In 1783, brothers George and William Penrose founded the Penrose Glass House in the busy port of Waterford, Ireland, and began to make crystal of “as fine a quality as any in Europe … in the most elegant style.” The Penrose family knew the secret of mingling minerals and glass to create Crystal with both beauty and mystery. When tapped, it sang sweetly. When touched, it felt warm and soft, yet it possessed strength and durability. Most wonderfully of all, the Crystal shone with a romantic, silvery brilliance. Patience, skill, and artistry had forged a triumph.