Glassware Glossary

INTRODUCTION
One of the fun aspects of building a vintage, antique or mid-century modern glassware collection for your home bar is knowing the story behind the glassware you buy. This means learning about not only who manufactured the glassware but what techniques and processes were used to make the glassware.

To help guide you, we've compiled this glossary of terms related to the history and production of vintage and antique glassware.

By understanding these terms it will add to your appreciation of the glassware in our catalog and will help guide your purchasing decisions.

American Brilliant Glassware
American Brilliant Glassware, a highlight of the late 19th to early 20th centuries, features intricate cut designs that reflect light brilliantly. Known for its exceptional clarity and elaborate patterns, this glassware symbolizes elegance and luxury in vintage collections.

Bohemian, or Cut-to-Clear Glassware
Bohemian, or Cut-to-Clear, glassware is characterized by richly colored glass with intricate patterns cut into the colored surface, creating a vibrant contrast. Originating in Bohemian regions, this exquisite glassware showcases meticulous craftsmanship and stunning visual impact.

Crystal Glassware
Crystal glassware is prized for its clarity, brilliance, and distinctive ringing sound. Made with a higher lead content, crystal glassware exhibits exquisite craftsmanship, intricate designs, and exceptional durability, elevating any dining experience with its elegant sparkle and luxurious appeal.

Carnival Glassware
Carnival Glass, popular in the early 20th century, features a myriad of vibrant colors and iridescent finishes. Often exhibiting intricate patterns like flowers and fruits, this glassware was given away as prizes at carnivals or sold at low prices in cereal boxes. Its affordability and attractive appearance brought joy and brightness to households during the Depression era, providing a sense of luxury and escape during challenging times.

Early American Pressed Glass (EAPG)
Early American Pressed Glass (EAPG) refers to intricately patterned glassware produced in the United States in the 19th and early 20th centuries, showcasing exquisite craftsmanship and historical significance. EAPG glassware was blown in molds and early designs imitated American Brilliant Glassware's cut designs. Because the patterns were manufactured and not cut, EAPG was more affordable to a broader audience.

Elegant Glassware
Elegant Glassware, prevalent in the early to mid-20th century, was crafted by esteemed manufacturers like Fostoria, Heisey, and Cambridge Glass Company. This glassware was intricately made using techniques like acid etching and engraving to create delicate designs. Often distributed through department stores, Elegant Glassware played a significant role in early bridal registries, as couples sought these exquisite pieces to adorn their homes and celebrate special occasions in style.

Enameled Glassware
Enameled glass, often found on vintage glassware, refers to glass that has been decorated with a type of paint made from powdered glass mixed with a medium and pigment. This decorative technique allows for intricate designs and vivid colors to be added to glass items.

Etched Glassware
Etched Glassware, popular from the late 19th to early 20th centuries, was crafted by renowned manufacturers such as Fostoria, Cambridge and Heisey. Designs were intricately etched onto the glass surface using wax masks to protect areas from acid. This technique created exquisite patterns and motifs, adding a touch of elegance to glass items like tumblers, pitchers, and stemware, making them treasured pieces in households and collections alike.

Engraved Glassware
Engraved Glassware, a classic choice in vintage collections, features intricate designs and patterns created by cutting into the glass surface. This meticulous technique adds a touch of sophistication and artistry to items like decanters, wine glasses, and serving platters, showcasing exquisite craftsmanship and timeless beauty.

Depression Glass
Depression Glassware, produced in the 1920s and 1930s, was manufactured by companies like Anchor Hocking, Federal Glass Company, Macbeth-Evans Glass Company, and Jeanette Glass Company. Its designs were often pressed or molded, featuring intricate patterns like florals and geometric shapes. Affordable and widely available, this glassware brightened homes during the economic hardships of the Great Depression, offering a touch of beauty and elegance to everyday life, symbolizing hope and resilience during challenging times.

The glass factories of the Depression era played a crucial role in providing employment opportunities and support for countless families during a period of economic hardship. By producing Depression Glassware, these factories not only preserved artisanal skills and craftsmanship but also ensured a steady income for workers, enabling them to sustain their households and communities. The glassware industry thus served as a beacon of stability and hope, offering much-needed financial security and a sense of purpose to families in uncertain times.

Mid-century Modern Glassware
Mid-Century Modern glassware for home bars and cocktails featured sleek, minimalist designs with bold patterns and vibrant colors. Companies like Culver, Georges Briard, and Cera were renowned for their innovative approaches, incorporating gold accents, intricate motifs, and geometric shapes into glassware.

Culver's 22K gold detailing, Briard's whimsical designs, and Cera's modernist aesthetics defined this era's glassware. From highball glasses to decanters, Mid-Century Modern pieces reflected the era's optimism and sophistication, adding a touch of glamour to cocktail parties and home entertaining.

Pressed Glassware
Pressed Glass refers to a manufacturing process where molten glass is pressed into molds to create intricate patterns and designs. This technique was popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, offering an affordable alternative to hand-cut glassware. Pressed Glass provided consumers with elegant yet cost-effective tableware, decorative items, and serving pieces, allowing them to enjoy stylish glassware without the high price tag.

Uranium Glassware
Uranium Glassware, popular from the late 19th to the mid-20th century, was crafted by top manufacturers like Fenton, Cambridge Glass Company, Jeanette Glass Company, and the Federal Glass Company. Uranium dioxide was added to glass formulas in the early 20th century primarily to achieve vibrant colors, particularly shades of green and yellow, in the resulting glassware.

The presence of uranium in the glass composition imparted a unique and distinctive appearance, making the glassware more visually appealing and desirable to consumers during that time period.

Uranium dioxide becomes molecularly locked into the molten glass when it is added to the glass mixture and melted down. This molecular bonding ensures that the uranium remains contained within the glass matrix and does not leach out, meaning that vintage uranium glass is considered safe for use.

UV Flourescence
The value of understanding UV Flourescence in the context of The Joy of Cocktails is its role in helping to establish the manufacturing period of the glassware.

UV fluorescence in glassware is a phenomenon where glass emits visible light when exposed to ultraviolet (UV) light, a process driven by certain elements incorporated into the glass. Uranium, manganese, and lead are notable for their distinct fluorescent properties when part of glass compositions.

The green or yellow glass that glows green when exposed to ultraviolet (UV) light typically contains uranium, an element added to the glass matrix during its manufacturing. This type of glass, known as uranium glass, emits a characteristic bright green fluorescence under UV light, especially when exposed to a 395 nm wavelength. The presence of uranium in glass dates back to the 19th century but saw a significant increase in popularity during the Depression Era in the United States, roughly between the late 1920s and the 1930s. This was partly due to the affordability and unique aesthetic appeal of uranium glass, which made it popular among consumers during economically challenging times.

In contrast, clear glass that glows green under a 365 nm UV light generally indicates the presence of manganese rather than uranium. Manganese was commonly used as a decolorizer in glass production to remove the green tint caused by iron impurities, resulting in clear glass. The use of manganese in this capacity was prevalent before 1920. When exposed to UV light at a 365 nm wavelength, the manganese-containing glass exhibits a green fluorescence. This characteristic glow helps to date such glass artifacts to the pre-1920 era, before other decolorizing agents became more commonly used in glass manufacturing.

Both types of glass—uranium and manganese-containing—highlight the use of specific elements to achieve desired color and fluorescence effects, which are also indicative of the period when they were made.