Dossier f29 - Weisman, Mr.

The Luxfer Prism Company started life in October 1896 as the Radiating Light Company, founded by James Gray Pennycuick to commercialize his patent No. 312,290 for "an improvement in window-glass" (filed 1882, granted 1885). His improvement was the addition of horizontal prisms to the back side of square glass tiles, which redirected sunlight from windows where it was plentiful, back deep into rooms where light was scarce, reducing the need for artificial lighting and light wells. The Company's first president was John Meiggs Ewen; secretary, Henry M. Bacon; Thomas W. Horn and Pennycuick, founders. After two months, the company's name was changed to Semi-prism Glass Company, and finally In April 1897 to Luxfer Prism Company, "Luxfer" from the Latin words lux (light) and ferre (to carry). They hired "prominent physics professor and spectroscopist", Henry Crew (Northwestern University), and his assistant Olin H. Basquin to develop scientific basis for company products. Luxfer is the best known name in prism glass, now particularly for their association with Frank Lloyd Wright, who designed some of their "Iridian" prism tiles. Of his 41 patented designs, only the well-known "flower" pattern was produced. Luxfer was eventually bought by American 3-Way Prism Company, their main competitor, forming the American 3-Way Luxfer Prism Company.