Drawn antique glass (also referred to as “GNA”) is also wavy glass with lines, but no “bubbles.” It is popular in cabinet doors and china cabinets. 9/8/2021 Update: Due to supply issues, not all pattern glass options are available at this time.
Cylinder glass is one type of antique, mouth-blown window glass found in historical buildings dating back to the 1600s. It's also known as wavy glass for the bubbling, undulating imperfections found in the surface of the glass that distort images when you look through it.
Pink, green and blue are the most valuable colors of depression glass. Pink tends to be the most valuable because it is more rare. Yellow and amber colored depression glass is more common and therefore less valuable.
Generally, pieces dating from the mid-19th through the early-20th century are considered the most valuable. Referred to as “old” milk glass, these objects showcased motifs such as dolphins, animals, birds, and ships, and featured molded edges resembling latticework.
If you're into vintage or antique art glass, manufacturers such as Baccarat and Waterford have a loyal following who appreciate the luxury and elegance of their pieces. Baccarat chandeliers are highly-sought after with many of these crystal-dripping stunners going for hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Pink glass is most valuable, followed by blue and green. Rare colors such as tangerine and lavender are also worth more than common colors like yellow and amber.
The name Carnival glass was adopted by collectors in the 1950s as items of it were sometimes given as prizes at carnivals, fetes, and fairgrounds.
A: Vaseline glass is a specific type of uranium glass. It got its name from its distinctive yellowish color, which looks like petroleum jelly. It is also sometimes referred to as canary glass because of its yellow color.
The most sought after pattern of Depression glass is arguably Royal Lace, which was made by the Hazel-Atlas Glass Company. This pattern was manufactured in green, pink, crystal, and most notably, cobalt blue.
Much of the old glass was unsigned; paper labels did not survive: It would have required acid marks to permanently identify the manufacturer or glass-cutter. But a black light helps to establish the authenticity of old cut glass. The majority of ABP glass pieces will fluoresce lime-green when exposed to black light.
Glass makes a clunking noise, while crystal sounds like a reverberated ringing. Another way to sound test the glassware is to lightly run a wet finger in a circular motion around the rim. If it's crystal, you will be able to hear a subtle tone that emanates from it.
Get a glass and hold it up to a light source. You can tell that it is crystal if it creates a rainbow prism effect. If it doesn't, then you are holding just a plain glass. If you tap the glass and you hear a musical ring with a little bit of echo, then it is crystal.
The Italian name for glass with a regular pattern of air bubbles is "bullicante".
Depression glass, which was made during the great depression, usually came in bright colors, like yellow, amber, blue, green, or pink. It was always patterned and often had geometric shapes and designs cut into it. Due to low production costs, the glass should look and feel thin.
Depression glass is so called because collectors generally associate mass-produced glassware in pink, yellow, crystal, and green with the Great Depression in America.
Fenton: First started making vaseline glass in 1930's. Hobnail pattern started in 1941. Cactus pattern (original to Greentown Glass) was re-introduced 1959. Fenton is still producing limited supplies of vaseline artglass today.
Did you know that there is a type of glass that glows? It may sound like something out of science fiction, but it's real and has been around for centuries. Known as uranium glassware, this special substance emits an eerie green shine when placed under a black light.
Custard glass is opaque yellow glass, reminiscent of the color of custard. It can vary from pale ivory to bright yellow/green, and sometimes it is decorated, often with gold and/or with roses. The name Custard Glass is used by collectors.
Not all green Depression glass is radioactive and there are pieces that pre-date the 1930s that also contain detectable levels of radiation. Uranium glass is prized for the deep color it gives off and will glow fluorescent under a UV light.
Both carnival and depression glass are colored. However, carnival glass features an iridescent, multicolored look, whereas depression glass has more of a simple, single-colored, transparent look. Carnival glass was made to inexpensively mimic glass made by the Tiffany Company.
Straw marks are creases in glass that have been there since the item was manufactured. They appear when handmade glass is cooled. Often, people think they are hairline cracks. It's important to know the difference, because straw marks wouldn't affect the value of an old piece of glass, but cracks definitely would.
Bubbles in old glass bottles and windows are actually air pockets that became trapped during the manufacturing process. Crude glass almost always contains bubbles, which often adds to its appeal and value among collectors.
Bullicante: This is applied to very thick glass. It consists of overlaying several layers of air bubbles in a grid pattern within the vitreous wall. This mass is then pulled with the blowpipe which creates tiny depressions imprinted in a regular pattern on its surface.