Depression glass is so named because it was glass that was made during the Great Depression era. All Depression Glass was made in the United States from the late 1920s to the early 1940s. Federal Glass, Hocking Glass, and MacBeth-Evans were just three of the companies that tried to help lift the spirits of people in the United States. small shapes made possible by mass production of cheap, colorful glassware that could be sold equally cheaply, often for as little as the price of a loaf of bread.
The most popular colors with collectors today are pink, blue, and green. In fact, pink is so popular that for many people the term “depression glass” is synonymous with “pink depression glass.” However, in addition to pink, it was also made in amber, dull white, blue, green, and various other colors. Some of the most popular patterns shoppers are looking for today are Cameo, Mayfair, American Sweetheart, Princess, and Royal Lace.
Aside from the beautiful colors and patterns that were supposed to hopefully lift a nation’s spirits during one of the most difficult times in American history. Even the names of the patrons were supposed to refer to better times and a longing for the glamorous lifestyles of the 1920s.
Depression glass was popular and affordable when it was new. The dime store was a common source for this type of glass, which could be purchased for between five and ten cents. This made this type of glass affordable even in the most difficult of times.
Depression glass also made its way into American homes through “premiums” that were issued through “premiums.” Sellers or manufacturers offered a gift with the purchase of a certain dollar amount of goods or a specific product, and housewives in difficult times took advantage.
The glass was drawn from a box of oatmeal one week and from a box of detergent the next. Sometimes gas stations would drop a punch bowl and cups with an oil change, or a movie theater would offer a piece of glass with a ticket to a Saturday matinee. This colorful tumbler remains a popular antique collectible now, and a reminder of a difficult past.
