History of Amberina Glass

Amberina glass is glass that ranges in colors from yellow at the top to red at the bottom, or vice-versa. It is created by mixing a compound including gold into the glass and reheating it before letting it cool completely, causing changes to the color of the glass.

New England Glass Company Amberina

Amberina glass, according to the Glass Encyclopedia, was first made by Joseph Locke and Edward D. Libby of the New England Glass Company in the United States in 1883. While other glass-making companies also made amberina glass, Locke and Libby patented the glass in 1883, preventing competitors from making it without a license.

Mt. Washington Glass Company Amberina and Rose Amber

Among these competitors was the Mt. Washington Glass Company. The Mt. Washington Glass Company made amberina glass in the 1880s. It changed the name of the product to "Rose Amber" glass after Lock and Libby's patent was approved, but the New England Glass Company forced the Mt. Washington Glass Company to stop making any glass similar to amberina in 1886.

Hobbs, Brockunier and Company Amberina

After Locke and Libby were successful in stopping the Mt. Washington Glass Company from making amberina, a number of glassworks licensed the process from the New England Glass Company. One of the larger companies to do so was Hobbs, Brockunier and Company. Based in West Virginia, Hobbs, Brockunier and Company created amberina into the 1910s. Items made by this company are easily identified by the daisy and button patterns that adorn it.

Other American Makers

Other American makers of amberina glass include Gillinder & Sons and Libbey and Co. Libbey produced amberina glass for the 1893 World's Fair and made amberina until around 1920. Companies that still make amberina today include Fenton Glass, Blenko, and Boyd's Crystal Art Glass. Modern amberina tends to have brighter colors, tending to orange rather than the traditional gold and rose colors of earlier amberina.

European Ambertina

French and British glassware firms---including famous crystal-maker Baccarat--made, sold, and imported a considerable amount of amberina glass into the United States during the 1880s through 1910s. All amberina is highly collectible and appears frequently on auction sites, at auction, and in antique shops and fairs.