Brilliant cutting

Brilliant cut glass is associated with traveller and fairground culture and communities. It is also synonymous with the British pub and pub culture.

Brilliant cut glass in the UK became popular during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, influenced by earlier European and American glassmaking traditions. Most towns would have had cut glass craftsmen, gilders and signwriters. The technique involves deeply cut, intricate geometric patterns that enhance light refraction, creating a sparkling effect.

Brilliant cutting involves cutting a pattern into glass with a rotating stone wheel, usually made from carborundum stone and then smoothed with polishing powders using a felt wheel. Various shaped stone wheels produce different cuts. For example; a Puntie (convex circle), Olive/Oval, V cut and edge cut.

Large glass panels would be suspended by a counter balance, which helps take the weight and provide manoeuvring with ease.

The glass can then be treated in various ways including silver staining, acid embossing and acid toning to create range of decorative effects.

Dave Smith provides some step by step details of making a Victorian brilliant cut window here

• Crystal glass
• Sign painting / signwriting
• Reverse glass sign painting
• French embossing / acid etching
• Silvering
• Glass engraving
• Ornamental mirror making

• Skills issues: The craft is labour intensive which puts people off learning it. It takes dedication and a lot of time to hone your skills.
• Sourcing raw materials and equipment: The grindstones used to brilliant cut glass are principally of Carborundum and Alexcite materials although historically they were made of sandstone from Craigleith in Edinburgh. Diamond impregnated wheels can be useful for roughing out. For some years it was difficult to source the wheels, however, there is now a source of new grinding wheels in the UK which is making the craft more accessible again.
• Market issues: The hard to find materials and high labour compared to the low cost and high speed of computer designed vinyl graphics reduces the number of clients willing to commission work.

The Brilliant Cutting Consortium

This is a training project set up by three skilled brilliant cutters in England, Latvia and the US, with the aim of increasing skills levels in the craft and passing on skills to the next generation. The course provides three days of training in either of the three locations:

• Torquay, England with Dave Smith
• Riga, Latvia with Tits Rinkis
• Littleton, Colorado with Pat Minervini

Short courses

Master brilliant cutting and glass artist, Dave Smith, offers a range of courses both in person and online. Find more details here

Individual craftspeople:

• David A Smith MBE
• S Taylor and Sons 
• Cheshire Stained Glass 
• Monkseaton Glaziers and Stained glass studio 
• Stuart Reddy, RS Glass Design 
• James Witchell
• John Williamson, Ellison Art Glass
• Stuart Owen Norton
• Simon Norton
• Steve Robey
• Dave Thomas
• Aaron Stephens
• Eddy Bennett
• Tobias Newbigin

• Dreiser, P, and Matcham, J, (1982) The Techniques of Glass Engraving (London: Batsford)
• Duthie, Arthur Louis, (1982) Decorative Glass Processes, 1908 (London: Dover reprint)
• Frost, AC, and McGrath, R, (1961) Glass in Architecture and Decoration (London: The Architectural Press)
• M Girouard, M, (1984) Victorian Pubs (Yale University Press)
• B Stewart, B, (1983) Signwriting; a craftsman’s manual (Wiley-Blackwell)

Our thanks go to our 2025 reviewers:

• Ellison Art Glass
• Simon Norton, Stuart Owen Norton Glass & sign Ltd
• David A Smith
• Eddy Bennett

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