Common Depression Glass Reproductions & Fakes to Look Out For
Hi,
A sad but true fact remains that occasionally people pay for what they thought to be a true piece of Depression-era glassware only to find out later – after the seller has long gone– that what they’ve actually spent good money on turns out to be just a good Depression glass fake or reproduction intended to fool you.
“Good reproduction” does not necessarily mean a flawless item; almost all Depression Glass carries air bubbles, mold marks, and other blemishes and defects – that’s part of what determines authenticity in Depression Glass!
Here are a few kinds of Depression Glass patterns and what to look out for in known reproductions floating around the marketplace:
Cameo Child’s Dish
This first one is easy: Cameo, a Hocking design, did not make any dishes for children. The company produced green, pink, yellow, and crystal (clear) Depression Glass from 1930 to 1934 in 68 pieces – but not a single one for children.
Madrid
Madrid copies can be detected if the original’s “76” does not appear on the piece. Reproduction colors also vary from the originals: Ambers and blues turn up deeper hued than in the original Depression Glass, and pink in reproductions run lighter than in originals. If you run across teal in Madrid, just keep moving on – the Federal Glass Company did not produce Madrid in teal. You may also encounter certain so-called “Madrid” pieces never made in the Depression Glass era that include two-section grill plates, goblets with feet, cake plates on pedestals, preserves stands, smaller-than-usual shakers, 11-ounce tumblers, and hurricane lamps and/or vases.
Royal Lace
Hazel-Atlas manufactured 39 pieces of Royal Lace in five colors, including cobalt blue. The cobalt blue colored juice and water glass reproductions invariably fail to carry the star-like design found on originals. Also, Depression-era cookie jars in this pattern always bear a mold ring on their bottoms and a mold line across their lids; fake Royal Lace cookie jars do not. And if the lid of a supposedly old cookie jar lid on a “Royal Lace” feels rough to the touch, it’s probably not that old after all.
Reproductions do have their place in the Depression Glass collector’s arena. Some people may want one to temporarily – or permanently – fill a missing spot in a collection, or others may appreciate the looks of Depression Glass, but don’t want to spend the money on the real thing. When marketed honestly as “frankly fakes,” reproductions do serve a purpose. But sometimes, whether in true ignorance or blatant underhandedness, these phony pieces get pawned off on unsuspecting buyers and pollute the history of Depression glass. So it’s important to brush up occasionally on what’s really old and what’s straight off the boat from India, Mexico, or some other area known to export Depression Glass knock-offs. So get out your collector guides, keep up with your Depression Glass newsletters, and stay in contact with your local club. And remember: Ignorance is no excuse. To get fooled once is the seller’s fault; to get fooled twice is yours!
Have Fun and Keep Collecting
Murray
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