An Introduction to Depression Glass

Depression glass is colored glassware that was cheaply machine manufactured from molds during the depression years of the late 1920's and early 1930's. During the depression era there were several glass manufacturing companies. The color, and the number of items made for each pattern varied from company to company. During this time there were hundreds of different patterns and styles, and dozens of colors produced. Some of the colors are: amber, pink, blue, red, yellow, white, and crystal. The most popular color was rose pink, and the most popular style and pattern was carnival glass. This glassware was inexpensively made, and produced in great quantity. It was sold through five and dime stores, given away as premiums, or included with the purchase of other products, for example a spice shaker would contain a certain brand of spice. Today depression glass is a collectors item. Across the country there are over 150,000 collectors, and this number is growing every year. These collectors are also paying very large sums of money for some pieces of depression glass. For example during the depression a 16 piece luncheon set sold for 29 cents, and today collectors are paying anywhere from 100 to 1,000 dollars for a dinner service set. (Florence, Gene. The Collectors Encyclopedia of Depression Glass. Fifth Edition. 1982.)

The objects in this project, along with all other true pieces of Depression glass, were made during the times of the Great Depression. In economics, a depression is a major downswing in the business cycle that is characterized by sharply reduced industrial production, widespread unemployment, serious declines or cessations of growth in construction activity and great reductions in international trade and capital movements. Unlike minor business contractions that may occur in one country independently of business cycles in other countries, severe depressions have usually been nearly worldwide in scope. The Great Depression, beginning in 1929, was the most severe and widespread economic decline in the 20th century. (Encyclopedia Brittanica Micropaedia.) The cessations of growth in construction , and the widespread unemployment of the time lead to the building of Greenbelt, Maryland. The sharp reduction in industrial production also lead to the development of manufacturing techniques to produce glass cheaply.

Glass Companies and their Patterns
Depression glass was made by several glass manufacturing companies during this time period. One of these companies was the Imperial Glass Company. The Company was located in Bellaue, Ohio. It was organized in 1901 by a group of prominent citizens from Wheeling, West Virginia. A variety of fine art glass, in addition to carnival glass, was produced by the firm. The two trademarks which identified the ware were issued in June 1914. One trademark consisted of the firms name "Imperial", and the other included a cross formed by double pointed arrows.

• Anchor Hocking Glass Co. made the Hobnail pattern.
• Federal Glass Co. made the Columbia pattern.
• Indiana Glass Co. made the Avocado Sweet Pear pattern.
• Hazel Glass Co. made the Colonial Block pattern.

The cross trademark was changed in September of the same year to what was known as a German cross. The overlapping "IG" cipher was adopted by Imperial in 1949, and appears on practically all of their present productions, including carnival glass. Carnival Glass was an inexpensive, pressed iridescent glassware made from about 1900 through the 1920's. It was made in quantity by Northwood Glass Company, Felton Art Glass Company, and others, to compete with the expensive art glass of the period. It was originally called "taffeta" glass, the ware became known as "carnival" glass during the 1920's when carnivals gave examples as premiums or prizes. (Hammond, Dorothy. Pictorial Price Guide to American Antiques and Objects Made for the American Market. 1993-1994 Edition.).

During the Great Depression millions of people were out of work, so things had to be manufactured cheaply so the public could afford them. The glass companies came up with a cheap way to manufacture glass, this way everyone could afford it. Depression glass is also known as pressed glass. Pressed glass was the inexpensive glassware produced in quantity to fill the increasing demand for tableware's when Americans started to move away from more simple utensils. (Hammond)

Materials and Construction
Obviously depression glass is made from glass. But what is glass made of? Glass is made from sand (silica), limestone, and sodium oxide. Before this time period the usual way to make glass was to blow it. Blowing glass was a time consuming, and expensive way to produce glass, and this price was passed on to the buyers. Due to the depression no one could afford blown glass, so companies came up with a new way to produce glass. At this time the companies started to machine manufacture the glassware using molds, called "tank molding". The process began by heating the soda ash, silica, and limestone together. The heated glass mixtures were then passed into pressing molds where it cooled. The patterns on the finished pieces were either etched with acid, or carved directly onto the mold. By doing this they reduced the costs for themselves and the consumers.

Design
Depression glass is styled, colored, and ornamented in many different ways. There are also many different patterns of depression glass. Two of the more popular patterns were Cameo glass, and Custard glass. Cameo glass can be defined as any glassware in which the surface has been cut away to leave a design in relief. Cutting is accomplished by the use of hand-cutting tools, wheel cutting, and hydrofluoric acid. This ware can be clear or colored glass of a single layer, or glass with multiple layers of clear or colored glass. Custard glass was manufactured in the United States for a period of about 30 years. Harry Northwood was the largest manufacturer of custard glass, but it was also manufactured by the Heisey Glass Company, Diamond Glass Company, Fenton Art Glass Company and a number of others. The name custard glass is derived from its "custard yellow" color which may shade from light yellow to ivory, to light green, and glass that is opaque to opalescent. Most pieces have fiery opalescence when held to the light. Both the color and glow of this glassware came from the use of uranium salts in the glass. It is generally a heavy type pressed glass made in a variety of patterns. Another one of the more popular patterns is the hobnail pattern.

This pattern has butterflies and birds on branches, and some have floral baskets with a ribbon type scroll. These designs give the glassware an ordered, classic appeal. (Florence, Gene. Elegant Glassware of the Depression Era.) Minuet is a design for music lovers. This design has musicians and dancers within the cameo, and the dancers appear to be appropriately dressed for the minuet. (Florence)

 

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