West Virginia.

The Blenko Glass Company, located in Milton, some 130 miles west of Weston, was founded in 1893 by English immigrant William Blenko, who made rundels for stained glass windows. Although he struggled for many years, today his artistry can be found worldwide, including in the rose window at Reims Cathedral in France.  

The company moved to Milton in 1921 and was one of nearly 500 glass companies in the state during the heyday of the glass industry. As one of only a handful of glass companies left in West Virginia, Blenko artists continue to make hand-blown glass using traditional techniques, although their designs can be more whimsical than traditional, as Blenko Man attests.

As guardian and greeter for the Museum of American Glass, Blenko Man oversees a vast collection of practically every type of glass one can imagine. Row after row of thoughtfully arranged cabinets displays objects from the mundane to high art. The museum also features the largest single collection of Steuben crystal as well as the National Marble Museum within its collections.

Blenko Man, meanwhile, is clearly happy to stay seated in his window box reflecting on his dominion, which is probably wise, since keen observers will note that a manufacturing quirk has left him with two right feet.

Related Tags

Glass Outsider Art Sculptures Museums Museums And Collections Art

Know Before You Go

The museum is open daily and admission is free. The website notes that GPS directions will sometimes take you the wrong way on Main Street so it’s best to plug the latitude and longitude coordinates into the GPS. Guided tours of the museum can be scheduled in advance.

Community Contributors

Added By

Edward Denny

Published

August 30, 2018

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • https://newsinteractive.post-gazette.com/distinction/2018/art/blenko-glass-follows-a-clear-path-from-past-to-present/
  • http://herald-dispatchblogs04.blogspot.com/2008/04/blenko-man-museum-of-american-glass.html
Blenko Man
230 Main Avenue
Weston, West Virginia
United States
39.038523, -80.46659
Visit Website
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum

Weston, West Virginia

miles away

Brandy Gap Tunnel #2

Salem, West Virginia

miles away

Zinc Smelter

Spelter, West Virginia

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Weston

Weston

West Virginia

Places 2
Stories 1

Nearby Places

Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum

Weston, West Virginia

miles away

Brandy Gap Tunnel #2

Salem, West Virginia

miles away

Zinc Smelter

Spelter, West Virginia

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Weston

Weston

West Virginia

Places 2
Stories 1

Related Stories and Lists

12 Sculptures Made From Recycled Materials

List

By Jonathan Carey

Related Places

  • Baltimore, Maryland

    The American Visionary Art Museum

    A museum dedicated to exhibiting remarkable outsider art.

  • A Phoenician lion head.

    Rome, Italy

    Museo Barracco di Scultura Antica

    An expansive collection donated by an heirless nobleman formed this admission-free civic museum.

  • ‘Cabriolle’ by K. William LeQuier

    St. Petersburg, Florida

    Imagine Museum

    You’ll feel like you’ve gone through the looking glass at this contemporary art museum filled with glass sculptures of every size, shape, and color.

  • ‘The Thief’

    Olomouc, Czechia

    'The Thief'

    A cheeky reminder about the value of art dangles above one of Olomouc's busiest streets.

  • St. Petersburg, Florida

    Chihuly Collection

    The first custom-designed building to showcase the works of Dale Chihuly is a wonderland of glass and light.

  • Barcelona, Spain

    Museu Frederic Marès

    An eclectic collection of thousands of items owned by the sculptor Frederic Marès.

  • Seaform Pavilion.

    Tacoma, Washington

    Bridge of Glass

    A beautiful footbridge with over 2,000 glass sculptures along the walls and ceiling.

  • Ilana Goor Museum .

    Tel Aviv-Yafo, Israel

    Ilana Goor Museum

    A modern-day cabinet of curiosities housed in a 300-year-old inn.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.