Garibaldi Glass

Garibaldi glass, also known as Latticino glass or Filigrana glass, is a type of intricate, ornate glasswork that originated in Italy during the 19th century. Named after Giuseppe Garibaldi, the Italian patriot and military leader, this glass art form has been fascinating artisans and collectors alike for centuries. This paper aims to provide an in-depth look at the history, techniques, and significance of Garibaldi glass.

A Garibaldi glass is a tall, slender glass used for serving beer, particularly Italian beers like Moretti or Peroni. It's characterized by its:

: From the mountains of the North Shore to the urban core of Vancouver, their custom glass solutions frame views and define the aesthetic of modern mid-rise and high-rise developments. Contact Information garibaldi glass

Garibaldi’s work is visible in several award-winning and high-profile architectural landmarks:

In an era of mass production and disposable decor, true craftsmanship has become a rare and precious commodity. Nestled in the shadow of the Coast Mountain range—within sight of the legendary peak for which it is named— has spent decades defying industrial trends. What began as a small studio workshop has evolved into one of Canada’s most respected names in architectural and decorative glass, yet it has never lost its soul: a deep reverence for light, landscape, and the human hand. Garibaldi glass, also known as Latticino glass or

Unlike standard float glass or mass-produced stained glass, Garibaldi’s signature lies in —a process that blurs the line between craft and industrial design. Here, glass is not cut and assembled so much as sculpted with heat.

Thin, wave-like slumped glass originally developed for a marine biology center in Vancouver. The Aqua series uses pale blues, seafoam greens, and transparent bands to evoke moving water. When backlit, the pieces seem to shimmer. They have become Garibaldi’s best-selling product for spa partitions, shower enclosures, and aquarium viewing panels. A Garibaldi glass is a tall, slender glass

Garibaldi Glass operates on a zero-waste-to-landfill model for glass—remarkable in an industry where scrap is endemic. All offcuts and failed firings are crushed into “cullet” and either:

What started as a one-man operation in a converted barn—fusing small art panels for local galleries—quickly gained a reputation for technical daring. By the mid-1980s, Pfeiffer had built his first custom kiln capable of slumping and fusing large-format architectural sheets. Garibaldi Glass was born, named as a permanent homage to the volcanic peak that watched over every firing.

Garibaldi Glass produces three distinct lines, ranging from pure art to utilitarian surfaces.

Garibaldi Glass is not a retail shop open daily, but the company offers on Friday afternoons. Visitors can watch a live kiln loading, handle failed “sacrificial” pieces to understand fragility, and even try their hand at arranging frit on a small tile (fired and shipped later). The tour ends on the mezzanine overlooking the main floor—a panorama of kilns, glass racks, and the eternal granite face of Mount Garibaldi framed through a 20-foot window of the company’s own Aqua glass.