The glass is made with uranium oxide, which gives it its unique color. The production of this glass took place when healthy standards were lower and knowledge was limited. Check the thickness. The handles unscrew so that cold water or ice can be added. Depression glass cannot be eaten or drank off. The blue is not cobalt, I dont believe as not that dark, but not light blue. Common depression glass colors include amber, blue, pink, and green. It is a timeless piece of decor and is a great way to preserve history. I think the blue sherbet shown in the metal holder is Royal Lace pattern. This pattern is called Adam. When the plate registered as radioactive, someone at the school panicked and called in a hazmat team. They were meant for daily use and used in American households as such, which meant that pieces today show their years of wear. I'm wondering if you've ever looked into whether "Depression glass" is toxic to eat off of. Hmm. NRC is the federal agency charged with ensuring that the United States has the safest and most . A small uranium-glass pitcher (left) and uranium glass plates (right). When ingested, Uranium can be extremely harmful to your lungs, in extreme cases its consumption can lead to lung cancer. All Rights Reserved. You can search for accredited members on their site: https://www.isa-appraisers.org/find-an-appraiser, I have a white (milk) glass rolling pin that has a seam running down the two sides of the roller. Do they still make Vaseline glass? Because the glass is so thin and old, authentic pink Depression Glass will likely have scratches and chips on both the interior and exterior of the glass. Pink Depression Glass was made from the 1920s to the mid-1940s. A 10-inch dinner plate, for instance, was valued at $16 in the '80s, but sells for $35 today. We dont know about you, but we find the concept of glowing (albeit radioactive) glassware super cool heres a video of it under black light to see what it looks like! Yep, thats right, you want the pieces that arent perfect. Do you know it? A gift guide from the Atlas Obscura team. If you want to determine if your pink Depression Glass is authentic and how valuable it is, useThe Collectors Encyclopedia of Depression Glass by Gene and Cathy Florenceor theKovels Antique Price Guide. It has a lot of appeal as a collectible item because of its role in the typical World War II household. The Depression certainly marked the end of the glamorous, champagne-filled Roaring '20s era of excess, but that doesn't mean everything during that period was drab and colorless. Tinged varying shades of yellow, Vaseline glass can have an oily sheen to it, and is generally, although not always, translucent. As a health physicist, he feels it is part of his job to make sure the public understands the difference. I am now wondering whether it is okay to eat off of, so I just did an internet search and feel unclear about the answer. To this day, pink is still one of the most popular colors of Depression Glass. Some breeds, like the Old English Sheepdog or Great Dane, will grow to become larger in size than most people. Alternatively, you can find lots of pieces in the same pattern. However, Depression Glass is still safe to collect and use for decoration. This workhorse kitchen appliance will look good as new if you follow these expert-approved steps. Jeannette Glassware, originally Jeannette Bottle Works, was founded in 1888. Id love to get you started with some tips! You can see the difference between lights on/lights off in this picture.. I have recently received several light blue plates and a bowl with all of the classic examples of depression glass except the stray marks underneath . However, that result would vary depending on the hue of pink glass you have. A good place to look is replacements.com, that should give you a basic idea of what you might get. Logged. Except 4 light pink with no pattern on them. Id love to hear what you come up with! A variety of different companies released pink Depression Glass, but these companies released the colored glass at different times and in different patterns and shades. Some sets in the Miss America patterned pink Depression Glass sell for $500 and even up to $1,000 or more. That sounds beautiful though. 9 Dog Breeds That Look Like Puppies Even When They're Fully Grown. "There are just too many glasses out there for one collector to get them all," says Michael Kelly, co-author of Collectible Drinking Glasses: Identification and Values. Eating glass could result in serious harm to organs as well as the throat if not done properly. The higher the radiation count, the more they like it, says Dan. The new versions of the old patterns are fairly convincing, but there are some great resources, like realorrepro.com, that cover each and every difference. As with other Depression Glass items, the larger and more unique items are generally worth a lot more than plates and bowls. Dispose of any broken radioactive antiques. At another, Dan says, he shined a blacklight and watched the entire store light up. I don't want to trash it without knowing anything for sure, given that it was a gift and it's lovely to look at. You don't have to give your house a top-to-bottom scrub before guests arrive, but there are a few areas you should pay attention to. Shattered depression glass is not fun to pick . A cake plate could sell for as little as $13, a sugar bowl for $7, and an attractive footed tumbler for $25. Offer available only in the U.S. (including Puerto Rico). The owner immediately marked up those items prices. If your pink Depression Glass is thin, then it is likely authentic. It has distinctive a distinctive knob pattern and comes in a variety of colors. One shelf is all pink, one is all yellow, and one is all green (and I discovered yesterday ever single green piece glows under a black light!). Pink Depression glass came in everything from servingware to stemware, but wine, champagne, and water goblets are some of the most collectible items. It's not a good idea to put this glass in the microwave because it was made before the invention. There are 3 (ish) tell-tale signs that your depression glass is real: Bonus points if you find scratches! It may be true that there is so little uranium or arsenic in the glass that its not a problem. Hello Rachael . Some additional research studies have . if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'antiqueanswers_com-large-leaderboard-2','ezslot_10',165,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-antiqueanswers_com-large-leaderboard-2-0'); Depression glass is a type of dinnerware that was mass-produced in the 1920s and 1930s. You can identify the pattern by using one of the many books on the topic. All Depression Glass was originally cheap and often given out for free. Deck yourself out in green and celebrate everything Irish with our absolute favorite St. Patrick's Day recipes for brunch and dinner. Great question! Related: A Guide to Collecting Vintage PyrexPlus, How Much It's Worth. These are archives of Q&A asked by readers and answered by Debra Lynn Dadd (from 2005-2019) or Lisa Powers (from 2019-2020). In the 1930s, when Depression glass was created, scientists didnt fully understand the dangers of uranium and radioactive materials. Many of you are probably wondering what Depression glass is. Can I actually use my uranium glass soap dish, or is it only for display? Have fun searching! Unfortunately, I am not very well versed in much other than Depression Glass. It's not a good idea to put this glass in the microwave because it was made before the invention. Wares from back then were made from the actual metals (zinc, tin, lead, alloys combined) and are not safe for consumption now. Pink Depression Glass that is authentic often has floral or geometric patterns. Pink Depression Glass typically has a large amount of vibrant pigment in it, so even if pink glass did have uranium embedded inside, it likely wouldnt show very well in the dark. Thank you for the article and info here. On the other hand, a rare uranium glass piece can set you back $10,000+. When the Great Depression plummeted the country's market, costly glassware fell out of favor among consumers. These vibrant dishes helped cheer up Americans during a bleak time. As long as it goes to a good home and the . Depression Glass that has the Princess pattern has a distinguished scalloped pattern, so it is easy to determine whether or not your pink Depression Glass has the Princess pattern on the exterior. This includes the popular Depression patterns mentioned above, as well as lesser-known patterns such as Aurora. Blue but not the same.and the lid has a slightly different pattern. Kids are inheriting grandmas old glassware and it goes straight to Goodwill. If you have inherited any yellow or green antique glassware, theres a good chance it glows. In terms of Uranium glass's radioactivity, while pieces from the late 19th and early 20th centuries were made of 2-25% uranium, their level of radioactivity is still negligible in the long run; people are exposed to radioactive materials on a daily basis, and while we wouldn't recommend eating, (Source). Many different companies made pink Depression Glass, especially because it was an extremely popular color. AU $12.50 postage. Fortunately, some specialty dog breeds are mixed to look like puppies throughout their entire livesand they are sure to melt your heart the second you lay your eyes on them. Ive been collecting pink depression glass for forty plus years! Consider supporting our work by becoming a member for as little as $5 a month. My wife Mary has been collecting this depression glass for 30+ years, she likes the cobalt blue dark blue kitchen ware and the colored ring patterns from Hocking. You can get an idea of value on sites like replacements.com for perfect condition pieces, although its just a ballpark idea of what your piece would be worth at the most. Tip #4. Manufacturers mass-produced these pieces speedily, which meant that imperfections were common: bubbles, molding flaws, and inconsistent coloring. The Mayfair and Princess patterns were incredibly popular Depression Glass patterns, and dishes that have the Mayfair pattern can be extremely valuable depending on the color of the glass. The Fastest-Growing Trees to Plant in Your Garden. Among the companies that did mark their glass was Heisey, whose brand was an "H" inside a diamond shape. Call Studio Antiques now at 310-322 -3895 to see what is presently in the shop! Life, natural path, raw eating, gardening, etc. Pink depression with the Mayfair pattern is somewhat valuable, as this pattern was common. We do know from lead crystal that minerals can leach out of glass into food and then into bodies when the food is eaten. Many avid collectors will display their Depression glass with glass cabinets that have blacklights shining onto the glass. But the other side of the coin is not a problem for who? I love adding new pieces or replacing chipped ones with ones that look new. AU$48.00. There are some very gorgeous pieces of depression glass out there. All Rights Reserved. Some food manufacturers and distributors wanted to put up an incentive to boost their sales, so they came up with the idea of including a piece of glassware in food boxes. Near the end of World War II, Uranium glass fell out of production in the U.S. when uranium was restricted to nuclear-weapons development. (NNSA) and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) are responsible for the safety and security of the nation's nuclear weapons stockpile. Also known as canary or vaseline glass, uranium glass is typically yellow or green in color and glows bright green under a black light. "The Daze," a newspaper devoted to Depression glass, and books like The Collector's Encyclopedia of Depression Glass by Gene Florence will help get you started. I love the pattern because it looks like a quilt pattern called Tumbling Blocks.. The reproductions are very convincing, but there are a couple of ways to sniff out impostors. Manufacturers didnt want to waste materials, so all glassware was thin. If youre a collector or interested in starting a collection of Uranium glass, it can be hard to know how to start your search, especially when there are so many beautiful glass pieces out there. Would you eat from something that glows under black light and is RADIOACTIVE??? The condition and rarity of your pink Depression Glass piece are the main determining factors of its value. Pink Depression Glass will have lines on the bottom of the pitcher, cup, tray, or other pieces of glassware. By Caroline Eubanks. If you care about distinguishing the two in your search, Uranium glass is any glass that has uranium in it and can be yellow or green in color. As far as value is concerned, Id suggest having it appraised to be sure. Even in small doses, they have the potential to be harmful. Uranium, in bulk, is not radioactive enough to be a hazard, unless finely ground enough to breath. Extreme training must be done in order for your body to allow eating glass, and one must first chew up all small pieces before swallowing. Chocolate. Also saw a clear glass one that has a cow on top. Depression Glass was made to be used and eaten off of, so companies made sure that it was safe to use. Reproduction glass is more "perfect" than real . The amount of uranium in uranium glass (aka vaseline glass) is at trace level. Find 13 patterns that you adore. Pink is the most commonly found color of Depression glass available today, followed by green. To Collecting Vintage PyrexPlus, How Much it 's worth America patterned pink Depression with the Mayfair pattern is valuable. Uranium-Glass pitcher ( left ) and uranium glass plates ( right ) and eaten off of the same.and the has... That glows under black light and is a Great way to preserve history '' inside a diamond shape to. 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Is at trace level kids are inheriting grandmas Old glassware and it goes straight to Goodwill would... Much it 's worth clear glass one that has a cow on top count. Pink is still safe to collect and use for decoration of colors by using one of pitcher.