COLOR! At the Pittsburgh glass exhibit of 1925, a revolutionary new concept in household wares was
introduced to the public: colored glassware. Until this time, the majority of fine glass produced, especially in
dinner service, had been in crystal, or colorless glass. This was felt to be more formal, yet simple, and was
already widely accepted by the buying public.
Glass in a multitude of colors, ranging from the deep colors of purple, black, cobalt, and red to the pastels of
pink, yellow, green, amber, and blue was created to bring a bright note into the otherwise drab times of the
depression. The glass was mass produced and appeared relatively crude next to the fine, handmade crystal
glass that was expensive to own. The colored glassware was very inexpensive, many times being given away
as a premium at movie theaters, gas stations, or stores, or simply for selling a specified number of magazine
subscriptions thus it made its way into almost every American home.
It is this glass, this colored “depression glass” as it is now called from the era of time that it was produced, this
crudely made and inexpensive glass, this “my mother had that old stuff” glass, this “depressed” glass
(mistakenly called, thought to be due to the raised and depressed areas forming patterns on the glass), that
started one of the largest collecting trends ever, from collectors to nostalgia hunters. Over 100,000 eager
collectors now seek this prized glass, whether to complete a handed-down family set of dishes, or to find the
highly sought and elusive rare pieces.
In the unfolding of our nation’s history, the glass manufacturing companies, usually called “glass houses”, have played a large part in
the scheme of everyday living.
Many of these glass houses began back in the late 1800’s or around the turn of the century, and although they were numerous and
high-producing then, only a few are left in existence today. These glass houses produced almost all of the necessary holders for
food, plants, and lighting in this pre-plastic era. During the bleak years of our country’s Depression, many glass houses mass-
produced inexpensive, brightly colored sets of dishes for everyday use. These are known today by collectors as “Depression Glass”.
However, also very important in the history of glass were many fine “hand-work” glass houses. The A.H. Heisey Company of Newark,
Ohio; the Fostoria Glass Company of Moundsville, West Virginia; the Cambridge Glass Company of Cambridge, Ohio; The Imperial
Glass Company of Bellaire, Ohio; and the New Martinsville Glass Company of New Martinsville, West Virginia were among the leaders
of fine, handmade glass for the home.
The glass products of these companies were made individually; handcrafted by skilled glassmen. Items available were many from
fine, delicate stemware and matching dinner sets to fancy accessories for the elegant table such as graceful candlestick and console
bowl sets, ornate vases, and handsome ashtrays and smoking accessories. After the repeal of Prohibition, many decanters, ice
buckets, and cocktail shakers were very popular.
Although the majority of these hand produced glass items were colorless, colored pieces were introduced in the late 1920’s. But,
whether a stemmed goblet or a candlestick, a crystal bowl or colored from the Heisey Company of the Cambridge Company, these
glass items all had one thing in common: fine quality.
Made in the era before, during, and slightly after the Depression, this fine glassware is today known by collectors as “Depression-Era”
Glass.
There is no definite answer to this question. Values vary between patterns, and even the color within the pattern makes a
difference in price. There are various books available to identify and estimate the value of a piece. One of the most commonly
used books is the Collector’s Encyclopedia of Depression Glass by Gene Florence. This book is sold at most bookstores and is
available for purchase at our November show, where the author may even sign your book!
The club has a 30+ year history, being founded in 1972. The first show was held at the Ypsilanti National Guard Armory on
October 20 & 21, 1973 and featured special guest Gene Florence. To help newcomers familiarize themselves with the many
patterns, club members created a display of various patterns identifying their names and makers.
meetings. A few examples of the “vintage” tablesettings include…
Depression glass is composed of silica (sand), soda ash, and limestone. To get the colors….
AQUA - caused by presence of iron in the above raw material
RED - addition of copper, selenium, or gold
PURPLE, AMETHYST, OR BURGUNDY - addition of nickel or manganese
BLUE - addition of chromium or copper
BROWN - add carbon or nickel
GREEN/YELLOW - addition of iron
YELLOW OR PINK - add selenium
BLACK - add iron slag
OPAQUE WHITE - add tin or zinc
