Walter Rosenhain was one of the most outstanding of metallurgical researchers of his time. However, before resuming his metallurgical career on leaving Cambridge University in 1900, he worked for several years as chief scientific adviser to Chance Brothers of Smethwick.During that time he became fascinated by glass and retained that interest throughout his career. He wrote the first edition of this book in 1907 hoping that it might arouse interest in applying science in the glass industry. This second edition, published in 1918, reflected changes made as a result of that war but still showed little application of science.