Depression Glass vs. Elegant Glass: What’s The Difference?

By Linda Carannante

One big misnomer that I often hear is the assumption that all Pink and Green Glassware is Depression Glass. This isn’t always the case, and the pieces in question may very well be Elegant Glass. So what is the difference and where did these names come from?

Depression and Elegant is actually a modern name bestowed by price guide writers who had to find an easier way to describe the glass they were writing about. In the end, both names were appropriate. Both types of glass began production around the same period of time; the late 1900s. The overall “recipe” to make the glass was basically the same. Some companies even made both types of glass, and, to confuse you even more, they used the same molds to produce them!

The name “Depression Glass” was given to a period of glass whose production began around 1920 and continued until the late ’40s. However, some patterns which are still considered Depression were still being made into the 1980s. Throughout glass collecting circles, Depression glass is typically American-made glassware, but we must not forget that this glass was also being produced throughout Canada, Europe & Australia.

If not made only during the Depression years, why then is it called Depression Glass? I’ve heard several assumptions over the years as to why it acquired the name. The most accepted reason seems to be this is a form of “pressed” glass, originating during a “depressed” era, thus the name was born!

The simplest way to explain it is that for the most part, Depression Glass is machine-made glass that was mass produced and did not have to be touched by human hands. Imperfections were a natural part of the process and often left alone. It was usually a premium item or sold in a dime store.

Depression Glass was produced in a variety of colors in addition to pink and green; blue, amber, yellow, crystal and even white to name a few. Jeannette Glass, MacBeth Evans, Anchor Hocking, Imperial, Hazel Atlas, U.S. Glass were just some of the companies that produced Depression Glass.

Elegant Glass

Elegant Glass—although it has many of the same characteristics such as color, production and era—had to be touch by “human hands” in its production. Elegant Glass, unlike Depression, was polished to get rid of the imperfections in the glass. These same imperfections are one of the things we expect to find in Depression Glass. The base of bowls, platters, etc. in Elegant Glass were ground so it would sit evenly on your table; acid etching or hand etching was used to create the pattern, one more beautiful then the next.

Another, and probably the biggest difference, is the way in which two were distributed. As we said before Depression was usually a premium item or sold in the 5 & 10 stores. Conversely, Elegant Glass was sold in the finer stores and never given away.

These patterns were marketed as wedding patterns, as early on china was not really used. One reason may be it was much more expensive and American Companies were far behind Japan and other foreign countries in producing colorful, attractive china in a large variety. Elegant glass provided a variety of beautifully etched designs in an equally attractive array of colors as well as pieces. There was a piece of glass created for every possible use, and available in many patterns! This was something else Depression Glass did not offer. The more successful an Elegant pattern was, the more pieces you would find. Take Candlewick for example. You have your standard table setting, but you also have a Card Tray, which the lady of the house would have her cards on and setting in the middle of her bridge table when her guests would arrive; lights were made for every room of your house; not only the glasses were made for your cocktails, but the decanter, the bitters bottle, and even the muddler was made; All you needed to serve a proper drink!

Elegant Glass was made by several glass companies; Heisey, Fostoria, Cambridge, Imperial, just to name a few. Because of the the onset of World War II, many glass companies went out of business or were bought out by other companies. Molds continued to be utilized and patterns went on just under other names.

One more thing: Where Depression Glass, for the most part, was fading away in the 1940s, it was the opposite for Elegant Glass. The momentum for this type of glass was increasing. Think about it: Families were benefitting post war and wanting to add the finer things. People disposed of their Depression Glass as it represented a time they couldn’t afford anything else! Elegant Glass represented status, change and an individual affluence. I remember when I was 16, I purchased my first piece of Depression Glass and my mother’s first words were: “What did you buy poor man’s glass for?” My response was if she would have kept hers, she would have been a rich darn woman! However, that shows you the mindset of a particular item. A single piece of glass represented a status to many.

There is beauty in both types of glassware as well as an economic building of a nation. Their common threads are stronger than their differences, although great. These two sets of glass were developed early in our history, their production kept this country going during a hard time, and they lived on for future generations to cherish!

Well, now that you know the definitions of each. Aren’t they a perfect fit?

Reference: The Collector’s Guide to Depression Glass by Marian Klamkin 1973

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During the first decade of the 20th century, Consolidated Lamp and Glass Company continued to enjoy the sweet success of an established business with quality products. But in the 1920s, with electricity now in most homes, the need for oil and gas lighting lessened and profits began to slow. In order to increase sales they had to diversify.

A lead designer, Reuben Haley, convinced management to launch an affordable giftware line. It was his innovative designs that led Consolidated to regain profits and reestablish itself as a premier glass house. From 1926 to 1929, Consolidated introduced over seven giftware lines that were sold in department stores all over the country. I have chosen to focus on three very different lines: “Martele,” “Catalonian,” and “Ruba Rombic.”

The “Martele” Line

Ruben Haley’s designs were influenced greatly by an exposition in Paris in 1925. The exposition had the top designers from all over the world competing and showcasing their “moderne” wares. One glass designer emerged overwhelmingly as the best at this exposition – Rene Lalique. Reuben brought back Lalique’s ideas and actually copied some of his patterns. In 1926, Consolidated introduced their “Martele” sculptured artware line. This line had raised molded designs of birds, flowers, insects, fruit and people. Their Love Birds vase was an exact copy of the Lalique Perruches design. Other pieces, such as the Bird of Paradise, Le Fleur, and Katydid vases had close connections to Lalique originals.

They not only made Martele vases, but also expanded to tableware and smoking sets. This line was popular and the original molds were passed to other glass companies (Phoenix and Fenton) when Consolidated closed its doors.

The “Catalonian” Line

“Catalonian” was introduced in 1927 as a “reproduction of old Spanish glass.” The design, also by Haley, consisted of swirls and bubbles that gave it a crude, rustic feel. Haley was granted several patents for his design and manufacturing processes of the “Catalonian” line. This glass was blown and generally has rough pontil marks. They produced a full line of dinnerware, serving pieces, and gift items. It was available in green and crystal glass as well as a variety of finishes from common light color washes (yellow, purple and green), to less common darker washes (cobalt and ruby), to rare rainbow highlighting (a combination of three colors). “Catalonian” was Consolidated’s most popular and profitable line.

The “Ruba Rombic” Line

In 1928, Consolidated launched a spectacular and unique line that created a quite a stir when it was launched at a glass show in Pittsburgh. “Ruba Rombic” was so innovative that the company touted it (actually adding the phrase to its label) as “an epic in modern art.” The name comes from “rubiay,” which means epic, and “rhomboid,” which means irregular in shape with no parallel lines. This original design by Reuben Haley was granted three separate patents.

The line was very extensive, consisting of tablewares (plates, tumblers, pitchers, serving pieces), powder jars, perfumes, cigarette boxes, and even fishbowls. The color names that the company chose were just as captivating as the glass: Jungle Green, Smokey Topaz, Jade, Lilac, Sunshine, Silver, and Silver Cloud. (Rare pieces have been found in red, black, vaseline and opal.) “Ruba Rombic” epitomizes the Art Deco era with its irregular angles and strong forms.

Even though the glass had fascinating appeal, it was not a success. It was expensive and time consuming to produce. In the manufacturing, the pieces often broke when coming off of the molds because of the acute angles of the fragile glass. The nation was beginning to enter the Depression, and Consolidated stopped producing “Ruba Rombic” three years after it was introduced.

Consolidated Ceases Production

With the Great Depression in full swing, Consolidated Glass Company closed its doors in 1932. “Ruba Rombic” and “Catalonian” would not be produced ever again, but many of the “Martele” molds went to Phoenix Glass Company in Monaca, PA. Phoenix produced the glassware until Consolidated was reopened in 1937 and they returned the molds.

Consolidated Glass made from 1926 to 1931 is highly sought after by collectors. Many museums (Metropolitan Museum of Art, Brooklyn Museum, Greentown Glass Museum, and the Corning Museum of Glass) have Consolidated’s art glass in their permanent collections. Even though the company has closed its doors, it lives on through its timeless works.

References

National Depression Glass Association

Article on Ruba Rombic by Barbara Norman

Phoenix and Consolidated Art Glass By Jack Wilson

Kirkland Museum Collection – Denver, CO

Phoenix and Consolidated Glass Collectors Club

Museum of Fine Arts Houston – Houston TX

Given for free with items such as oats, flour or laundry soap, sold at five-and-dime stores or for a nickel at “Dish Nites” at cinema halls and gas stations, this cheap, mass-produced glassware buoyed up an entire glass industry, as well as the spirits of an entire nation. Scanty meals seemed more bearable with the bright-colored glass, and the expensive-sounding pattern names, in evoking memories of happier days, held out a glimmer of hope for the future.

Paradoxically, in the immediate aftermath of the Great Depression, this glassware became a jarring reminder of painful times. Many people, as they prospered, threw it out.

No one, of course, had counted on the vagaries of the collecting world to turn it into a highly collectible, high-priced glassware, valued as much for its design as for its symbolism of triumph over adversity.

Collecting Depression glass

There are now more than 150,000 Depression-glass collectors in America. With more than 200 Depression-glass patterns to collect, not to mention a prolific industry of reproductions and fakes to sift through, these collectors have their work cut out. Newbies, as in any enterprise, should get well informed before loosening their purse strings. So—

• Buy the latest edition of Gene Florence’s well-researched, comprehensive book, “Collectors’ Encyclopedia of Depression Glass”, as well as other Depression-glass reference books, price guides and catalogs.

• Join Depression-glass collectors’ associations and clubs, visit online forums, read articles and subscribe to mailing lists. The National Depression Glass Association sends out informative newsletters, and magazines such as Reproduction News can be enlightening.

• Visit museums with Depression-glass collections, and attend Depression-glass shows and conventions. Talk to dealers, glass experts and other collectors.

• Learn about Depression-glass manufacturers and their marks. Some of the leading Depression-glass makers were Westmoreland, Heisey, Fostoria, Jeannette, Anchor-Hocking, McBeth-Evans, Hazel Atlas, Federal Glass, Indiana Glass Company and U.S. Glass.

• These manufacturers produced Art Deco, geometric or classical designs in Elegant Glass and Depression Glass. Elegant Glass, after mechanical production, was refurbished, etched and polished by hand. Depression Glass wasn’t. Some of the most popular patterns were Avocado, Royal Lace, Cameo, Mayfair, American Sweetheart, Princess, Cherry Blossom, Sharon, Patrician, Madrid, Moderntone, Windsor, Adam, Sierra, Diana, Waterford, Columbia, Miss America, Iris and Herringbone and Rosemary.

• Depression glass came in different transparent colors such as crystal, pink, amber, blue, green, yellow, red, orange, lavender, iridescent, black and white. There were also some opaque patterns and pieces decorated with gold, platinum and even colored enamel.

• Depression glassware included plates, tumblers, bowls, cups and saucers, decanters, vases, candlesticks, lamps and so on.

• Learn how to recognize authentic Depression glass, determine condition, to detect chips and cracks.

Once you know what’s what, we come to the “Okay, so where do I buy it?” part, and you can take your pick from flea markets, church bazaars, garage sales, antique shops, classified-newspaper ads, estate auctions and online auctions. Or try all of these.

Prices depend on glassware type, design pattern and color, manufacturer, rarity, location of sale and demand from collectors. There is no hard-and-fast pricing.

Tips for Collectors—

Finding pieces to complete a set can be challenging. Many original pieces are difficult or impossible to find on the market nowadays. Or, if available, are expensive. Rare items include butter dishes, serving pieces, lids, cobalt-blue mixing bowls, refrigerator dishes, measuring cups and canisters. Also hard to find are the Shirley Temple cereal bowls, mugs and milk pitchers.

Scratches and nicks are inevitable in regularly used Depression glassware. Even so, avoid buying severely nicked or flawed glass.

Examine each piece carefully before buying. If buying online, ask seller to list all visible flaws, and make sure there’s a money-back guarantee.

Sound like hard work? Not really, and besides, these collectibles are worth any effort you expend.

Other stories by Sonal Panse:

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