Over the years, he has sold etched glass and other craft work; done commercial art, and painted portraits.

Finally, he said, food and beverage makers are selling more products packaged in plastic rather than glass, which is heavier.

Much of the push to sell self-cleaning glass will come from the companies that make finished windows.

It was founded in 1945 by Fred Bridge, who learned the trade from his father, who sold porcelain, silver and glass to restaurants.

I worked in a shop which sold very beautiful furniture and rather up-market Swedish glass.

Allder died in 1904 leaving a store which had expanded beyond clothing and haberdashery to sell glass and porcelain, among other items.

His 450 stores sell optical and photo goods, electronics, furniture, glass and china.

Officials at the nearby Bor glass factory, which employs 7,000, say they make a profit and hope to begin selling bulletproof glass for banks.

The wholesale and retail departments meanwhile sell glass from nearly every domestic and foreign manufacturer and all the tools necessary to the trade.

Oyster Bay, L.I., sells its recycled metal, glass and plastic for $25 a ton.