What is Depression glass?
Depression glass is the colorful everyday glassware of the Great Depression, made roughly 1929 to 1939. It was machine-pressed, mostly in the Ohio River Valley, where raw materials and power were cheap. More than twenty companies made over a hundred patterns, some as full dinner sets.
A lot of it was handed out to get people to buy something else. Quaker Oats and other food companies packed pieces in their boxes, and some movie theaters and businesses gave it to customers. Collectors have been chasing it since the 1960s.
Who made Depression glass?
The big names include Hocking (later Anchor Hocking), Federal, Hazel-Atlas, Indiana, Jeannette, MacBeth-Evans and U.S. Glass, along with Imperial, L.E. Smith, McKee, Paden City and Westmoreland. A few well-known patterns: Federal's Madrid, Indiana's Avocado and U.S. Glass's Strawberry.
What colors is Depression glass?
The common colors are pink, green, amber, pale blue and clear (collectors say crystal). Less common colors include yellow (canary), ultramarine, jadeite, delphite, cobalt blue, ruby red, black, amethyst, monax and white. Some patterns were made in only a few colors, so a pattern in a color it was never made in is a red flag.
How to identify Depression glass
Most Depression glass carries no maker's mark, so identification is mostly pattern detective work:
- Pattern: match the design against a reference such as Gene and Cathy Florence's Depression glass guides, which show patterns, pieces and colors.
- Color: compare the exact shade. Reproductions often get the color slightly wrong.
- Detail: original raised patterns are usually crisp. Faint, mushy detail deserves a closer look.
- Wear: plates, bowls and bases that have been used for decades show fine scratches on flat surfaces and foot rims.
- Production quirks: this was cheap, fast glass, so small bubbles, mold seams and wavy "straw marks" on some pieces are normal, not flaws.
What is the difference between Depression glass and Elegant glass?
Collectors separate everyday Depression glass from "Elegant glass," the better-quality glassware of the same era. Elegant glass was often hand-finished, with polished mold seams and cut, etched or painted decoration, and it was sold through jewelry and department stores from the 1920s into the 1950s. Makers include Cambridge, Fenton, Fostoria, Heisey, Imperial, Morgantown and New Martinsville.
How do you spot Depression glass reproductions?
Popular patterns have been reproduced, and some still are. Companies also reissued their own patterns. The National Depression Glass Association's 1978 review of reissues notes that Federal brought back Madrid in 1976 as "Recollection," with a 76 added to each piece, and that Indiana reissued Avocado in 1976 in new colors including dark pink and deep amethyst.
The best defense is a good reference book: if the color, size or detail doesn't match what the pattern was originally made in, ask questions before you buy.
Does Depression glass glow under a blacklight?
Some does. Certain Depression glass contains uranium and glows green under UV, which is why green pieces often end up in uranium glass collections. Plenty of green Depression glass doesn't glow at all, so the only way to know is to test each piece with a 365nm UV flashlight in a dark room.
Is Depression glass worth anything?
Common pieces in common patterns are usually inexpensive, which is part of the charm. Rare patterns, unusual colors, hard-to-find pieces and excellent condition bring much more. Check rims, feet and lid edges for chips, look for cloudiness in pitchers and tumblers, and compare recently sold listings for the same pattern, color and piece.
Hand wash it, and avoid sudden temperature changes. It was cheap glass, but it's old glass now.
Depression glass on our shows
When Depression-era glass comes up on our Whatnot shows, the green pieces go under the UV light on camera, and the rims, feet and bases are shown up close so you can judge the wear and condition for yourself.
FAQ
What years is Depression glass from?
Roughly 1929 to 1939, the years of the Great Depression. Some companies kept making popular patterns after World War II, and some patterns were later reproduced.
Is Depression glass marked?
Usually not. Most Depression glass is identified by pattern and color, using a reference guide, rather than by a maker's mark.
Does all green Depression glass glow?
No. Some contains uranium and glows green under UV, and plenty doesn't. Test each piece with a 365nm UV flashlight.
How can you tell Depression glass from a reproduction?
Compare the color, size and pattern detail against a Depression glass reference. Reproductions often have the wrong shade, weaker detail, or come in colors the original pattern was never made in.