Facts on Milk Glass
Glass originated in ancient Mesopotamia. Examples of glass items have been found in ancient Egypt, the Roman Empire, China, Greece and Italy. There are many uses attributed to these pieces, including personal decoration, medicinal containers, funeral adornments, decorative accessories, unguent jars, goblets and household items. Does this Spark an idea?
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History
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The popularity of glass items, especially those made of milk glass, spurred the creation of many glass manufacturing companies in the United States, France and England during the mid 1800s. These companies produced milk glass products that were used as tableware, bowls, covered dishes, specialty items, vases and figurines. Each company had its own specialty, whether creating the pieces from molds or using the art of glass blowing, and expanded the look of traditional milk glass by adding more highly decorated and hand-painted designs, embossed and multi-colored pieces.
Time Frame
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Outstanding milk glass manufacturers that reigned during that time were the Fenton and Westmoreland glass companies in the United States, and Vallerysthal and Portieux in France.
Westmoreland opened in the late 1800s and continued to produce high-quality glass products until 1984. Many of their pieces, along with items from Vallerysthal and Portieux, are actively sought by collectors.
Fenton created beautiful designs and began incorporating contrasting clear-colored glass set against the pure white milk glass along with the use of pastel colors. Many of these pastel pieces are hard to find and are listed as collectibles.
Fenton Art Glass is family owned and still in the business of creating outstanding art glass pieces. For a look at their line of art glass products, visit their website (see below). -
Features
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Milk glass is made with different ingredients added to the molten glass mixture to give it a creamy-white look. Some of the very rare and older pieces were made with ingredients that are no longer available. Some pieces have a distinctive glow or luminescence, which may be due to the ingredients used in the initial process.
Besides pure white milk glass, there are pieces available in solid colors other than white, or the piece, such as a vase, may have a white base with an alternate color inside an overlapping rim.
Function
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Milk glass items serve multiple purposes, such as plates, salt and pepper shakers, sugar bowls, condiment dishes, cake plates and jam and jelly jars, along with personal items including jewelry boxes, perfume bottles, handkerchief holders and covered boxes for a vanity or dressing table. Home decorating items include vases, figurines, candlesticks and lamps.
Identification
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Most, but not all, milk glass pieces will have a mark or number identifying the manufacturer. For example, Fenton has an oval with its name and a single digit number for the year; Westmoreland used a capital "W" surrounded by a loop; Imperial used an iron cross along with their complete name spelled out; Fostoria used paper labels or etched their name onto pieces; Federal glass has the capital letter "F" within a shield; and Jeannette has an inverted capital "J."
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