Depression Glass makes me happy!
No, not depressed as one would think from the title, but wildly happy!
Well, wildly may not be the term I am looking for. But I do love it.
Currently, I am working on a tablescape for Easter and using my green Depression glass which brings me to an explanation of these dishes.
Perhaps you have not heard of Depression Glass?
You may not know the term, but you most certainly have seen various pieces over the years.
Let me enlighten you…you know how I like to enlighten people….just ask the Captain! 🙂
Depression Glass is colored glassware made mostly during the Depression years…..and no, this is not the time period we are currently experiencing…altho it could be! 🙂
This glassware, which included complete table settings as well as any accompanying pieces one could dream about…came in a myriad of colors: amber, green, pink, red, blue, yellow, white and crystal. Plus, they came in a myriad of patterns. They were inexpensive (at that time) and were manufactured by machine during a 10 year period, starting in the 1920’s through 1940’s! There have been reproductions since that time, but I want to address the glassware produced during that time frame.
The Depression Glass was sold in 5-10 stores and used as “give-a-ways” in publicity efforts. One could receive a piece of glass in cereal boxes and flour sacks or they could be used as incentive gifts for buying something else at grocery stores, gasoline stations and movie theater tickets. There was never a choice as to color or pattern. It was more like the prize in a box of cracker jacks…it was a surprise. As a result, many home kitchens had a variety of colors and patterns to make up their dish sets. My Mother had more pieces of the amber Madrid pattern, so evidently the events she attended had an abundance of that pattern. My grandmother had a wonderful cookie jar in the pink Lace pattern, although I do not recall any other pieces in that color at her home. I just remember the sugar cookies she made almost daily as that lovely pink jar was always full.
Depression Glass is a collectible! And I collect the Green Cameo pattern. I have quite a few pieces and I get very excited when I happen on to a Garage Sale and find a piece to add to my collection.
Depression Glass can be found at Estate Sales, Garage Sales, Antique Shops and Arts and Craft shows. Many times the seller is not aware of the value nor aware of the pattern name. They refer to it all as pink (or you fill in the color) Depression glass. In those cases, one can jump on a “find” of their pattern and pay $1.00 to 10.00 dollars for a piece. However, there are also Depression Glass Shows which hop from town to town. These collectors are well aware of the value of each piece, and one will pay dearly for a rare piece such as a sandwich server with center handle which can be priced in the thousands of dollars…. (naturally in the pattern I collect :(…. ) or a single dinner plate can be found for $7.00! The different colors are also considered in pricing. Some colors were more available that others, so a price one pays in green cameo is much less that a price on a pink cameo.
My latest acquisition is….Da Dum!!! A green cameo candy jar!
The cameo pattern was so named because there is a little ballerina inside a cameo imprinted on each piece. I chose the Cameo pattern for just that reason…I think I wanted to be a ballerina when I was a little girl! That didn’t even come close to happening,… unless you count the times I stood in my white stockings …doing a tippee toe with arms above my head, parading around the house. I would say dancing around the house, but it was more like parading! I chose the green because…well, because I like green!
If you look closely, you can see the ballerina on one of my sherbet dishes.
The cause of my wildly happy day! The Candy Jar!
Do any of you collect Depression Glass? I like the Gene and Cathy Florence Collector’s Encyclopedia of Depression Glass…here is a link if you are interested.
Katy Blue
Amber Madrid
If I were a bettin’ woman….I would almost bet your Grandmother or Mother had a piece or two….
I just love Depression Glass!
I will be posting a tablescape using my Depression Glass in a few days.
Blessings to all on this Thursday morning.
I have a few pieces of green ball arena that I’m selling
Yes, it did come in green….send me pics and I will look them up for your. thanks for stopping by. Hugs
I also have a collection of depression glass, mostly green, but a few other pieces of various colors. Guess I need to send you pics to find out patterns. Did the Madrid pattern come in green? kj