DEPRESSION GLASS REPRODUCTIONS
DEPRESSION GLASS REPRODUCTIONS
There was a time when buying depression glass was simple. You liked the color and the pattern, and you made sure it was in good condition with no chips, scratching or cracks. And the prices were very reasonable. Simple, right? As time went by, however, more and more people starting collecting depression glass, sometimes putting together entire sets. That was relatively easy 40 or 50 years ago. But, with increased demand and rising prices, reproductions started to fill the market and these days there seems to be no end in sight. And so, with the advent of reproductions, the marketplace has been overloaded with patterns, colors and pieces that were never even originally produced.
Depression era glass was never considered high quality glass. It was often a give-away in boxes of cereal and soap; it was given away at the local movie theater. Sometimes a depression era kitchen item was given away when you purchased an appliance. And you could make purchases at your local five and dime store to complete a set. Woolworth’s carried a complete line of Old Colony and other great patterns.
So, here we are, just getting ready to celebrate the New Year of 2008. You have been seeing all these great depression glass patterns at your local antique mall or auction house; you want to start a collection. How ever do you begin? Unfortunatley, I have seen a lot of reproduction glass at both the malls and auctions. So there’s no surefire way to guarantee that your purchase is the “real deal”.
I have found that Gene Florence’s book “Collector’s Encyclopedia of Depression Glass” is the best source for patterns, descriptions, colors and a complete listings of pieces made. The back of the book provides invaluable information regarding reproduction depression glass – what patterns have been reproduced (not all patterns have been reproduced), which colors were never originally made, how to spot a fake or reproduction piece, and what to look for in terms of color quality. It’s the best place to start. You can buy Gene’s book on Amazon.com.
