MICHAEL + FRANCIS HIGGINS were pioneers in the rediscovery and refinement of the ancient art of glass fusing. The husband-wife duo metat the Chicago Institute of Design and opened their eponymous glass studio in 1948. Originally, the studio operated out of the Higgins’s Chicago apartment, with kilns set up behind the sofa. Everyday items, such as bowls and plates, were transformed, through an arresting mix of geometric and curved lines, and bold use of color, into objects still useful, yet also visually vibrant and exciting. Promoted as “an exclamation point in your decorating scheme”, the unique blend of artistry and practicality that Higgins glassware offered quickly attracted buyers. Working round-the-clock in split shifts, Michael and Fran met ever-increasing orders from such major retailers as Marshall Field’s, Georg Jensen, and Bullock’s Wilshire.

(Source: Higgins Studio, Wright Auction House; Photo Credit: Ken Hedrich)