Art and Inspiration: Edouard Benedictus and the Invention of Laminated Safety Glass

The invention of laminated safety glass is attributed to the French chemist and artist Edouard Benedictus (1878-1930), who developed the innovation known as Triplex glass after inspiration struck via a fortuitous laboratory accident. Licensed first to the English Triplex Safety Glass Company in 1912, with production later carried out in the US, Triplex glass was first applied to automobiles during the first World War. While the story of his lab accident can be found in many sources, it has become more legend than historical fact. To rectify this, a more accurate account of Benedictus and the development of Triplex glass is presented based on historical records.