Antique Vaseline Glass

The world of glass is one of the most broad categories of the antique world. The continuous quest for creating this utilitarian yet decorative product since humankind’s early beginnings has resulted in a wondrous array of items. Glassware today is eagerly collected by the knowledgeable and not so knowledgeable.

Glass collecting is an area where research is required. It is one of the most difficult categories to authenticate because 1) so much glassware was made originally that the patterns number in the tens of thousands 2) So little is marked with identification marks as opposed to china ( in fact, marked glass commands a premium price) 3) Today’s technology can reproduce glassware with relative ease, and reproductions abound . It is little surprise that many collectors are very wary of glassware and tend to avoid it altogether. However there is one type of glass that is reasonably easy to authenticate by a person with the most rudimentary knowledge and equipment– Vaseline glass.

Vaseline glass is a beautiful yellow green glass that enjoys a certain anonymity.

There is hardly a collector that does not know about depression glass, yet some of the Vaseline glass has been confused with amber or yellow depression glass. There is however , a single test that removes all doubt if its authenticity. When you hold a black light to a piece of Vaseline glass, the Vaseline glows a beautiful green.

The term Vaseline glass is thought by some to have been coined in the 1950’s, although its earliest mention by that name appeared in 1924 in N.H. Moore's book "Old Glass: European and American". By that time, this glass had been collected for over 100 years going in and out of favor during that time period. It had been called canary glass, and uranium glass,but in an effort to better describe this glass, a dealer happened to notice that the color of this glass was very similar to the color of petroleum jelly at that time (Vaseline was not always as clear as it is today, apparently.) The name caught on and stayed. Collectors began to collect “Vaseline Glass”.

The history of this glass is a fascinating one, beginning as early as 79AD, only to be “lost” until in 1789.

Uranium in old glass was purely accidental and was the result of trace minerals found in sands used at that time. One source credits a poor German druggist named Martin Klaproth with the discovery of how to extract uranium dioxide from pitch blend, a common ore. Uranium dioxide is what gave the glass its yellow color, and it is the component that makes the glass “glow”. Uranium dioxide is the stable cousin of uranium, and at its low percentage of 1 – 2% , filtered by the best filter of all- glass- it is completely safe to decorate and use in the home. Another source states that the earliest uranium glass did not appear until the mid 19th century.

In 1827, the glass press was invented in America, and a new glass industry was born.

Victorians loved this glass. In the somber, darker interiors of the time, Vaseline glass glowed and sparkled. This is in part due to the way the human eye perceives color. The color yellow green is the first color our eyes really see at first light, and at sun down. Its wavelength determines this color as the easiest to see, so it is no surprise that Vaseline glass would be so loved by consumers.

Vaseline glass was extremely popular for about 40 years, and its demise was hastened by the electric light bulb, of all things!

Artificial light flattens the color, making it look simply yellow green, and the new crop of buyers wanted something new. Production really slowed down in the 1890's due to this waning in popularity, and the financial crisis that most glass companies found themselves in at that time. Although lacking in popularity, some Vaseline glass continued to be made until 1941 when uranium was required for the war effort. When compared to other glass types, very little Vaseline glass was made after 1951. One reason is the change in popularity of this glass according to the styles of the day. Another is that uranium dioxide became prohibitively expensive, and many companies “cheated” by making yellow glass from newly available dyes. These are today’s “fakes”.

Vaseline glass is not as commonly seen on the market when compared to other forms of glass.

Occasionally a collection representing years’ worth of collecting comes on the market . This is the best time to buy since a collector has choice. Vaseline glass looks wonderful in windows, where natural light can emphasize its ever changing colors. Some collectors create display cases outfitted with glass shelves and a black light to emphasize the "glow" of the glass. Vaseline glass plates also look wonderful against the white or cream background of one’s favorite china.

Many Vaseline glass articles have opalescent decoration, and this adds another dimension to the collector’s choices.

All types of items were created using Vaseline glass: Decorative objects d’art, dishes, whimsies, lamps, candlesticks , clocks, cruet sets and perfume bottles, to name nut a few. Any way you look at it, Vaseline glass is truly a treasure to behold!

Written by Johanne Yakula

From Times Past

NOTE: Thank you to Alice Venables, a charter member of Vaseline Glass Collectors, Inc for fine tuning some of my information. Your input was much appreciated!

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