“ . . . and I also have a cabinet full of milk glass.” These words find their way into at a high percentage of the calls I receive from people seeking my assistance in down-sizing. Yet as popular as this type of glassware is, there are a large number of misconceptions about it’s origin and value. So, before you start romanticizing about the fortune in “white” glass you have in the cupboard, let’s take a look at the facts.
“Milk glass,” which would not be called such for several centuries, originated in Venice in the 16th century. It was a translucent blown or pressed glass that was made in a large range of forms and colors, including blue, pink, black, yellow, brown, and white, all of which had a milky white appearance. Originally the glass was made from a method using arsenic in it’s production. These pieces will have a reddish glaze around the edges. This method was discontinued in 1840 and replaced with a formula that used tin dioxide as an opacifier.
By the 19th century glass manufacturers had begun to refer to the milky glassware as “opal glass.” Pieces from the Gilded Age (a term coined by Mark Twain to describe the prosperous post-Civil War years in America), are sought by collectors for their delicacy and rich color. Late 1800s pieces from the “fin di siecle” (a French term meaning “the close of a century”) are also highly collectible. Examples from both the Gilded Age and the “fin di siecle” are considered by most to be the finest quality milk glass ever produced.
Collectors will pay top dollar for mint condition pieces from these eras. Original patterns to watch for include the Fan, Button and Arches, Holly, Stars and Stripes and the Ribbed Grape. Figurines from 1880-1900 are also collectible and were most often in animal form. Remember that these were manufactured while arsenic was still used in production and, as a result, will have a rather dull finish.
From 1900 until the onset of World War I opaque white glass reached the peak of it’s popularity and was now referred to by most as “milk glass.” The American public found it a feasible substitute for more costly European china and glass and sales soared. The opacity of the glass from this era was achieved by adding ash or oxides to clear glass. The use of various coloring agents turned milk glass into blue, pink, yellow, green and slag glass colors. Several quality glass manufacturers produced milk glass during this period. Atterbury, Challinor-Taylor, Westmoreland, and McKee are names to watch for. Reissue and reproduction abounds in this area of collecting, so educate yourself before you shop.
The milk glass that most of us are familiar with was produced during the Depression Era through the 1950s. The patterns will not have the high relief of earlier pieces, nor will they be of as high a quality. In this buyer’s market you can find a wide range of items made between 1930 and 1955 on eBay including shakers, refrigerator dishes, vases, lamp shades, jewelry and vanity jars in the $5-$40 range. One of the most common patterns from this time frame is the Hobnail pattern from the Fenton Glass Factory. So much of this pattern was sold from 1930-1960 that owner, Bill Fenton, actually referred to it as the company’s “bread and butter.”
After the 1960s, milk glass production declined in the U.S. This can be attributed, at least in part, to legislation passed to protect the environment from the water pollution caused by the glass company’s disposal off tin oxide and fluorides. “Modern Milk Glass,” manufactured from the late 1960s forward, bears little resemblance to its original counterpart. It is produced from clear glass with white paint added to the mix. Milk glass of this type will be a solid white and when held to the light will not show “fire” (a slight rainbow of colors) in the glass.
These newer pieces are of no interest to the serious collector, but remains popular for use in the home. They are sturdily made pieces and are a common find at flea markets and secondhand stores for under $5. Until next time . . . Linda
Linda Kennett is a professional liquidation consultant specializing in down-sizing for seniors and the liquidation of estates and may be reached at 317-258-7835 or lkennett@indy.rr.com
