Recently Bill of Affordable Accoutrements, who writes the most enjoyable blog posts about his imaginative tablescapes, mentioned that he prefers elegant glass to depression glass. That got me thinking. Which do you prefer? Which do I prefer?
For me it’s not as easy a choice as it once was. When I first started with glass my top 1, 2 and 3 would have been elegant glass. I appreciated the handwork that went into making these, the skilled craftsmanship, high quality and great clarity and the gorgeous designs. How can you beat an etched pattern like the Cambridge green bowl shown?
The more I worked with depression glass the more I liked it. Here’s why.
Depression glass is colored and the transparent greens, blues, ambers, yellows and pinks are beautiful spots of color. Glass looks wonderful when it catches the light and depression glass adds its charming colors.
Depression glass has some truly beautiful patterns. The piece below is a simple sherbet from Hazel Atlas, Florentine Poppy 1 green depression glass. The pattern is mold etched so it can be mass produced, yet it’s a pretty design.
But I keep coming back to the colors. It’s the colors in depression glass that have the siren call.
What about elegant glass? Isn’t there elegant glass that is colored? Yes, of course. Top end glass makers like Fostoria, Cambridge and Tiffin went headlong into the colored ware during the early 1930s.
In fact, that’s why this post started off with the Cambridge green console bowl, elegant colored glass of the depression era. Wow, what a great compromise! We can have beautiful colors, high end workmanship, gorgeous design and great quality. That’s what you call a happy ending.