Princess Green Depression Glass 9 Deep Hat Bowl

Since St. Patrick’s Day is right around the corner so let’s look at a few green items.  This is one of my favorite green depression glass patterns, Princess by Hocking Glass.  I have a large selection in pink but have to admit I prefer green to the pink.  Hocking’s green in this pattern is just a tad lighter color, a little fresher than the usual green.

I like the way the scroll designs on this pattern look like curtains sweeping away on a stage.  It makes me feel like I’m at the theater waiting for the curtain to go up and the play to begin.

Most of the Princess pieces are octagonal, really squares with the corners cut off, and this bowl is round at the top and octagonal at the base.  It is called the 9 inch deep hat-shaped bowl.  It is 9 inches across and almost 4 inches deep and it looks deeper than it is.  A bowl of this style would be great for a pasta salad, especially one with some green peppers or green rotini in it

If you like Princess depression glass be sure to check out our store Cat Lady Kate’s Elegant and Depression Glass.  It’s like antiquing with your best friend.

Fostoria Glass Loop Optic Green Flip Vase

This is a neat vase that I almost didn’t buy.   A man at the local flea market sometimes saves special glass for me and this is one of those pieces.  I didn’t much want it, but he really wanted to sell it and he gave me a good price on some other glass, soooo,  I did the decent thing and bought it from him.

When I got it home and did some research, the more I looked at it the more I felt it was actually from one of the elegant makers.  The quality is not as high as some of the best Fostoria or Cambridge pieces but it’s not depression either.  And it is not new, likely dating to just before the 1930s.

The loop optic is not real common.  The best identification I could come up with is Fostoria line 4900 with a loop or drape optic, dating to 1926 to 1934.  That fits well with the way the vase feels to me, general quality and finish.

Now the grand announcement why I chose this particular piece today.

Catladykate’s Having a Sale

This vase is one of about 50 items we marked down 30%.  I do the occasional 10% markdown but 30% for glass is very uncommon for me.   There is a reason.  I need to clear out some of my older inventory because I just bought large sets of Sharon pink and Patrician amber depression glass and need the room.   (It’s also Christmas and everyone enjoys a sale.)  So if you like sales and you like glass on sale, come check us out.  And by the way, a lot of our china is on sale too.

Block Optic Green Depression Glass 3 inch Stemmed Sherbet

This is a fun pattern but it’s difficult to know exactly what pieces you need.  Hocking Glass made a gazillion pieces in Block Optic green depression glass.  In fact they made six different cups and five creamers and sugars and three sherbets.  How to tell which is which?

Let’s look at the sherbets.  The one shown is 3 inches tall, has a round bowl and a real stem.  This is the one that is called (oh so imaginatively) the 3 1/4 inch sherbet.  There is a taller sherbet which looks more like a saucer champagne.

The sherbet that is most common here in mid-Michigan is this cone shaped one shown below.  My Gene Florence depression glass book refers to this as a non-stemmed sherbet, which is confusing since it has a stubby stem.

Block Optic Green Depression Glass Cone Shaped Sherbet

It’s worth knowing how to tell them apart even when a picture isn’t real clear.  This shape is the same height as the first one shown, 3 inches tall, so you need to look at the general shape and the stem.  There is quite a price difference too, with the stemmed sherbet running about twice what the cone shape does.

I don’t have a good selection of Block Optic at the moment so am showing others’ eBay listings.  (These are affiliate links.)

Fostoria Glass Beverly Etched Green Bouillon Cup

What you ask is a bouillon cup and why would anyone want one?  Back in the day people served soup as a first course at more elaborate dinners.  (Remember, many people in the upper middle and upper classes had servants who helped with dishes in the 1920s.)  Bouillon is a clear soup, no vegetables or alphabet pasta, that was traditionally served in small cups.

You might be familiar with cream soup bowls which are low bowls with two handles.   People served cream soup for a first course too, and those bowls are larger.  Bouillon cups are a little smaller but they have two handles too.

You might think this is a sugar bowl – after all it has two handles – but the shape isn’t quite right for a sugar.  Notices the lip flares out a tad.  This is about the same size and shape as the usual coffee cup, it has a second handle is all.

This is Beverly etch by Fostoria.  it has a cross-hatched shield between dangling swags that’s very attractive.  Fostoria made three other patterns with etched cross-hatches and swags, Washington, Melrose and Virginia, a few years before Beverly.  Beverly came out in 1927 and Fostoria discontinued it about 1934.

Must you have a hired girl lurking in the kitchen to wash the dishes in order to have a bouillon cup?  Of course having someone else wash the dishes is always a plus, but you can enjoy using a pretty soup bowl any time you want a small cup of soup or you could use this for fruit in the morning.  Think of this as a way to add a bit of real class to your table.  And yes, you can use these little bowls with chicken noodle or soups with alphabet pasta.

Pillar Optic Green Depression Glass Lunch Plate

Hocking’s Pillar Optic is one of the patterns that you might be surprised to learn is depression glass.  Hocking made it in green and pink  from 1937 to 1942, and continued with either the same or very similar molds for clear tumblers for many years afterwards.   You’ve probably seen the clear tumblers in restaurants.

This is a super simple pattern.  It has vertical panels, about 1/2 inch wide, and a smooth band around the top.  Plates and bowls have the panels making a concentric circle around the rim and in the center.

Pillar Optic is one of the more affordable depression glass patterns.  For instance, we offer a set of two green plates for $12 and even tumblers are usually under $20.

Hazel Atlas New Century is a little similar but New Century has horizontal lines at the tops of tumblers – or around the outer edge on plates – and it has a more intricate center.  New Century looks more Art Deco styled and you aren’t likely to mistake it.

Fostoria Glass Versailles Etched Green Flared Console Bowl

I was thinking this evening about what are my favorite pieces and this is definitely in the running.  This is stunning and the photo does not come close to showing how the deep green glass shows off the fan and scroll etch or how the three footed triangle shape is perfect.

Fostoria etched Versailles on green, blue, pink and amber.  I have all three colors listed – Versailles is one of the patterns we specialize in – and vacillate between the green and the blue as my favorite.  Green?  Blue?? Both?  I don’t care for the pink as much.

Fostoria made Versailles from 1928 to 1936, so through the first half of the difficult depression period.  They used the Fairfax blank for stemware which has clear crystal foot and stem and colored bowl.  The stemware is choice.  I have a few piece – it sells quickly although it’s rather pricey.

If you want to own a spectacular centerpiece you could try this bowl with two of the matching candles.  You don’t need the candles to have a beautiful display although they look superb flanking the bowl as a console set.  Fostoria made several shapes of candles in Versailles and the green ones we have look like miniature bowls with three tab feet.  They match the bowl and the group together is a sight to see!

Federal Georgian Lovebirds Green Depression Glass Big Creamer

Depression glass is colored glass, right?  Yes, well mostly.  As we talked about recently clear depression glass has its own charms.  Clear glass aside, when we think depression glass we think colors.  And green is right up there.  I did some quick checking and 21 of the first 25 patterns I checked came in green.

The creamer on the left is Georgian by Federal Glass, also called Lovebirds.  This particular pattern has mold-etched birds and baskets and was made in green with just a bit of amber and clear production.  It is slightly more green in person than in the photo.  (Green is hard to get just right.)

Most green depression glass is crayon green.  Think back to your trusty box of crayons and the green you used for grass.  That’s green.  You will find paler and darker colors, but the green is almost always grass green.

Fenton and New Martinsville made a luscious jade green and US Glass’ green has a tinge of blueish aqua, but the vast majority is plain green.  Olive green or avocado green are later, usually 1960s-early 80s, when the darker tones were in vogue.  (Not all colored glass is depression glass!)

So, what to look for in green glass?  Personally I like the Georgian pattern shown and Patrician Spoke from Federal, Cameo from Hocking, Cherry Blossom from Jeannette and Florentine Poppy from Hazel Atlas.  Any of these would be a great pattern to collect, or consider Block Optic as a good pattern that’s available and fun, especially in green where there are so many pieces to pursue.

Green isn’t just for St Patrick’s or Christmas.  It is a cheerful color and the depression green glass blends well and plays nicely with other dishes and colored glass.

Federal Patrician Green Depression Glass Lunch Plate

Reason #10:  Depression glass is beautiful!  The colors are entrancing, the designs are compelling.

Take this Patrician depression glass pattern from Federal Glass.  This has a neat design on the rim like little Vs and a center medallion that looks like a wagon wheel.  You won’t find colored glass made today that is prettier than this!

You could use this pattern in a lunch set and set a pretty table!  In fact you could mix the green and the amber colors and get a great fall look.

Tomorrow: Reason #9!

Hazel Atlas Florentine #1 Poppy Green Depression Glass Creamer

This creamer is Florentine #1 or Poppy green depression glass from Hazel Atlas.  Hazel Atlas made two shape with the same mold etched flower design, Florentine #1 and Florentine #2.  This is a popular pattern that I try to buy whenever I can.

Sad to say, both of my last three online purchases of Florentine green depression glass came with a lot of undisclosed damage.  This is such a problem when buying online and even sellers with good feedback and experience can miss damage.  (I know this from personal experience so now I check, recheck, then re-recheck.  Amazing how some of those nicks like to hide.)   Two of the last three purchases were from people who don’t sell a lot of glass but the other was an experienced seller.   Of course some sellers just aren’t careful.

Why is Florentine chancy to buy?  Is it just bad luck?  I don’t think so.  Most of the cups I’ve gotten have had chips on the top of the foot.  Saucers, plates and small bowls in Florentine #1 have sharp corners on the inner rims and these tend to get chipped.  I think many sellers don’t think to check the inner rims and you would not feel the chips on the top of the foot if all you do is casually run your fingers along the edge of the rim, and not the top or sides.

Moral of the story?   In the last case I did not email the seller before buying to ask about the inner rims.  Times before I did email and the sellers didn’t respond and I disregarded that red flag and bid anyway.  Note to self:  Ask and if you don’t get the answer, leave.

I hope you have better success buying this great pattern than my last few attempts.  If you choose to buy from me you can be sure that I’ve checked every piece many times – and if I still miss something I’ll make it right.

Fostoria Green Versailles Etched Elegant Glass Console Bowl

I showed off a piece of our Fostoria Versailles blue etched glassin a recent post which is stunning. Today I finally got some of our green Versailles listed and it is just gorgeous. The green console bowl is pictured and we have the matching candleholders listed too. I have a center handled sandwich server in a box yet.

Fostoria etched Versailles on pink, blue, green and topaz glass. Last week in Ohio I saw a full set in an antique mall in topaz that looked sharp but I don’t have any in inventory yet. Green’s my usual favorite but with Versailles it’s a hard choice between green and blue.

If all you see are photos sometimes it’s hard to know what you are going to like.  For example, going by the pictures in books I wasn’t thrilled with Versailles as it looks rather formal and stilted in photos.  In person though you don’t see formality, you see the gorgeous looping swags and the rounded scalloped rims.  It is a fun pattern that looks great!