Sonneveld House
Chic shops for Leerdam glass
Nearly all the glass in Sonneveld House came from Leerdam. The family probably bought the items at Jungerhans, an expensive and highly respected shop on the Coolsingel that specialised in household goods, cooking utensils, tableware, ceramics and glass. Its vast stock included the latest designs by Dutch and foreign manufacturers but also more traditional products.
It is also possible that the family purchased its glassware from Metz & Co., which also stocked Leerdam glass. Leerdam produced affordable, well-designed items designed in partnership with artists. From 1915 the company’s director, P.M. Cochius, enlisted the talents of a range of architects and freelance designers and presented the resulting products at the annual decorative arts fair in Utrecht. At the end of the 1920s the company took on a full-time designer: Andries Copier. The company’s products designed with artists were a success, especially in publicity terms, and were popular in progressive circles.
The Sonneveld family’s drinks service, including champagne coupes, was designed by the architect and designer K.P.C. de Bazel (1869-1923). The water set was designed by Cornelis de Lorm (1875-1942). The family owned various vases, including the spherical and oval vases, by Andries Copier and a single glass vase by both H.P. Berlage (1856-1934) and Chris Lanooy (1881-1948). When the Sonnevelds lived in the house, the vases were filled with flowers and placed in the sitting room. Photographs from the family archive show the interior enlivened by flowers including chrysanthemums and lilies.
See also
In 1958 the United Glassworks commissioned filmmaker Bert Haanstra to make the promotional film Talking About Glass about the glass production process. In the same year he made the film Glass at Glasfabriek Leerdam. The film won the Oscar for best documentary short in 1960.