Vintage Anchor Hocking Glass

A History of Anchor Hocking

Old Cafe Candy Bowl with Royal Ruby Lid

 
You can find Anchor Hocking glassware just about anywhere housewares are sold today but what you may not know is what a wonderful collectible Anchor Hocking glass is!

From its humble beginnings as a turn of the century glass company near the banks of the Hocking River in Lancaster Ohio Anchor Hocking has grown to become a favorite in homes across America. 

I use Anchor glass every day and I bet that you have some in your kitchen as well.

Block Optic Powder Jar

 

 

Anchor Hocking began business in 1905 with the purchase of the Lancaster Carbon Company in Ohio. The original investors, Isaac Collins, EB Good and their associates named the company Hocking Glass for the nearby Hocking River and nicknamed the plant the “Black Cat” because of all of the carbon dust.

When the original plant burned to the ground in 1924, “Plant 1” was built on the original site and later that same year Hocking acquired the Lancaster Glass Co. and the Standard Glass Co.

Forest Green Dessert Cups

 

 

 

 

 

In 1931, Hocking Glass entered the glass container business leading to the 1937 merger of Hocking Glass Company and Anchor Cap and Closure Company and bringing about the more familiar Anchor Hocking name.

Boopie Glasses

The corporation continued to grow through expansion of the existing company’s products and facilities, building new plants and acquiring additional companies across the USA. 

By 1969 the word ‘glass’ was no longer part of this international corporation whose products now included plastics, lighting, earthenware, china and stoneware. 

Today the company has a major manufacturing facility and a 1.3 million square foot distribution center employing over 1,300 people in Lancaster, Ohio and is a leading producer of consumer glass 

products with distribution around the world. 

 

I hope you have enjoyed learning a little about Anchor Hocking's history. Whether you are looking for Depression Glass, Mid Century designs or something from the seventies or eighties Anchor Hocking has something for every taste and style.

 

Fire King Mugs

EAPG Table Sets Victorian Era

Elegant Victorian Table Sets

Northwood's Leaf Medallion/Regent in amethyst

The Victorian Era was a time of elegance and opulence for those who could afford it. The mistress of a prosperous home exhibited her family’s wealth and position though the items she chose to use. This was especially important for entertaining which was a significant part of Victorian life. Even family meals required elaborate table setting which always included a four piece table set consisting of a creamer, butter, sugar and spooner.

Admiral aka Flora by Beaumont

The more wealthy families had table sets of cut glass or sterling silver and the upper middle class for the most part used EAPG, Early American Pattern Glass, sometimes referred to as imitation cut glass, for these sets.

EAPG table sets, along with many other pieces, were produced in an amazing array of patterns and colors by a number of glass companies. Each of these companies seemed intent on outdoing their competition in terms of the beauty and elegance of their glassware.

Left to right - Gillinder's Classic pattern, Northwood's Klondyke in Canary Opalescent,

Northwood's Argonaut Shell/Nautilus in custard

Riverside's Empress in green

 

Used at every meal, table sets consisted of a covered sugar bowl, creamer, covered butter and a spooner. Although the names of most of these items are familiar there are some interesting differences between the items we use today and their Victorian counterparts. 

Madora - Arrowhead in Oval 

Let’s start with the covered sugar bowl. Looking at the photograph of the Madora set on the right, one might think that the double handled piece the without the lid was the sugar, but it’s the large covered piece that served this purpose.  Why is that? Well it’s not because Victorians used a lot of sugar as it was a very expensive luxury item. The need for a large container stems from the way sugar was processed. One couldn’t just stroll down to the corner grocery store and pick up a 5 lb bag of granulated sugar. Instead sugar came in rock hard conical loafs of 3 or 4 pounds which had to be broken into smaller pieces with a mallet, then cut with sugar-nips into smaller chunks which could be served in the sugar bowl. Quite a lot of work to sweeten your tea!

Photo by Chris Cope

Creamers were also larger holding about 4 more ounces than the ones we use today.  I suspect that part of the reason was the number of people normally gathered around the table along with the abundance of cream available. And yes, they actually used their creamers for real cream!

Shown on the left is a William and Mary footed creamer in Primrose Pearline made by Davidson. RD #43701 circa 1903.

Photo by Chris Cope

Butter dishes from that era were normally round dishes with domed covers.  The mistress would either have a lump of home churned butter shaped into a ball by hand or with butter spades, or a block of butter purchased from a farmer or merchant. Frequently these were reshaped using a butter mold or press to create a more esthetically pleasing product.

‎On the right is a #101 Rubina Verde Polka Dot Cheese and Cover (more commonly known as a covered butter dish) made by Hobbs Brochunier & Co. circa 1884.

Photo by Chris Cope

Now on to the least familiar item – the spooner.  Spooners were placed on the table at every meal along with the other pieces and held, as you may have guessed, spoons.

Instead of laying out a spoon at every place, the spoons would be placed in the spooner for those who wished to use them.

There have been a couple of explanations offered for this practice. It’s possible that some households did not have sufficient spoons to place one at each setting. The other explanation is that the spooner enabled one to display the number of beautiful spoons one had acquired regardless of how many people were at the table. It was also considered to be a sign of hospitality to have spoons at the ready.

Shown here is a Daisy and Button with Crossbar AKA Mikado spooner in canary made by Richards and Hartley circa 1891.

I hope you have enjoyed learning about these highly collectible pieces from the past. They make a beautiful display and who knows, they may inspire you to set an elegant Victorian table at your next dinner party.

Riverside's Victoria in ruby stained

Want to learn more about Early American Pattern Glass? Visit http://patternglass.com/ where you can take a class at the Pattern Glass School, visit the bookstore and stroll through the virtual Museum.

Greentown Cactus in chocolate

Northwood's Royal Ivy - Rubina

Many thanks to the "glassies" who generously shared their photos and knowledge!

All photos and text belong to the copyright owner and may not be used without prior written permission.

Linking to, and sharing of, this blog is welcomed and encouraged.

Imperial Candlewick

Shedding Some Light on Candlewick

Imperial Candlewick Mint Tray

 Candlewick is one of Imperial Glass Company’s most beautiful and prolific patterns 

The Imperial Glass Company was founded in 1901 in Bellaire, Ohio by Edward Muhleman, with production beginning in 1904. Candlewick even has a street named for it in Bellaire. 

However like many Elegant Glass companies Imperial fell on hard times. The company was purchased by Lennox in the 1970’s and closed forever in 1984. 

Candlewick was made from 1936 until 1982 and was most likely responsible for Imperial Glass Company surviving as long as it did.

Anchor Hocking Boopie

With hundreds of different pieces in 12 colors and numerous etchings collecting Candlewick can be a lifelong endeavor. 

Beware!

There is a lot of glassware being marketed as Candlewick which is definitely not Candlewick!

If you want to collect this gorgeous glass there are some things you need to know.

Imperial Candlewick Sherbet Glasses

Candlewick like all Imperial glassware is Elegant glass. 

Elegant glass is always at least partially handmade, fire polished, very high quality glassware with a minimum of flaws.   

To learn more about Elegant glass please visit my blog post A Glass Riddle.

Anchor Hocking Manhattan

All Candlewick has beads but not all beaded glass is Candlewick.

This can be a little tricky but there are some things to watch for.

On plates, shakers, ashtrays and the like, anything with the beads on a horizontal plane, the beads are always separated. If the beads are touching the piece is not Imperial Candlewick.

Imperial Candlewick Stem

An example of a piece that is often misidentified as Candlewick is Boopie by Anchor Hocking. 

Note that in the photo of the Boopie the beads are touching one another whereas in the photo of the Candlewick they are not. This tip is actually more helpful determining what’s not Candlewick that what is - there are non-Candlewick patterns that also have the beads separated.

On pieces where the beading is vertical such as stems on glasses the beads will be touching one another due to the constraints put on glass makers by gravity, but there will be a wafer separating the beaded stem from the bowl and another separating them from the foot.

 Rims on Candlewick are smooth and do not have a “safe edge” - that little bump on the rim of machine made glasses. You probably have glasses with a safe edge in your kitchen cabinets.

Safe Edge

As with all rules there are some exceptions – for details about what those are please visit http://www.awantiques.com/cancol1.htm for an excellent article.

Another wonderful reference site is http://candlewicklookalikes.com/

The best way to be sure you are not being fooled is to handle the real thing and familiarize yourself with the weight and clarity of this lovely glass. Until you are confident that you can tell the difference play it safe and purchase your glass from a dealer that specializes in glassware but even then do your homework.

Happy hunting!

Elegant Era Glassware

A Glass Riddle

Newport Creamer

When is glass made during the Great Depression not Depression Glass? 

 

When it's happy?

No, when it's Elegant Glass.

In other words all Depression Glass was made during the Great Depression but not all glass made during the Great Depression is Depression glass.

An example of  seams & bubbles in Depression Glass

Huh?        

 

There were two main types of glass made in the United States during the first half of the twentieth century.  Depression Glass was totally machine made and therefore much cheaper to produce. This glass was made in a variety of colors and patterns and was often sold in Dime Stores or even given away as promotional items. Due to the way it was manufactured Depression Glass (DG) almost always has visible seams, straw marks and bubbles in the glass.  These are not flaws but a typical characteristic of DG and considered by many collectors as adding to the charm of the glass.

Duncan Miller Teardrop Console Bowl

 

 

 

But what if I don’t find flaws charming?  

Well, if you want perfect don’t buy Depression Glass

           – buy Elegant Glass!

Elegant glass always was at least partially hand made by skilled craftsmen resulting in a much higher quality glass which although not "perfect" had far fewer flaws. 

 

Fostoria Console Set

Companies such as Heisey, Fostoria, Duncan Miller, Cambrige and other early glass makers employed skilled workers to hand craft their glassware.

Elegant glassware was frequently sold in jewelry stores and was used by the upper middle class for dinner parties and other special occasions. 

It would have been what was called “the good glassware”. 

Vaseline Glass Plates with ground and polished bottoms

 Although molds were used by elegant glassware companies they were hand pressed meaning that a glass maker would gather the molten glass, place it in the mold, swish it around and then bring down the plunger to compress the glass into the shape of the mold. 

Due to the skill of the glass maker this method resulted in fewer bubbles and a finer product than machine made glass.

 

Fry Glass Diamond Optic

Another method used by elegant glass companies was mold blown glass where the glass was mouth blow into a mold, requiring a high level of skill.  This produced a thinner glass and was often used for stemware.  

Elegant glass is also fire polished which means that the glass is finished by direct application of flames which eliminates straw marks and obvious mold marks to produce a smooth and brilliant surface.

In addition, the bases of plates, cups and the like are always ground and polished.

Fostoria Baroque w Shirley Etch

  

Wow that’s a lot of work! 

                  ...but what about the patterns?

 I was just getting to that!

At this point in the manufacturing process some pieces are complete but others have another step. Many patterns have etched designs where the piece of glassware, called a blank at this point, is passed along to the decorating department. 

  

An example of Needle Etching

The most common decorating method on Elegant Glass is needle etching. This method involves coating the glass with a film or wax then using a machine that activates needles which remove the protective layer from the portion of the glass where the design is desired. Next the glass is placed in contact with acid, which eats into the unprotected surface of the glass. The wax or film is then removed leaving a precise pattern. 

Cambridge Carmen Dinner Plate

Is there still Elegant Glass being made today?

Sadly the majority of the well known Elegant Glass companies closed their doors in the 1950’s due to high production costs and the onslaught of cheap imported glassware. 

Fortunately much of this beautiful glass remains and is highly sought after by collectors either to add to or start their own sets of this truly elegant glass.

Vintage Pyrex

Bring a vintage look to your kitchen with Pyrex

Butterfly Gold Nesting Mixing Bowls

Pyrex comes in so many patterns and colors that there is sure to be one to match your vintage kitchen style. In addition, it’s useful as well as decorative which is important in any kitchen where space is often at a premium.

Whether your style is bold or country cottage there is a pattern to complement your taste in a variety of pieces including loaf pans, casserole dishes in a selection of shapes and sizes, mixing bowls, pie pans, refrigerator dishes and more!

Primary Color Casserole Dish

Pyrex got its start in 1908 when Corning Glass Works was manufacturing Nonex, a borosilicate low-expansion glass for lamp globes and battery jars. The story goes that Jesse Littleton of Corning discovered the cooking potential of borosilicate glass by giving his wife a casserole dish made from a cut-down Nonex battery jar. Corning then reformulated the glass removing the lead content and started a line of kitchenware. Hopefully Mrs. Littleton received one of the new lead free pieces and got rid of the cut down battery jar!

Early American Refrigerator Dish

Gooseberry Refrigerator Dishes

 

Another Pyrex story is that the name was created using one of the first products produced, a pie plate, combining that with the EX from the end of Nonex and sticking an R in the middle to make it easy to pronounce. Good thing because I think PIEX would have been quite the tongue twister.

At first all Pyrex was clear glass and then in 1947 Corning Glass Works began producing Pyrex in the colors and patterns we all know and love. New designs were continually introduced to the modern homemaker to keep up with latest trends and a love affair began! 



From mid century designs in turquoise to the harvest gold and avocado green designs so popular in the seventies there is a Pyrex pattern to match your taste and to make tasty meals with too!

Butterprint Refrigerator Dishes

 

Alas all good things must come to an end and Corning discontinued its production of Pyrex products in 1998 but still licensed the Pyrex brand to other companies. You should be aware that new Pyrex is made with a different glass formula, soda-lima glass, which has been linked to some complaints to the Consumer Product Safety Commission by users reporting that their Pyrex glassware had shattered at high temperatures.



 Another good reason to buy vintage Pyrex!

Primary Color Loaf Pan

Please visit my shops Charmings Collectibles and Charmings on Etsy for a selection of Pyrex and other vintage goodies! 




To learn more about Pyrex including how to clean and care for your vintage pieces and other useful and interesting information please visit PyrexLove.com

Anchor Hocking Glass

You can find Anchor Hocking glassware just about anywhere housewares are sold today but what you may not know is what a wonderful collectible Anchor Hocking glass is!

From its humble beginnings as a turn of the century glass company near the banks of the Hocking River in Lancaster Ohio Anchor Hocking has grown to become a favorite in homes across America. 

I use Anchor glass every day and I bet that you have some in your kitchen as well.

Block Optic Powder Jar

Anchor Hocking began business in 1905 with the purchase of the Lancaster Carbon Company in Ohio. The original investors, Isaac Collins, EB Good and their associates named the company Hocking Glass for the nearby Hocking River and nicknamed the plant the “Black Cat” because of all of the carbon dust.

When the original plant burned to the ground in 1924, “Plant 1” was built on the original site and later that same year Hocking acquired the Lancaster Glass Co. and the Standard Glass Co.

Forest Green Dessert Cups

In 1931, Hocking Glass entered the glass container business leading to the 1937 merger of Hocking Glass Company and Anchor Cap and Closure Company and bringing about the more familiar Anchor Hocking name.

Boopie Glasses

The corporation continued to grow through expansion of the existing company’s products and facilities, building new plants and acquiring additional companies across the USA. 

By 1969 the word ‘glass’ was no longer part of this international corporation whose products now included plastics, lighting, earthenware, china and stoneware. 

Today the company has a major manufacturing facility and a 1.3 million square foot distribution center employing over 1,300 people in Lancaster, Ohio and is a leading producer of consumer glass 

products with distribution around the world. 

I hope you have enjoyed learning a little about Anchor Hocking's history. Whether you are looking for Depression Glass, Mid Century designs or something from the seventies or eighties Anchor Hocking has something for every taste and style.

Fire King Mugs

Nuts for Heisey Glass!

Nuts for Heisey Glass!

If you are looking for a collection that doesn’t take up a lot of space consider Heisey nut and almond dishes. These tiny treasures come in a multitude of shapes and colors and they make a stunning display grouped together.

 

Wait a minute, just who is Heisey and why would I want to collect their glass? 

Let me tell you!

Heisey Glass Company began production in 1896 in Newark Ohio and immediately became known for the beauty and quality of their glassware. Be warned! Once you have seen and handled Heisey glass lesser glass will no longer hold the same appeal. Heisey owes its beauty to an excellent glass formula, high quality raw materials, and to the way it was finished--fire polishing and grinding and polishing the bottoms of most pieces. The company closed in 1957 making this elegant glassware even more collectible as time goes on. Are you hooked on Heisey yet?

Just how many nut and almond dishes are available to collect? 

More than you might think

With 30 different patterns in numerous colors your collection could number in the hundreds!

Did you say colors?

Not yet, but since you asked...

In the 1920’s Heisey began producing colored glassware and what fabulous colors they were with names like Flamingo, Moongleam, Canary, Dawn, Tangerine, Hawthorne, Emerald, Sahara, Limelight and Alexandrite as well as more common names such as Rose, Cobalt and Marigold. 

Alexandrite (top center) is one of the most desirable colors appearing lavender under natural light and turning blue under a florescent light.

To see examples of these colors and more visit http://www.heiseymuseum.org/colors.html

If nut and almond dishes aren’t enough of a collection for you there is a plethora of other tiny dishes including individual dessert dishes, jellies, oyster cups, mustard jars, coasters, individual creamers and sugars, and of course toothpicks – whew!

So even if you only have a tiny space you can have an impressive collection with these beautiful little dishes from Heisey.

To learn more about Heisey Glass Company please visit http://www.heiseymuseum.org/index.html

All photos used by permission of J Taylo and subject to copyright laws.