April 3rd, 2010 @ Kathy // 9 Comments
Madrid Amber Depression Glass Candle Holder
Once upon a time you could find real Madrid depression glass at every flea market, antique mall and thrift store. Those days are behind us. I found the cake plate and tumbler in pink Recollection reproduction glass this winter at an antique store and a few more pieces when antiquing in San Antonio a few weeks ago. But the real stuff is elusive.
How can you tell? Federal Glass reissued the amber Madrid for the Bicentennial in 1976 but marked those pieces with the number 76. Those are easy. The heavy pink tumbler, and the tumbler or candle holder refashioned into all sorts of pieces, are easy to spot and they’re ugly. The amber is a little harder. I bought some amber cereal bowls on eBay that turned out to be repros and they just felt wrong and the color was off a little.
It’s easy to tell reproduction candle holders from the real thing. The original candle holders are smooth inside and the reproduction have ridges to hold the candle. See the inside of this one: It is smooth, no ridges
Madrid Amber Depression Glass Candle Holder
I got these candle holders from someone who had a large set of Patrician amber glass. Federal Glass made Patrician and Madrid so the colors match and the patterns go well together. Federal made no candle holder in Patrician so Madrid is a good choice.
Your best method to avoid buying reproductions by mistake is to learn a little about the glass you are interested in. Many of the repro patterns are pretty easy to spot once you are familiar with the real thing. I recommend books by Gene Florence, especially Collector s Encyclopedia of Depression Glass,19th Edition (Collector’s Encyclopedia of Depression Glass)
Like this? We have the Madrid amber candle holder at Cat Lady Kate’s Elegant and Depression Glass. It’s like antiquing with your best friend.
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Tags: Amber Depression Glass, Collecting Depression Glass, Depression Glass, Federal Glass
Debbie
1 year ago
I have a punch bowl with cups that I inherited from my late mother. I know nothing about depression glass. If I send you a picture, could you help me identify the pattern and the possible value of the punch bowl, plate and cups? Your contact form did not seem to be working.
laura
1 year ago
In 1966, my grandmother gave me a couple of pieces of Madrid amber dishes. And in 1967 I purchased from an auction estate sale 4 each of wine, champagne, and water goblets in the etched amber glass which I was told was possibly french. Can you give me any info or tell me where I might find more info on these pieces? Thanks
Kathy
1 year ago
Hi. If you would care to post a photo on our Facebook page at http://www.DepressionGlassFun.com I would be happy to look and let you know if I recognize your glass.
Debbie Erickson
10 months ago
I am wondering if you know if Indiana reproduced all of the Madrid pieces after they purchased the molds. The 76 reproduction pieces are easy to spot as they are marked and a much darker color. I recently purchased an 80oz pitcher with ice lip. I appears to be slightly darker in color when compared to the other 2 pitchers I own…but not obviously darker like the 76 pieces. It also doesn’t have the obvious wear marks on the bottom like the other pitchers. Is there a way to spot the Indiana reproduction pieces after the 76 mark was removed?
Kathy
10 months ago
I sent you a reply to your personal email address. I don’t think Indiana reproduced the pitcher.
rose
9 months ago
We have a large collection of depression glass and are having trouble sorting out the federal and indiana pieces. The plates are easy, using the original federal glass dimensions as a gjuideline as long as the dimensions have changed. We are having the most trouble with cups. we have different sizes and different weights and different shades of amber. Would like any help to make our identification easier with any of the pieces.
Kathy
9 months ago
That’s a hard situation. It’s had to tell some of the pieces apart and I don’t know a method for the cups.
Alice
8 months ago
I have a complete set of the ’76 amber reproduction dinnerware. Does this have any real value or just usable as everyday dinnerware?
Laurel
7 months ago
Love your site. It is providing me some education on yellow depression glass. We stumbled on to 26 pieces wrapped in old news paper in a family member’s out building. From surfing the web tonight we identified two pieces as the Forentine Poppy pattern and the other 24 pieces as the Madrid pattern. I’m thrilled.