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| Depression Glass in a color called Amberina. |
Once I was bitten by the depression glass bug, I was easily pulled into a glass world with a kaleidoscope of colors and patterns galore. The experience was at first just curiosity, then it became like taking a step back into time, in the late 1920's and 1930's. Depression Glass is called such because collectors generally associate it with mass produced glassware made the years surrounding the great depression. The glass at this time came in pink, yellow, crystal or green. The majority of business that made this glass had been established well before the depression set in. Names that you may recognize, such as Federal Glass, Hazel Atlas, and U.S. Glass are just a few that were already in business. In the late 1890's some of the smaller glasshouses formed a consortium that combined factories, companies and the technologies for producing glass.
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| Carnival Glass by Northwood. |
Automation processes and advancements in glassware technology increased production of many depression era patterns and allowed the creation of inexpensive and quickly made colorful glass pieces, Even in an era when economic times were harsh. Sears and Roebuck offered these inexpensive glass pieces in the publics favorite patterns packed in boxes of soap or as premiums given at movie theaters "dish nights" Other companies soon followed when there was a particular pattern found pleasing to the public and created a host of their own interpretation of the pattern.
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| Top of a Depression Glass oval footed fruit bowl. |
Emerging from the great depression, more elegant shapes in glassware became popular. The new glass was aptly named elegant glass and often made by companies such as Fostoria and Heisey. The consistency to the glass was much better and these pieces were largely finished by hand. This raised the quality and the price. Macy's was one department store that carried this finer glass, although now when talking about depression-era glass elegant patterns are also included in depression era glassware.
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| Iridescent Jeanette glass candy dish |
