Posted from Collectors Weekly website.

In the late 1920s, new technology allowed manufacturers to produce appealing glassware with little expense and with no handwork. In fact, this glassware, known as Depression glass, was so cheap and easy-to-make that in the ’30s it was given away as a promotional item with almost any purchase, from oatmeal to gasoline. This was fortunate timing, as most Americans were suffering in the Depression and unable to afford fine glassware or real china dinnerware.

However, despite the blow to the economy, a few glass companies continued producing high-quality glassware, usually made with some handwork by skilled craftspeople. This glassware, known as elegant glass, was still expensive, sold in high-end stores, and treasured by its owners.

Like vintage Depression glassware, most elegant glass featured intricate, pretty designs on its surfaces, usually of flowers or tree branches. The distinction between the two is in how they were made. Patterns on elegant glass were usually etched, meaning the design was recessed. The glass was coated with wax, and a design was drawn into the wax. Then the glass got an acid treatment, which ate away the surface of the glass not covered in wax. Depression glass, however, was mass-produced using molds, which were etched with acid themselves. This means the pattern was raised rather than inset, what’s known as “mold etched.”

Vintage elegant glass, also called “good glass,” is often hand-pressed, hand-molded, or hand-blown, and frequently features hand-finished bases. Elegant glass is made of high-quality glass, has fewer visible seams, and lacks the little bobbles and wrinkles found in pieces of Depression glass. Extra steps made the difference. For example, after a piece was shaped, it was inserted back into a “glory hole” for fire polishing, which gave it a high gloss. Most elegant glass was clear, a.k.a. crystal, but some of it was pastel colored and translucent.

Top elegant-glass companies of the era included the Cambridge Class Company, A.H. Heisey & Company, Fostoria Glass Company, and Imperial Glass Corporation. In 1936, Imperial created its most successful elegant-glass line, Candlewick, which was inspired by a Colonial needlework technique known as candlewicking. The design featured little clear glass beads around the top of each crystal piece.

While Candlewick was a hugely popular dinnerware pattern, it faced serious competition from Cambridge’s Rosepoint and Fostoria’s American line. That geometric pattern, resembling a series of protruding cubes, was first produced in 1915 and had one of the longest runs in U.S. glassmaking history.

Please visit my other blog site:

www.retiremehealthy.nixamo.info

Please visit my other websites:

www.retiremehealthy.com

www.myxango.com/dickensplanb

Quick Tips for Collecting Cobalt Blue Glass:

- Depression-era cobalt blue glass was made from the early 1930s through the early 1940s.

- Many popular collectible pieces were made by the Hazel Atlas Glass Company.

- While the value of cobalt glass has stabilized due to Internet trading, genuine pieces are still difficult to locate in antique malls and shops.

- Cobalt blue glass has been extensively reproduced. Many of these are pieces that were never originally made by Depression-era glassmakers, while some are copies of older pieces.

Taking Notice of Cobalt Blue

When I’d shop for antiques with my mother as a kid, cobalt blue always reminded me of the cornflower crayon back in my deluxe box at home. As an adult, I remember really being drawn into a Country Living magazine spread featuring this mesmerizing color. It wasn’t long until I started grouping some of the glass pieces I’d collected over the years in brightly lit windowsills.

The most amazing thing about this particular collection is that it never grows tiresome. I’ve rearranged the pieces, bought a few more, and sold a couple here and there, but I’ve still got what amounts to a collection. And I’m still fascinated by this glass, even the Depression-era dinnerware sets.

Popular Depression Glass Patterns

Although several companies made Depression glass in this color, two of the most popular patterns with collectors are Moderntone and Royal Lace, both produced by Hazel Atlas Glass Company. Hazel Atlas went as far as to name its rendition of this captivating glass “Ritz Blue.”

The simple bands decorating the outer edges of Moderntone pieces please those who prefer a clean design with a slight deco flair. This pattern offered collectors an easy to find alternative for many years, but now it’s not nearly as plentiful. Many Moderntone collectors look to online shops specializing in glass these days and glass shows where dealers focusing on Depression era patterns congregate.

Cobalt blue Royal Lace lives up to its name with an ultra frilly pattern and a royal price tag too. Although a collector can probably still start and complete a set of these dishes, they should plan on spending years searching for pieces and thousands of dollars in the process. Of course, collecting a hard to find pattern makes the thrill of the chase all that much more exciting, so it’s not all bad.

Another Depression-era Hazel Atlas product is the “Ships” or “Sportsman’s Series” line of glassware. These pieces are decorated with white decals featuring sailboats, skiers, Spanish dancers and even fish. These were primarily cocktail and occasional sets rather than complete dinnerware patterns, although you will run across a Moderntone plate with a sailboat decal occasionally.

The Price of Collecting Cobalt Blue

Most cobalt blue Depression glass pieces aren’t found for a dime a dozen anymore. This includes the popular Depression patterns mentioned above, as well as lesser known patterns.

Cobalt blue kitchenware, made by both Hocking Glass Co. and Hazel Atlas, has long been popular with collectors. It’s hard to find cobalt blue mixing bowls, refrigerator dishes and canisters in antique shops today, and when you do they won’t be reasonably priced. Collectors fare a little better shopping online, but still pay a premium for the harder to find pieces like canisters and measuring cups.

Moderately priced vintage selections in cobalt blue vary widely in variety and in price. You can still find a single Chevron milk pitcher or violin shaped bottle in this color for well under $30. Authentic Shirley Temple pieces from the Depression era can still be found for under $50 apiece. Cereal bowls bearing Shirley’s likeness are the hardest to find in excellent condition, but there are still plenty of milk pitchers available on the secondary market.

Not all cobalt blue glass choices cost such a pretty penny to own, however. You can pick up miniature vases for a few dollars each and vintage bottles that once held liquid medicines and ointments in a range of shapes for a little more. And remember, many brands of chic water and wine are being distributed in cobalt blue bottles today. Save a few of these after you’ve emptied the contents and you’ll have an attractive trash-to-treasure collection for your own window sill in no time flat.

Cobalt Blue Reproductions

Consider provenance when contemplating reproductions. If you own a piece your grandmother handed down in the family, it’s probably the real thing. But if you’re shopping for cobalt blue items now, watch for repros everywhere. Reproduction cobalt glass is usually of poor quality and can have a slightly greasy feel to it.

Shirley Temple pieces have been extensively reproduced too. The white decals are usually too bright and new looking on these pieces. It should be easy to distinguish when comparing old and new side by side, but the new decals are harder to determine in photos when shopping online. Also, be aware that the original Shirley Temple pieces are a child-sized mug, cereal bowl and milk pitcher. All other cobalt blue Shirley Temple items are reproductions.

Other reproductions in cobalt blue include eye wash cups, water decanter sets, and miniature children’s dishes mimicking Depression glass patterns that were never produced in small sizes originally. A number of Depression glass pieces like the Hocking’s Mayfair cookie jar and Miss America butter dish have been reproduced in cobalt blue, too. These shouldn’t confuse collectors, however, because the original patterns were never made in this color. Consult The Collector’s Encyclopedia of Depression Glass by Gene Florence or use the resources listed in the links above for more information.

Also be aware that many gift and craft shops carry newer cobalt blue glass that might be confused with older pieces once they reach the secondary market. There’s nothing wrong with making up a collection of these if you find them to be attractive. Pyrex even has a line of blue ovenware out that looks super mixed with older pieces on a table. Just make sure you know what you’re buying, and realize that there are many antique dealers out there who know even less than you do about collectible glass.

How to Identify Cobalt Glass

By Kimberly Johnson, eHow Contributor

Cobalt glass is any glass that has been combined with small amounts of copper and cobalt to produce a blue appearance. Cobalt glass has been discovered in ancient Babylonian sites, but it was not produced commercially until the late 1800s. Although cobalt glass is available anywhere that sells glassware, the antique cobalt blue glassware is far more valuable. Many people like to collect the antique cobalt glass for its value, while others simply prefer the look of contemporary cobalt glass on their tables.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. • Look for any type of glassware, vase, flask or jar that has a blue appearance. These are all considered to be cobalt glass. Some glass will be entirely blue, while other pieces may have a striated blue appearance. It is also common for the glass to have white swirled along with the blue.

   • Examine the saturation of the blue color within the glass. There are three basic shades of cobalt glass. The lightest shade is called cornflower blue and appears as a light blue, almost transparent color. The medium color of cobalt is a true blue color. The darkest cobalt glass is called deep cobalt and has a slight purple tinge.

   • Determine if the cobalt glass is antique or modern. Compare the cobalt glass that you have with collectors’ references to determine the value of the glass. One such reference is provided in the Resources section.

Read more: How to Identify Cobalt Glass | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_5995063_identify-cobalt-glass.html#ixzz1IK9Z3UxI

Visit my other blog site:

www.retiremehealthy.nixamo.info

Visit my websites:

www.retiremehealthy.com

www.myxango.com/dickensplanb

Since she reigned during most of the period this glass was made,
click HERE for a sweet story about Queen Victoria.

Assembled here and below are some Early American Pattern Glass toothpick holders in a variety of patterns & colors and made from a number of different kinds of glass, including opalescent, custard glass, and cased glass. Visit the Pattern Glass School for developing stories on these variations in EAPG. Be sure and visit Granny’s Pointers & Pitfalls page created especially for new collectors.

Posted from www.patternglass.com

Visit my other blog www.retiremehealthy.com

National Cambridge Collectors, Inc.  http://www.cambridgeglass.org

The Cambridge Glass Company came into being for two main reasons: the desire of the citizens of Cambridge, Ohio, to secure a new industry for their city and the desire of a location for a new glass plant being planned for by the National Glass Company, based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The site would have to be near sources of natural gas and coal, both of which Cambridge had. The citizens of Cambridge were represented by the Cambridge Improvement Company. In 1901, the two parties came to an agreement. The citizens of Cambridge would provide the site and National Glass Company would build the factory which it would own.

To open the factory, a new company, The Cambridge Glass Company was incorporated by five individuals. Three men associated with National: Myron Case. Andrew Heron, Addison Thompson; and two local individuals: Fred Rosemond and Casey Norris.

After construction began, National went looking for an individual to run the plant and head the newly formed Cambridge Glass Co. They selected Arthur J. Bennett, a native of England but a long time resident of the United States. Mr. Bennett’s background was in the field of importation and retailing of European china and glassware and was well known in the New York and Boston areas.

Construction of the plant was completed in early 1902 and in May of that year the first piece of glass, a pitcher, was produced. During the first years the ware produced by the Cambridge Glass Co. came from molds previously used by other glass companies and was typical of the glassware of the period: table sets, jugs, bowls, molasses jugs, jars, tumblers and lamps.

It was not until 1904 that the first original Cambridge line, Radium, was designed and produced. The year 1904 also saw the introduction of the first Cambridge trademark: NEARCUT. Pressed into the glass, it was also used as two words, one above the other.

From the very beginning, the Cambridge Glass Co. was an independent company that leased its facilities from the National Glass Co. Indications are that by 19O6 Mr. Bennett was the principal stockholder and hence the owner of the Cambridge Glass Co, but still did not own the physical plant.

1907 saw the financial collapse of the National Glass Company but this had no effect on the operations of the Cambridge Glass Co. and facility lease payments continued to be paid to National and its receivers. After three years of legal and financial proceeding that dissolved the National Glass Co., the Cambridge Glass Company was able to purchase the buildings in which it was operating. Now, eight years after it made its first piece of glass, Cambridge Glass Company was a completely independent company whose principal stockholder was Arthur J. Bennett. The company prospered under his ownership and around 1910 acquired the rights to the idle factory of the former Byesville Glass and Lamp Co. and expanded its operations into that plant, located a few miles south of Cambridge.

Through the early years the company operated its own coal mines and consumed many tons daily producing raw gas to fire its melting pots. In addition to the gas it produced, the factory used natural gas from its own wells and also bought gas from other well owners.

By 1920, the trend was away from the heavy pressed and imitation cut glass and toward lighter pressed and blown ware. Also by this time several etchings had entered the Cambridge line, among them Marjorie, named after Mr. Bennett’s daughter. The early 1920s saw all operations stopped at the Byesville plant with all work now being done at the main plant in Cambridge. At the beginning of 1922, a new trade mark, the now familiar letter C enclosed in a triangle, was introduced. During the early to middle 1920s a variety of opaque colors were brought into the Cambridge line, most being produced for only one to three years. Later in the 1920s transparent colors became very popular, replacing the opaques. Complete dinnerware lines, plain and etched, were being sold as was a large selection of decorative and accessory items. The company continued to produce a complete line of pharmaceutical items, a line that was continued until 1954 when the original company ceased operations.

The 1930s were prolific years. Colors such as Carmen, Royal Blue, Crown Tuscan, Heatherbloom and Forest Green were developed and brought to market. New dinnerware lines and numerous new etchings including Rose Point, became part of the Cambridge line. All this took place in spite of the effects the Great Depression had on company operations.

During its peak years, Cambridge had as many as 700 employees working three shifts with all three furnaces running at full blast. Mr. Bennett continued as company president; his son-in-law, Wilber L. Orme, was vice-president; William C. McCartney was corporate secretary and sales manager; G. Roy Boyd Was treasurer and J. C. Kelly kept the plant running as factory superintendent. In July 1939, Mr. Bennett sold his controlling interest in the company to his son-in-law, Wilber L. Orme. Mr. Bennett continued as company president until his death in February 1940.

Mr. Orme continued to develop new lines and colors. In 1950, Cambridge’s Square Pattern won top honors across the United States for its modem design. Soon, however, the demand for fine handmade glassware began to decrease and at the same time, competition from foreign and machine-made glass began taking its toll. In 1954, Mr. Orme decided to close the plant, ending one of the best and most prosperous glass companies the world has ever known.

Shortly after it ceased operations, the company was sold to a firm headed by Sidney Albert of Akron, Ohio. The plant reopened in March 1955. Sales were poor and in l956 Morrison Industries Inc., of Cleveland, Ohio, acquired possession. Sales continued to be slow and management problems grew. The company closed its doors for the final time at the end of l958. In November 1960, Imperial Glass Co. of Bellaire, Ohio, acquired the remaining assets, exclusive of the physical plant. Included in the sale to Imperial was all remaining stock, molds, etching plates and portable equipment. For a time in the l96Os, Imperial did produce Cambridge by Imperial but sales were not what was expected and the lines were discontinued.

1984 saw Imperial forced into bankruptcy and eventual liquidation of all its assets. At that time National Cambridge Collectors purchased a number of the remaining significant molds, all of the etching plates, except those for Rose Point, and other Cambridge related equipment. Glass companies such as Fenton Art Glass and the now defunct Summit Art Glass also acquired Cambridge molds.

Prior to use, Fenton altered the molds they purchased thus causing no major problems for collectors. Summit Art Glass did not and a wide array of reproductions entered the market place. Many of the pieces produced by Summit were in colors never used by Cambridge. However, some were and a few continue to cause confusion for Cambridge collectors. The Rose Point etching plates were never used and were subsequently acquired by NCC, Inc.

In 2006 NCC Inc. was able to acquire all the Cambridge molds owned by Summit Art Glass. A few insignificant Cambridge molds remain in private hands but these offer no significant problems for today’s collectors. The Cambridge molds that still remained following the Imperial liquidation were sold for scrap iron.

The Cambridge Glass Co. factory buildings met their demise in 1989 when the owner decided they had deteriorated beyond repair and were hazardous. All that remains today is a weed-filled field, a sad sight to see if you were fortunate enough to have seen the factory with its many artisans and laborers busy at their trade.

George Duncan formed the company of George Duncan & Sons, a partnership with his sons, Harry B. Duncan and James E. Duncan, and Augustus H. Heisey, the husband of his daughter, Susan. At that time the Southside of Pittsburgh was the industrial hub of the city. The factory was located just two blocks from the Monongahela River which provided an easy and cheap access, by barge, for the sand, silica and potash needed to make the glass, in addition to low cost coal for the furnaces.

One of the men who was persuaded to join the company in 1874 was John Ernest Miller, who had been in glass manufacturing for twenty years. He was foreman of the mold shop of King, Son and Company when Duncan hired him as a designer. His [George Duncan] decision was a wise one, for John Ernest Miller became internationally famous for his designs of Duncan and Miller glass during the next fifty-two years.

About 1890 The United States Glass Company succeeded in forming a glass trust by gaining control of the various Pittsburgh glass companies. Although George Duncan & Sons joined this combine, they were relieved to have the association end in 1892 when their plant was destroyed by fire. At this time Augustus Heisey decided to leave the company and start his own glass house in Newark, Ohio.

James E. Duncan Sr. had become head of the firm in 1877 when George Duncan died. He now selected a site for the new factory on Jefferson Avenue in Washington, Pennsylvania. Natural gas for the furnaces was plentiful and cheap in Washington County and the railroads replaced the barges in transporting the basic raw materials.

On January 3, 1893, the new plant was finished. The 16 Pot  Deep Eye furnace was fired up and the first pattern to be made on February 9th was reputed to be the Mitchell pattern.

The period from 1893 to the closing of the plant in 1955 is generally known as the Duncan-Miller period, although the partnership structure was not changed until November 15, 1900, when the firm was incorporated as Duncan and Miller Glass Company. At that time John Ernest Miller became a stockholder along with members of the Duncan family.

The method of making hand made glass at the Duncan & Miller Glass Company was not much different than that of the numerous small plants scattered in the tri-state area of Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia. Only the artistry of design, the skill of the workers, the batch formulas and the lovely colors have distinguished their glass from others of the time. Most pieces required that ten persons handle each piece. Some, like the famous swan, which is considered one of the finest pieces ever produced by any firm, required fourteen.

All the work…came to an abrupt end on June 13, 1955. Machines and assembly lines for making glassware made the production of fine hand made glass uneconomical and decision was made to close the plant. The inventory was advertised for sale and people came hundreds of miles to buy the last pieces of Duncan-Miller hand made glass at greatly reduced prices.

Most of the molds, machinery and equipment were sold to the U.S. Glass Company to be used by their Duncan Division to make Duncan- ware.

The plant on Jefferson Avenue was finally sold but before the new owners, Andy Bros., could move in, a fire completely destroyed the building on June 29, 1956.

Information from The National Duncan Glass Society Website

http://www.duncanmiller.net

The Pyrex story began in 1912 when borosilicate glass was first developed to withstand extremely high or low temperatures for use in railroad signal lanterns for the American Railway Company. Purely as an experiment, a research physician asked his wife to bake a cake in an adapted base of a glass lamp. She did, it withstood the heat and the rest is history. Pyrex launched its first product in 1915, a flan dish.

Over the decades, Pyrex diversified its glassware to incorporate everything from skillets and casseroles to bread pans and refrigerator dishes, literally helping to shape the way people cooked and stored food at home.

And now, all these years later, certain pieces of Pyrex are most definitely collectors’ items. Watch out for those early items – it’s not that difficult to pick up some vintage Pyrex in good condition because it has always been so durable, even with continued use.

The newer patterns though that were produced from the fifties on are catching the eye of many a collector. Patterns such as Butterprint from the 1950’s has a distinctive Amish look. Snowflake Garland is perfect for the person who decorates their kitchen in blue and white and Daisy from 1964 will brighten your day with its’ eye-catching large yellow daisies. For the purest try Pyrex’s primary colors line and mix and match solid colors such as red, yellow, green and more.

Once you have a pattern you like and your collection is starting to grow remember putting your Pyrex in the dishwasher may cause those beautiful bright colors to fade. Instead soak baked on pieces in warm soapy water and use a nylon spatula to loosen. Do not use abrasive cleaners!

You can find vintage Pyrex at your local flea markets, thrift shops, antique malls and of course the internet.

In 1880 a significant development occurred in the American glass making history when Harry Northwood & his glass making talents, emigrated from England to the United States. Harry, from a long line of glass artisans, was a very talented young man & was astute in business. He quickly found that his “forte” was an ability to capture the expectations of the American glass consumer & then supply the exact items to satisfy the needs. The first of his many companies was founded in 1888 and the production of fine glass continued under his guidance until his death in 1923.

In England the George Davidson & Co. was one of the more significant glass manufacturing companies, founded in 1867 when George recognized there was a shortage of oil lamp chimneys. In 1889 Davidson introduced one of their most successful and popular lines of opalescent glass, a colour which they called “pearline”. It was only made in two colours, blue & lemon yellow, each with a white edge. Pearline glass was so successful that Davidson introduced new designs almost every year until 1903 & continued pearline production until the outbreak of the First World War. British glass is virtually always marked with a registration number which registers that pattern, identifies the manufacture & the date of registration.

There are three kinds of glass known as opalescent. One is blue-tinged, semi-opaque or clear glass with milky opalescence in the center. The colour is produced by the slow cooling of the molten glass in those parts that are thick causing some crystallization inside the glass. This contemporary opalescent glass was first produced in the 1920s and 30s by companies in France such as Lalique, Sabino and Jobling.

Founded by Bob Page in 1981, Replacements, Ltd. (located in Greensboro, NC). Their 455,800 square foot facilities (the size of seven football fields!) house an incredible inventory of 13.5 million pieces in more than 330,000 patterns, some over 100 years old! They add thousands of items to their site each day.

You can replace broken or missing pieces, or entire sets. You can check out their website at www.replacements.com or call the on their toll free  number 1-800-REPLACE (1-800-737-5223) 8am – 10pm ET, 7 days!

Their  Showroom is open from 9am to 7pm ET, 7 days a week with free tours available from 9:30am to 6:00pm ET. The Showroom and Museum are conveniently located between Greensboro and Burlington, NC, at exit 132 off Interstate 85/40.

Info furnished from:  www.replacements.com

Carnival glass is essentially patterned glass that has been press-molded and sprayed with metallic solutions to produce an iridescent effect. The glass was pressed with a mechanical process, but then subsequently hand-fashioned into final shapes by craftsmen. Consequently, most pieces have their own unique characteristics.

Carnival Glass was originally sold for a few cents per piece (or given away), and advertised with names like “Pompeian Iridescent,” “Venetian Art,” and “Mexican Aurora.” It later spread around the world and has been called names ranging from “Nancy glass” to “Baking Powder glass” to “Poor Man’s Tiffany.”

Info from: http://www.collectorsweekly.com/glassware/carnival-glass

www.collectorsweekly.com