22 Facts About Dominick Labino

Dominick Labino was an American internationally known scientist, inventor, artist and master craftsman in glass.

Dominick Labino held over 60 glass-oriented patents in the United States.

Dominick Labino was trained as an engineer at the Carnegie Institute of Technology and began his professional career at Owens-Illinois, Inc.

In 1944, Dominick Labino left Owens-Illinois to pursue the fiber glass industry with long-time business partner and Executive VP of I-O, Randolph H Barnard.

Barnard formed Glass Fibers, Inc in Toledo, Dominick Labino was the head of Research and Development.

Dominick Labino stayed on as Vice President and Director of Research and development until his retirement in 1965.

Dominick Labino continued to serve as a research consultant until 1975.

Dominick Labino was an innovator in the processes and machines used in forming glass fibers.

Dominick Labino later blew glass as a hobby; at Johns-Manville he built a home glass furnace at which to pursue the craft.

Dominick Labino had presented the workshop idea to the museum's director, Otto Wittmann, who agreed to it perhaps, Littleton suggested, as a means to draw a broad public to the museum.

Littleton enlisted Dominick Labino's help in the workshop for his knowledge of glassblowing's technical aspects.

Dominick Labino initially advised Littleton about the type of fire bricks to use in the construction of the furnace for the workshop.

Dominick Labino donated the steel and burner for the furnace, while Littleton brought the bricks from his studio in Wisconsin.

Dominick Labino suggested that they melt the glass directly in the furnace; he then directed the conversion of the pot furnace into a small day tank.

In 1963 Dominick Labino set up his own glass studio on his farm near Grand Rapids, Ohio.

Dominick Labino designed glass-blowing and finishing tools; built his own furnaces and annealing ovens; and began freehand blowing with molten glass.

Dominick Labino opened his studio under the auspices of the Toledo Museum of Art School of Design in 1966 and 1967 to present three workshops.

An important note: Dominick Labino always signed each of his art glass pieces "Dominick Labino," and dated with the month and year, from the smallest and least complex in design and formula, to the largest and most intricate.

Dominick Labino received an honorary doctorate from Bowling Green State University in 1970.

Dominick Labino received the Toledo Glass and Ceramic Award in 1972, and was presented with the Rakow Award for Excellence in Glass by the Corning Museum of Glass in 1985.

Dominick Labino received the Steuben Phoenix Award in 1977 for his contributions both to the production of industrial glass and to the use of glass in fine art.

Dominick Labino died at his home in Grand Rapids, Ohio, on January 11,1987, aged 76.