| If you are old enough, perhaps you remember seeing some beautiful and different types of dishes in your mothers’ or grandmothers’ cupboards or china cabinets. You probably didn’t think much about them at the time. I doubt that many thought they would become valuable one day. Especially the colored glassware and those without a manufactures mark. But, as history proves the rarer an item becomes its value increases. The following is a short history of this unusual, beautiful glassware, some of which will never again be produced due to the changes in manufacturing standards. Depression glass was the first machine-produced glassware in America – it was mass made and distributed nationally making it very abundant and affordable. It first came on the scene in 1929 and continued to be sold through the end of World War II. Many companies used this glassware as a promotional item so they might remind you of a cereal box, a gas station or who knows what and where. Manufacturers invested large sums for machinery prior to 1929 to make Depression glass. Prior to this era glass was hand blown, cut and seamless. Nineteen companies made Depression glass using plain glass and ornamental glass in various designs like the strawberry glass and the glass varied in color from clear to cobalt blue, cranberry glass, carnival, jadeite, slag – purple, sage, and variations, clear green, blue, and popular pink. Many times designs were used to cover flaws in the glass. Blue Willow became a popular pattern also. Found in Burma in the 1700’s Jadeite is one of two minerals called jade.For centuries it has been used in China and Central America as an ornamental and religious stone of deep significance and with Depression glass can be found in butter dishes, jars, many hen dishes and even jewelry. It can be different shades of green and even white. Jade green milk glass, or "jadite" has been made since the beginning of the twentieth century, but the word itself was coined by the Jeannette Glass Company in the 1930's. Carnival glass really was given away at the carnival when it was new in the early 1900s. Not everyone liked the fact that the origin of the glass was carnival-related as carnival people did not always have a good reputation, yet carnivals were still popular as were the glass dishes. Among the most highly prized and expensive carnival glass colors today are red and pastels like aqua, peach, and ice blue. Fenton made the first pieces of carnival glass in 1908, but Northwood was the only company that consistently marked its wares. By the end of 1930 automated molding methods were coming into use and the end of an era was on its way. Today there are many reproductions due to the rarity of originals which have drive up the cost. |