Meleski glass factory, Amelung & Co, has the longest history of glass factories in Estonia. It was founded in 1792–1795 by Carl Philip Amelung and his father Anton Amelung who, fearing the
French Revolution, escaped from the Grünenplan mirror factory in
Braunschweig, Germany and travelled to Estonia. Among the owners of the factory, there were the
von Bocks who were closely related with the
Russian czar court. Allegedly one of the von Bocks was the illegitimate son of Russian czar
Peter I. Meleski glass factory was the biggest in the Baltic states during the 19th century, and only the Rjazan glass factory competed with Meleski for the title of the biggest glass factory in the
Russian Empire. Other Estonian glass manufactures such as Johannes Lorup's glass manufacture, Tarbeklaas, Scankristall and Glasstone were developed from Meleski glass factory. Glass production in Meleski was ceased in 2005 but the village contains the largest private glass museum in Estonia. ==References==