Birth of the Black Dragon

The journey began when founding member Professor Draggie (Chris) was just seven, mesmerizing fairgoers with blacksmithing demonstrations that sparked a lifelong craft; by fourteen he was the demonstrating blacksmith at the 140th anniversary of Gettysburg, a moment that cemented a 33‑year devotion to the forge. Two decades ago a fateful meeting with Grumpy Gears (Mick) turned that devotion into shared adventures in historical reenactment—collaborations with the National Museum of Industrial History, the No. 9 Coal Mine and Museum, countless SCA and Marklan events, and their own Biery Port Blacksmith Shop in Catasauqua, PA (closed 2016) are all part of that journey. The name Black Dragon hatched from a circus‑born spectacle: after a long day at the anvil, Chris—black from soot—leaned back and breathed a twenty‑foot flame across an open field, and a child’s cry of “Look, Momma! A Black Dragon!” at the moment this sealed the legend of Black Dragon.

In 2017 Chris suffered an aneurysm that required open-heart surgery and left him recovering from a stroke. The injuries made it impossible for him to forge the way he once did — the hammer, anvil, and coal felt out of reach. But his friends, faithful as any clan around a forge, coaxed him toward something new: a torch, a rod of glass, and the patient heat of flame.

At first it was gentle work — small beads and simple shapes — a way to keep his hands moving and his spirit lit. As he learned the language of glass, something long dormant stirred. The glassblowing dragon awakened. The same focus and fire that once shaped iron found a new outlet in molten color and breath. Over time his beadwork grew bolder, filigreed with steampunk twists and a hint of mythic scale.

Now, five years behind the torch, Chris lives in that new element. He loves it — the hum of the burner, the slow choreography of heat and air, the moment a bead pulls free and holds its shape. Each piece carries both the memory of the forge and the magic of survival: unique gifts forged by a black-dragon heart, where glass and steam meet.

Chris felt the hollow in his chest — the echoing absence of hammer blows and eager apprentices — as a constant, cold draught since the blacksmithing shop fell quiet; teaching and demonstrations had been the fire that shaped him, and now he sat alone amid glass and glowing furnaces, yearning for the camaraderie and purpose that once filled his days. Then the former headmaster of Peaceful Hollows Preparatory School of the Magically Inclined stepped into his glass shop like a secret delivered on leather wings and said simply that Chris needed to take his craft back onto the road. The idea ignited him: a traveling forge of glass and steel, a mobile glass shop that married his steampunk soul with the theatrical spark of demonstrations, bringing Black Dragon Iron & Glass Reimagined to town squares, schoolyards, and enchanted festivals. In that single invitation, the hole began to close — apprentices would gather once more, sparks and molten light would dance together, and Chris would teach, mesmerize, and create anew, forging not just objects but community wherever the road led.

At the end of the 2024 season, a close-knit band of friends—Mike, who Chris had shared countless reenactments with; Mike’s nephew John; Mike’s daughter; and Roger, our steadfast and amazing companion—decided to take a bold step together, and in June 2025 they officially formed Black Dragon IGR LLC, launching Black Dragon Iron & Glass Reimagined into existence; melding Mike’s family ties and reenactment-honed craftsmanship with Roger’s unwavering support and a shared love for steampunk wonder, they began forging one-of-a-kind glass and forged pieces that bring a touch of magic and industrial romance to every demonstration and gift.

Catch the world’s only glass-blowing dragon at local fairs, festivals, and events—hungry for more and ready to mesmerize! One event at a time, Chris and his crew of friends bring the magic of the dying arts of lampworking and blacksmithing to life, forging steam‑punk dreams with molten glass, glowing steel, and a touch of black dragon fire. Each demonstration is a living, one-of-a-kind performance where sparks fly, curiosities ignite, and handcrafted treasures are born on the spot—perfect, unique gifts for all ages from Black Dragon Iron & Glass Reimagined. Come witness the craft, meet the makers, and take home something legendary.