Spotting Depression Glass Reproductions
Hi,
There are many Depression glass reproductions (aka: depression glass repros) and fakes on the antique market today, and it important for a collector to be able to identify these in order to ensure that his or her collection is authentic. There were a variety of patterns created during the 1920’s and 1930’s, and there are many good reference books on the market, including my book, Depression Glass Secrets (at the risk of sounding immodest) that can help you become familiar with the authentic Depression glass colors and patterns. Rather than being unsure about what you are buying, it is important to have at least a minimal knowledge of the patterns that were made during the era.
If you are a novice, Depression glass reproductions can be hard to spot. Many companies will change the patterns slightly as a way to ensure that they are not mistaken for authentic by collectors. However, less reputable companies attempt to exactly recreate old patterns as a way to trick collectors into purchasing their items. When trying to tell reproduction Depression glass from the real thing, you should consider the weight of the glass. Some fake depression glass pieces are thicker than original pieces, especially in the bottom of mugs. For instance, fake Depression glass made to resemble the famously collectible Hazel Atlas Shirley Temple mug have much thicker bottoms than the original Shirley Temple glasses.
It is important to note that some real Depression glass pieces do have seams that show. Though Depression glass reproductions might also have showing seams, this does not indicate that a piece is fake Depression glass. Because Depression glass was cheaply and quickly made, it is fairly common for real pieces to have seams. Though mint condition Depression glass values are higher than cracked or scratched pieces, utensil scratches are often indicative of authentic pieces, and the glass was commonly scratched during use. If you are collecting for fun, scratches are a great way to tell if you have real or fake Depression glass.
The easiest and most effective way to tell if pieces are Depression glass reproductions is to identify the pattern and the color and match those to the patterns and colors issued by the maker during the period. For instance, if you find a Miss America pink salt shaker, you can be fairly sure that it is at least possibly real just with that knowledge. If you can match a pattern with a color and prove that it existed, you have at least won half of the fake Depression glass battle.
Reproduction Depression glass is not necessarily meant to trick collectors. Some collectors actually collect authentic reproductions. These depression glass pieces are in better shape than the originals, and they are virtually identical. Some Depression glass reproductions are more expensive than the original pieces, especially if they are visually the same. A reputable reproduction Depression glass manufacturer will assign a certificate to each piece saying that it is a reproduction in order to ensure that collectors will not be fooled. However, this is unfortunately not the case with every company that makes fake Depression glassware, for many, they count on you being fooled.
Have Fun and Keep Collecting
Murray
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