What dealers and collectors describe as elegant glass is technically a form of Depression-era glassware since many pieces were made during the same period as traditional Depression glass patterns. In fact, it’s not uncommon to hear it referred to as “elegant glass of the Depression era.” What actually distinguishes elegant pieces from Depression glass is the difference in quality.
Elegant glassware is almost always free of bubbles, mold seams and other flaws common in lesser quality wares like Depression glass. Fine manufacturing and finishing techniques used by elegant glassware manufacturers account for this superior quality whether the pieces are blown or pressed.
Which Companies Produced Elegant Glass?
Some shapes, patterns and colors in the Depression-era glassware category do have some elegant attributes. But it’s the fine glassware produced by makers like Fostoria, Heisey, Cambridge, and Duncan and Miller Glass Company that truly fall into this category.
Each of these companies introduced unique etchings, patterns, colors and mold shapes to satisfy the demand for this type of glassware when it was new from the 1920s through the ‘50s. It’s important to note that all these companies were in business long before they began producing elegant glass, but these wares are by and large their claim to fame with collectors.
Are Depression and Elegant Glass Colors the Same?
Depression and elegant glass manufacturers produced some of the same colors during their overlapping production periods, namely pink, green, blue and yellow along with clear. The colors of elegant glass tend to be a bit softer when compared side by side with Depression glass, and the glass is distinctively more shiny and clear.
Elegant glassware manufacturers like Heisey also experimented with other hues ranging from orange to light purple and gave them interesting names like Tangerine and Alexandrite. Pieces in these unusual colors attract avid glass collectors and can draw formidable prices when they come up for sale.
Where Was Elegant Glass Sold?
Elegant glass was sold in better department stores and gift shops rather than in dime stores or given away as premiums like Depression glass. In fact, many brides registered for elegant patterns as preferred wedding gifts instead of traditional china during the ‘30s, ‘40s and ‘50s.
