Do You Like Depression Glass? Blog is on a New Website

Hi everyone. First let me apologize for not getting this post out much much sooner.

This blog is moved to a new address at Depression and Elegant Glass to Share, www.DepressionElegantGlass.com.

Hocking Glass Mayfair Depression Glass

This pitcher is Mayfair pink depression glass by Hocking. This pattern has vertical ribs and wide panels with open roses grouped in a bouquet. Many pieces are square as is this pitcher.Hocking made Mayfair for several years, 1931 to 1937, and in a soft blue plus some green, yellow and clear in addition to the pink. The blue is very scarce and I've seen only a couple pieces. It is a soft blue, not cobalt.

A few pieces of Mayfair have been reproduced, notably the pitcher, shot glass, shakers and cookie jar. The handle on the pitcher shown here is a smooth curve that comes horizontally off the body. The repro handles are odd shaped. Also, the base on the originals have round mold marks with the repros lack.

Good depression glass books will give details on how to tell repros from originals. Often the repros will be poorly molded or be strange colors that were never made

Cameo Depression Glass from Hocking Glass

This is the cup with fancy scrolled handle in Hockings' Cameo depression glass. Cameo is nicknamed Ballerina or Dancing Girl because the design in the frame is a lady dancing.

One book I read mentioned the pattern had originally been based on Isidora Duncan who was one of the early modern dance artists. She shocked audiences by dancing barefoot and in draperies and scarves.

Originally Monongah Glass made Springtime with this same design. Springtime was an etched pattern that required handwork and Monongah was an elegant glass company. Etching is labor intensive and does not lend itself to fast mass production. Hocking Glass bought Monongah and adapted the beautiful Springtime etch to Cameo. Cameo is mold etched, which means the mold was etched which then could be used to mass produce glass with the design pressed onto the surface. Cameo was just as popular as Springtime and is still one of the most beloved depression patterns today!

More Block Optic - Sugars Have Different Shapes

Last post we showed two of the varied cup shapes in Hocking's Block Optic. This shows two of the sugars. There are two more shapes besides these two; one is flat and the other is similar to the yellow version show except it has a larger foot and is more flared.

One of the give-aways for glass from Hocking is the cute scrolled handle on the yellow sugar. It is the same shape as the handle on the cup we showed last time.

There are matching creamers for these sugar shapes too. In our area, mid-Michigan, the two we show are the most common.

Many people enjoy collecting creamers and sugars. You can see that Block Optic will be fun and a bit of a challenge with its multiple variations!

Block Optic Depression Glass - A Chameleon in Cups

Hocking's Block Optic depression glass comes in green, yellow, pink and the occassional crystal. You can see why the pattern got its name. The vertical lines are actually slightly molded on the inside and the horizontal lines are more definite and are on the outside; together it looks like molded blocks. The interior molding is called an "optic" and it adds an extra design element. In this case the optic was a clever way to make a sparkling pattern.

One of the neat things about Block Optic is that it was made in many shapes which makes it a fun pattern to collect. Hocking even made multiple styles of cups, creamers and sugars! One of my books shows six shapes altogether and we've had four of them. You want to be careful if you order via mail or internet to check the photos and descriptions. This particular one has the fancy handle, with an extra little scroll at the top. There are three distinct cup shapes - round like the one shown, cone shaped and a squarish mug, and four handle shapes.

Another Pink Tumbler from Hocking Glass - Fortune

Last post showed Hocking's Pillar Optic pink depression glass tumbler and this one shows a similar but not quite the same pattern, Fortune. Fortune has vertical ribs but there is a small narrow rib between a larger angled rib. The second photo shows a close up of a bowl that shows this design much better.

Once you see these in person you won't have as hard a time telling them apart as it may look in the photos. The large rib in Fortune is angled and the ribs in Pillar Optic are smooth and rounded. Plus the ribs in Pillar Optic are all the same size.

Fortune is a small pattern with only a few pieces, although there are four different bowls plus a larger serving bowl. When you buy this be careful as the small rib tends to chip at the rim.

Hocking made Fortune from 1937 to 1938 in pink and clear. We see more pink than clear by far in the mid-Michigan area. Although it is not a common pattern it is not particularly expensive. This tumbler sells in the $10 range and the most expensive piece is usually around $30. This is another pattern you can have fun collecting and enjoy using.

Pillar Optic Depression Glass

Does this look familiar? This is Pillar Optic pink depression glass by Hocking. The pattern is on the outside, so it does not qualify as an optic. (Optics have a molded design on the interior.) The panels are straight and slightly rounded to the touch. The top inch or so is smooth, making it good to drink out of.

You can tell this apart from Fortune by the fact the vertical panels are convex and all the same size. This is easier to see in person than in a photo.

This is one of those basic depression glass patterns that comes in pink and green and you can buy pitchers and tumblers rather inexpensively. Pillar Optic is a good pattern to consider if you are looking to start a set or if you want glass that you can enjoy using without worrying too much.

Plates are a little harder to spot than tumblers. The plates have the same convex panels, but they are set in a circle, like rays. There is a Hazel Atlas pattern, New Century, that is a little similar but can be told apart by concentric rings in the center of the New Century plate and more concentric rings between the rows of panels.