Vintage glass
Depression glass
Machine-made colored tableware, 1920s–1930s
Inexpensive machine-made table glass, often in pink, green, amber, or blue, given away or sold cheaply during the 1920s–1930s. Patterns were made in large sets (dishes, cups, bowls).
Visible identification features
- Transparent or translucent color — not usually metallic carnival iridescence
- Molded patterns; often thinner than fruit jars
- Tableware shapes: plates, cups, sherbet dishes, serving bowls
What the photo can and cannot prove
Color plus tableware shape can support “Depression-era machine glass.” Exact pattern names (American Sweetheart, Cameo, etc.) need a full piece and often a pattern guide.
Lookalikes
- Carnival glass
Carnival has a sprayed iridescent surface. Depression glass is usually plain transparent color.
- Mason jar
Jars are thick storage vessels with screw threads, not dinner plates or cups.
Next steps
- Photograph the whole piece and the pattern close-up. Note chips on rims — they are common.
- Not an appraisal. Completeness of a set and damage matter more than color alone.
Sources
- Depression glass — Corning Museum of Glass
Updated 2026-08-19. Claims are limited to these sources.