Milk glass was produced around 300 years before it reached the height of its popularity, which began around 1870 and lasted through the early 20th century. When it came to milk glass, the French were the trendsetters, ushering it into its golden era and inspiring American glassmakers to follow suit. Today French milk glass is particularly valuable.
Vallerysthal/Portieux is a glass producer with a complex history. Founded in 1836, at Lorraine, France, as Societe des Verreries Reunies de Plaine de Walsch et Vallerysthal, which then became Klenglin et Cie in 1855. A mix of Bohemian and French glass workers created a thrilling array of opaline and decorative glass. In 1870 however, this area of France became part of Germany. Most of Vallerysthal sales however had up to this point been within France, but as the factory was no longer within the French territory they now found it difficult to export their glass out of Germany. To get around this problem they quickly purchased the Portieux glass works which was in Vosges, France and whilst the head office remained in Vallerysthal, they could now export through Portieux. The new name was registered in both French and German and became the Vallerysthal/Portieux name is what we still refer to today.Portieux Vallerysthal Port or Aperitif Glasses.