Neil Glasser of Point Piper leaves QVB legacy
He was a watchmaker and leading figure in Sydney’s eastern suburbs. But he was perhaps best known for bringing the QVB’s iconic statue of Queen Victoria to Australia and for creating the centre’s Royal Clock. Tributes have flooded in following his passing, aged 101.
Wentworth Courier
Don't miss out on the headlines from Wentworth Courier. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Point Piper centenarian Neil Glasser who received an honour from the Queen for his work on the QVB building has been remembered as a generous, creative entrepreneur and a devoted monarchist.
Mr Glasser, 101, died peacefully at his eastern suburbs home in late July.
The beloved Queen Victoria Building in the Sydney CBD has the fingerprints of Mr Glasser, who was appointed Director of Promotions in 1983, all over it.
Mr Glasser, who owned Strand Watchmakers and Jewellers in the CBD, designed the 17 metre high Royal Clock which hangs from the glass ceiling in the QVB arcade and commissioned the makers of Big Ben in London to create it.
Often accompanied by his wife of 74 years Nina, he visited 23 countries over a four-year period until he finally found a statue of Queen Victoria which once stood in front of Ireland’s National parliament to bring home to Sydney.
He then installed a wishing well featuring the Queen’s favourite dog, its coins contributing thousands of dollars each year to the Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind Children.
He got permission from Queen Elizabeth herself for her Crown Jeweller to oversee the creation of a replica set of the Crown Jewels to display at the QVB which have since been relocated to the Museum of Democracy in Canberra.
Mr Glasser also created the QVB Victoria Cross Memorial honouring the Australian recipients of this highest of military decorations.
It was unveiled by VC recipient and former Governor of NSW Sir Roden Cutler.
Mr Glasser also instigated, with the support of then Prime Minister John Howard, the creation of the now historic Victoria Cross Commemorative Stamps.
When Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip toured Sydney in 1988 and 1992, Mr Glasser arranged for them to visit the QVB and the VC Memorial as well as the statue.
These incredible achievements were recognised in 1996 when he was invited to Buckingham Palace to be invested by the Queen as a Member of the Royal Victorian Order for his distinguished personal service to the Crown.
In addition to his contribution to the QVB, Mr Glasser was a highly successful businessman who lead a colourful life.
His parents were migrants who fled the worsening antisemitism in Europe prior to WWI and so when the Second World War broke out Mr Glasser enlisted and was deployed with the RAAF Permanent Forces Signals Unit determined to help defeat Hitler.
Following the war, the young entrepreneur followed in the footsteps of his father who established the iconic Hobart menswear store Glasser and Parker.
Mr Glasser established Scottish Tailoring in Sydney which proved highly successful due to his ingenious marketing.
One of his most memorable promotions involved a glass tank full of black snakes in Scottish Tailoring’s store window. The snakes had been anaesthetised by a vet so an artist could paint ‘If we had feet we would wear Holeproof Socks’ on the serpents.
One morning a snake escaped and Mr Glasser rang the media who scrambled to cover the frantic search. The snake was eventually found happily curled up in an overcoat pocket.
Holeproof paid Mr Glasser the princely sum of 1000 pounds for the priceless publicity.
The avid world traveller and visitor of trade shows established the business Novelty Importers, bringing goods never seen before in Australia such as Fibre Optic Lights, lava lamps and light-up yoyos. He also introduced Swarovski Crystal to Australia and New Zealand.
In 1956 Neil established Hospital TV and for the first time, patients in hospitals across Australia and New Zealand were able to rent a set for the duration of their stay.
Mr Glasser was awarded a Life Governorship of Sydney Hospital and the Royal Benevolent Society. He also applied his innovative marketing to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for the Cerebral Palsy Alliance and he and Mrs Glasser were duly honoured by the organisation.
The devoted family man with his beloved wife raised their children Debbie, Sharna and Jody first in Coogee before later moving to Watsons Bay.
Daughter Debbie remembered the time fondly.
“It was wonderful being by the beach and then the harbour,” she said.
Mr Glasser, who passed away two months shy of his 102nd birthday, called his waterfront Point Piper apartment home for more than 35 years.
He is survived by his wife, children, seven grandchildren and two great grandchildren.
Mr Glasser’s legacy is perhaps best summed up in the foreword to his memoirs Never Wear a Watch.
The foreword was written by Former Chief Justice and Lieutenant Governor of NSW Sir Laurence Street.
“Neil is truly amongst the band of men of whom he has so often spoken – the Captains and the Kings.”