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.

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.

So You Think You Have Depression Glass....

This guide is meant to help you learn about depression glass. I'll cover the things I learned that I wished I knew when I started, things that can help you have more fun and be more confident with your glass.

This particular piece is the American Sweetheart pattern by MacBeth Evans. You can see the pretty design on the sides of the bowl and in the center. This design is raised. This is a type of pressed glass so the design was created by the glass mold, not by cutting or etching afterwards.

Something you probably already know is that depression glass was mass produced. That means that most of the pieces are consistent in the designs and usually shapes. You can find some oddities or pieces the glass workers altered by hand, but with mass production the product is identical. I remember it threw me for a loop when I'd find a pattern that was close but not the same as glass I had. I would wonder why they didn't just make the curlicue this other way, how could we be sure that the pattern looked only this one way. One day the light bulb went off and I realized that (drum roll please) This Stuff Is Mass Produced So It is Consistent! So yes, you can reliably identify patterns. Depression glass is not fine art but it is beautiful!