Rediscover Retro Glassware at Lancaster’s Gay Fad Studios

Visiting Gay Fad Studios in Lancaster is like stepping into a 1950s cocktail party. The freshly designed glassware on the studio shelves is adorned with vibrant hues and geometric patterns, plunking visitors directly into the middle of the 20th century. The collection of rocks glasses, tumblers and other vessels that would happily hold your next cocktail reflects the style of the late Fran Taylor, who led the studio from 1939 to 1962.

But the products now made by current owners David and Jason Annecy aren’t merely a trip down midcentury memory lane. Gay Fad’s new designs are artistic interpretations of the long-shuttered studio’s glassware, still reflecting Taylor’s goal of spreading the value of art through everyday objects.

“Our tagline is, ‘Midcentury just got a makeover,’” David Annecy says. “It really is that idea of taking something from the past and making it fresh again.”

Gay Fad was an international glassware company initially based in Detroit, but Taylor later relocated to Lancaster. It became renowned for its whimsical designs that reflected current and emerging trends. Taylor, a forward-thinking entrepreneur, advocated for women-owned enterprises and championed the idea of promoting artistry through industrial design.

Decades after the business ceased operations, partners Jason and David Annecy resurrected the brand with a retail store bearing the same name. The newly established Gay Fad Studios, which opened in July 2022, showcases original glass creations reminiscent of the imaginative and lively designs that Taylor once popularized. It also presents a curated selection of distinctive glassware from various producers, alongside a historical glassware collection and a dedicated museum area where visitors can view some of the thousands of original Gay Fad glassware pieces the new proprietors have amassed.

For aficionados of spirits, the studio’s highlight lies in its assortment of newly crafted rocks glasses, Tom Collins glasses and tumblers conceptualized by Jason Annecy. While not direct replicas of the studio’s original designs (except for the “Starburst” design), these glassware pieces evoke a distinct midcentury aesthetic and exude a sense of craftsmanship and refinement.

“I don’t like copying work — I view that as someone else’s life, their legacy,” Jason Annecy says. 

More barware is in the studio’s near future, including a Nick and Nora-style glass and a Collins-style glass featuring a wily cat.

Through a high-end production process at an Ohio-based manufacturing facility, the owners can impart 24-carat gold and platinum silver on their products. That gives some of the newer designs not only the midcentury feel, but also a step up in quality. 

An example is the visually stunning Umbra line, designed to evoke the artistry of Broyhill’s Brasilia furniture with black arches, white dots and 24-carat gold accents.

“When we brought Gay Fad back, we were focused on how do we make it feel as if the company never closed,” Jason Annecy says. “So, when we’re designing glassware today, it’s to a very high standard. We wanted to make sure that we could take one of the new designs and visitors could walk into the museum and say, ‘Yeah, it feels like it fits.’” 

Proof Magazine is for Ohio spirit lovers and is produced by Great Lakes Studios. Don’t miss an issue by subscribing to Ohio Magazine. View a digital version of the Proof Magazine Summer 2024 edition here.