Bright Spots in Dark Times: Depression Glass is Still a Collector’s Dream

Introduction to Despair Glass

Despair glass was just like the Instagram filter of the Nice Despair—popping up in all its vibrant, colourful glory when the world desperately wanted somewhat brightness. Born within the Nineteen Twenties and ’30s, this mass-produced, usually free glassware was tucked into cereal containers or handed out at film theaters. With its array of colours—like minty inexperienced, child pink, and sunshine yellow—and complex patterns, it’s the type of kitchenware that makes you assume, “Positive, I’m broke, however no less than my sugar bowl is fabulous.” 

Immediately, collectors scour vintage retailers and flea markets for these retro gems, every bit a small reminder that even in onerous occasions, somewhat sparkle goes a good distance. 

Recognizing Widespread Patterns

One of many cooler facets of gathering Despair glass is studying to acknowledge the assorted patterns produced. Like Anchor Hocking’s “Cameo/Ballerina,” with its distinctive feminine dancer with swirling veils, swags, and florals, and Federal Glass Firm’s “Georgian Lovebirds” that includes the 2 lovebirds alternating with baskets. Collectors usually search these designs, and also you don’t should be an skilled to start out recognizing the completely different items. There are a number of dependable reference books, such because the Collector’s Encyclopedia of Despair Glass or Warman’s Despair Glass Handbook obtainable. A superb on-line reference website is the Nationwide Despair Glass Affiliation. Over time, you’ll discover that recognizing patterns at flea markets, storage gross sales, and vintage retailers turns into a lot simpler.

The Great thing about Colours

Despair glass is just like the chameleon of classic tableware—coming in colours so vibrant, you’d assume it was attempting to compensate for the gloomy financial period it was born into. From the cheery pastel pinks to the plush and glowing greens that made your grandma’s Jell-O salad look much more questionable, this glass had one mission: brightening up even essentially the most miserable kitchen. Consider it because the early Twentieth-century model of temper lighting—as a substitute of LED bulbs, you get a translucent flash of amber or cobalt blue reflecting off your tuna casserole.

In fact, not all Despair glass colours had been created equal. Take the yellow, for instance—it is just like the sunny luminescence of grandma’s lemon bars however with a slight radioactive glow (due to that sneaky uranium oxide utilized in manufacturing). After which there’s the uncommon black Despair glass, which screams, “I am elegant, but in addition in all probability haunted.” Collectors hunt these elusive items in hopes of including somewhat additional classic aptitude—and perhaps some supernatural appeal—to their properties.

Studying About Producers

Figuring out Despair glass producers is like taking part in detective in a noir movie—if, in fact, the detectives had been extra desirous about glass patterns than fixing crimes. You’ve received to be half sleuth, half historian, and somewhat obsessive about tiny particulars. Take the legendary MacBeth-Evans Glass Firm, identified for its iconic Monax “American Sweetheart” sample, or Hazel Atlas with its well-known cobalt “Royal Lace” design–both simple to identify as soon as you already know what you are in search of. However beware, not all clues are so apparent—typically it’s a delicate curve right here or a telltale mould mark there that offers the sport away. It’s principally CSI: Glass Version, minus the crime scene, however with charming, typically irradiated, sherbet dishes added. 

Getting Began with Gathering

Beginning a Despair glass assortment is like diving headfirst right into a treasure hunt, besides as a substitute of gold, you are after translucent inexperienced salad plates and radioactive sugar bowls that appear to be they belong in an Artwork Deco museum. The joys of the chase is half the enjoyable—stalking flea markets, storage gross sales, and thrift shops like a hawk with a caffeine buzz whereas hoping to identify that elusive pink glass platter value greater than your final paycheck. It’s a sport of endurance, however once you lastly spot that mint-condition caprice blue cruet set, it’ll really feel such as you’ve simply received the pastel lottery.

In fact, getting began isn’t so simple as simply grabbing any previous glassware. You’ve received to do your homework—be taught the patterns, the colours, and learn how to spot a replica attempting to cross itself off as the actual deal. However don’t fear; the excellent news is, in contrast to effective china or Fabergé eggs, you’ll be able to truly afford to make a couple of rookie errors right here. And hey, for those who unintentionally purchase a bit that seems to be a dud, you’ve no less than received a unusual new sweet dish, proper? Simply keep in mind: the enjoyable is within the hunt, and every bit of Despair glass you add to your assortment is like capturing somewhat slice of historical past—one classic goblet at a time. Professional tip: Remember to convey your black gentle flashlight.

That will help you in your Despair glass gathering journey, we have compiled a complete checklist of in style Despair glass patterns categorized by their respective producers.

Anchor Hocking Glass Firm

Block Optic (1929–1933) Inexperienced, pink, yellow, crystal, and a few blue.

Bubble (1940–1965) All Anchor Hocking colours.

Cameo “Ballerina” (1930–1934) Inexperienced, yellow, crystal, and pink.

Lace Edge (Nineteen Thirties) Pink, and a few crystal.

Mayfair “Open Rose” (1931–1937) Inexperienced, blue, yellow, and crystal.

Miss America (1935–1938) Crystal, pink, some inexperienced, ice blue, and pink. The 6-1.4” berry bowl has appeared in cobalt blue.

Princess (1931–1935) Inexperienced, topaz, apricot yellow, pink, and blue.

Queen Mary (1936–1949) Crystal, pink and restricted ruby pink.

Royal Ruby (1938–Sixties) Ruby pink.

Cambridge Glass Firm

Apple Blossom (Nineteen Thirties) Amber, pink, cobalt blue, caprice blue, emerald, darkish inexperienced, yellow, ebony, and crystal.

Blossom Time (1939-1946) Crystal, black, crystal with gold, and black with gold.

Caprice (1936–1953) Crystal.

Chantilly (1938-1958) Crystal (commonest), not often black, typically with gold.

Cleo (early Nineteen Thirties) Blue, inexperienced, amber, pink, and crystal.

Decagon (Nineteen Thirties) Pink, blue, amber, inexperienced, Carmen, and amethyst.

Martha Washington (Nineteen Thirties) Crystal (commonest), amber, royal blue, forest inexperienced, ruby, “Gold Krystol” – gentle yellowish coloration, “Heatherbloom” – a light-weight lavender.

Rose Level (1932–1953) Crystal (commonest), not often: amber with gold, Carmen (pink), Crown Tuscan (creamy, opaque hue that ranges from gentle pink to darkish tan, typically with gold), and black, usually with gold.

Federal Glass Firm

Colonial Fluted (1933–1939) Inexperienced, crystal, and pink; white within the Nineteen Fifties.

Columbia 1938-1942) Pink and crystal.

Diana (1937–1941) Pink, amber, and crystal.

Georgian Lovebirds (1931–1936) Inexperienced and crystal.

Madrid (1932–1939) Inexperienced, pink, amber, crystal, and “Madonna” blue.

Mayfair (1931–1937) Crystal, amber, and inexperienced.

Normandie “Bouquet and Lattice” (1933–1939) Iridescent, amber, pink, and crystal.

Patrician “Spoke” (1933–1937) Pink, inexperienced, amber (Golden Glo) and yellow.

Raindrops (1927-1933) Inexperienced and crystal.

Rosemary “Dutch Rose” (1935–1937) Amber, inexperienced, pink, and a few iridized.

Sharon “Cabbage Rose” (1935–1939) Pink, inexperienced, amber, and a few crystal.

Thumbprint 1927-1930) Inexperienced.

Sylvan (1931-1932) Inexperienced, pink, crystal, amber, and blue.

Hazel-Atlas Glass Firm

Aurora (1937-1938) Inexperienced, pink, crystal, and cobalt.

Cloverleaf (1930-1936) Inexperienced, pink, crystal, yellow, and black.

Colonial Block (Early 30s) Inexperienced, pink, crystal, cobalt, and black.

Florentine No. 1 & No. 2 “Poppy” (1932–1935) No. 1: Pink, inexperienced, yellow, crystal, and cobalt. No. 2: Pink, inexperienced, yellow, crystal, ice blue, and a few cobalt.

Fruits (1931-1935) Inexperienced, pink, crystal, and iridescent.

Moderntone (1934–1942, late Nineteen Forties–early Nineteen Fifties) Amethyst, cobalt blue, some crystal, pink, and platonite fired on colours.

New Century – incorrectly “Lydia Ray” (Nineteen Thirties) Inexperienced, some crystal, pink, amethyst, and cobalt.

Newport (1936-1940) Pink, white/milk, cobalt, and amethyst.

Ovide – incorrectly dubbed “New Century” (1923–Nineteen Thirties) Inexperienced, black, and white platonite trimmed with fired-on colours within the Nineteen Fifties.

Ribbon (1930-1931) Inexperienced, Pink, crystal, and black.

Ripple (Nineteen Thirties) Inexperienced, pink, and crystal.

Royal Lace (1934–1941) Cobalt blue, crystal, inexperienced, pink, and a few amethyst.

Royal Lace (1934–1941) Cobalt blue, pink, inexperienced, crystal, and a few amethyst.

Ships (Late Nineteen Thirties) Cobalt and crystal.

Starlight (1938-1940) Pink, crystal, white/milk, and cobalt.

Heisey Glass Firm

Crystolite (1937-1953) Crystal.

Empress (1930–1932) Flamino (pastel rose-pink), Moongleam (vivid inexperienced), Sahara (lemon-yellow), cobalt, and Alexandrite (lavender that modifications coloration beneath completely different lighting).

Orchid (1940–1957) Crystal, Flamingo, Moongleam, Sahara, Hawthorne, and Alexandrite.

Ridgeleigh (1936-1939) Crystal, Flamingo, Moongleam, Sahara, Hawthorne, and Alexandrite.

Yeoman (1931–1937) Crystal, Flamingo, Moongleam, Sahara, Alexandrite, and Hawthorne (a light-weight lavender).

Indiana Glass Firm

Avocado (1923–1933) Pink, inexperienced, crystal, and white.

Christmas Sweet (Nineteen Fifties) Teal and crystal.

Daisy (Nineteen Thirties – Nineteen Seventies) Crystal, amber, darkish inexperienced, and milk glass.

Horseshoe #612 (1930-1933) Inexperienced, pink, crystal, and yellow.

Indiana Custard (1933-1935) Custard and white/milk.

Lorain #615 (1929-1932) Inexperienced, crystal, and yellow.

Outdated English (1935–1939) Inexperienced, amber, some pink, crystal, forest inexperienced.

Pineapple and Floral (1932–1937) Clear, inexperienced, amber, pink and a few cobalt blue and iridescent.

Pretzel (Late Nineteen Thirties – Nineteen Seventies) Crystal, blue, amber, and teal.

Pyramid #610 (1926-1932) Inexperienced, pink, crystal, and yellow.

Sandwich Crystal (late Nineteen Twenties–current), Amber (late Nineteen Twenties–Nineteen Seventies), Pink (late Nineteen Twenties–early Nineteen Thirties), Crimson (1933–Nineteen Seventies), Teal Blue (Nineteen Fifties), Mild Inexperienced (Nineteen Thirties).

Tea Room (1926–1931) Pink, inexperienced, amber, and a few crystal.

Teardrop and Dot (1937–early Nineteen Fifties) Inexperienced, blue, pink, white, and flashed pink and yellow.

Vernon #616 (1930-1932) Inexperienced, crystal, and yellow.

Jeannette Glass Firm

Adam (1930–1936) Pink, inexperienced, crystal, yellow, and a few Delphite blue.

Anniversary (1947–1949) Pink, crystal, and iridescent.

Cherry Blossom (1930–1939) Pink, inexperienced, Delphite blue, crystal, Jadite, and pink.

Dice (1929-1933) Inexperienced, pink, crystal, amber, yellow, blue, and white/milk.

Doric and Pansy (1937–1938) Pink, inexperienced, some Delphite blue, and yellow.

Floragold “Louisa” (Nineteen Forties–Nineteen Seventies) Iridescent, some shell pink, ice blue, and crystal.

Floral “Poinsettia” (1931–1935) Pink, inexperienced, Delphite blue, crystal, Jadite, crystal, amber yellow, and pink.

Harp (1954–1957) Crystal, crystal with gold trim, some shell pink, and ice blue.

Hex Optic (1928-1932) Inexperienced, pink, and teal.

Vacation “Buttons and Bows” (1947–1949) Pink, iridescent, some shell pink opaque and crystal.

Homespun (1938-1940) Pink and crystal.

Iris and Herringbone (1928–1932) Inexperienced, pink, and crystal.

Sierra (1931-1933) Inexperienced, pink, and teal.

Sunburst (Late Nineteen Thirties) Crystal.

Sunflower (Nineteen Thirties) Pink, inexperienced, some Delphite blue, and a few opaques.

Swirl (1937-1938) Pink, amber, blue, Delphine, and teal.

Windsor (1936-1946) Inexperienced, pink, crystal, blue, darkish inexperienced, and Delphite.

Macbeth-Evans Glass Firm

American Sweetheart (1930–1936) Monax (a skinny, translucent white glass), pink, ruby, blue, Cremax (cream-colored ware that’s opaque within the heart fading to translucent on the edges with piecrust edge), color-rimmed Monax.

Cremex (Late1930s-Nineteen Forties) White/milk.

Chinex Basic (Nineteen Thirties–Nineteen Forties) Ivory and ivory with decal ornament.

Crystal Leaf (1928) Pink, inexperienced, and crystal.

Dogwood “Apple Blossom” “Wild Rose” (1929–1932) Pink, inexperienced, some crystal, Monax, Cremax, and yellow.

Petalware (1930–Nineteen Forties) Monax, Cremax, pink, crystal, cobalt, fired-on pink, blue, inexperienced, and yellow.

U.S. Glass Firm

Aunt Polly (Late Nineteen Twenties) Blue, inexperienced, and iridescent.

Cherryberry (1928-1931) Inexperienced, pink, crystal, and iridescent.

Floral and Diamond Band (1927-1931) Inexperienced, pink, crystal, black, and iridescent.

Floral Backyard & Butterfly (Late Nineteen Twenties) Inexperienced, pink, crystal, amber, yellow, and black.

Primo (1932) Inexperienced and yellow.

Strawberry (1937–1931) Inexperienced, pink, crystal, and iridescent.

US Swirl (late Nineteen Twenties) Inexperienced, pink, crystal, and iridescent.

Reproductions

The next patterns have been made as reproductions. The reference guide Collector’s Encyclopedia of Despair Glass options a superb part that may help you in figuring out whether or not you could have an unique or a repro.

Adam (Jeanette) – Made in Korea and supplied by St. Louis Importing Firm. Butter dish solely.

Avocado (Indiana) – Tiara Exclusives Line in 1979 in pink, frosted pink, yellow, blue, pink, amethyst, and inexperienced.

Cameo (Anchor Hocking) – Mosser: inexperienced, pink, cobalt blue salt and pepper shakers and yellow, inexperienced, and pink kid’s dishes.

Cherry Blossom (Jeanette) – A number of producers are reproducing this sample in inexperienced, pink, blue, Delphite, cobalt, pink, and iridized colours. This sample has been reproduced so usually that there are reproductions of the reproductions, and the items are too quite a few to checklist right here.

Madrid (Indiana Glass) – At the moment known as “Recollections” by Indiana Glass. Reproductions are being manufactured in colours unavailable within the unique items. The items are too quite a few to checklist right here.

Mayfair (Federal Glass Firm) – Cobalt blue, pink, and an odd shade of inexperienced (salt and pepper shakers), pink, inexperienced, blue, cobalt (shot glasses), and pink, inexperienced amethyst, cobalt blue (cookie jars).

New “Miss America” (Anchor Hocking) – Varied importers. Crystal, inexperienced, pink, ice blue, pink amberina, and cobalt blue. The items are too quite a few to checklist right here.

New “Sandwich” (Indiana) – Tiara Unique Line. Amber, smokey blue, pink, crystal, and inexperienced. The items are too quite a few to checklist right here.

New “Sharon” (Privately produced 1976) – Mayfair blue, darkish inexperienced, gentle inexperienced, pink, and burnt umber. The items are too quite a few to checklist right here.

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