Popular Vintage Glassware Patterns: Part V
Part V
Last week, we looked at popular vintage glassware patterns produced by Heisey Glass, McKee Glass Company, Noritake and Tiffin-Franciscan. You can read more about those companies here. This week's popular vintage glassware patterns were made by the companies of New Martinsville Glass Company, Mac-Beth Evans, Viking Glass, and Avon.
New Martinsville
New Martinsville
New Martinsville
The New Martinsville Glass Company was in business from 1901 until 1940 in a city by the same name in West Virginia. Until the 1920s however, the company focused on more elegant glassware items such as perfume bottles, lamps, and liquor decanters. In 1923, they added patterned glassware to the mix. The New Martinsville Glass Company produced a pattern of glassware called, "Moondrops" in 1932, and continued producing the pattern in a number of beautiful colors, including ruby red, cobalt blue, amber, clear, light green, Floral Ruby, amethyst, evergreen (dark green), jade green, pink, ice blue, Amber Floral, and ruby with platinum trim, until they ceased its production in 1940 when the company shut down. While pieces of this pattern may not be enough for you to retire on, it has maintained a steady following with the 4 1/4" champagne glass in ruby red selling for $30 each. Another popular pattern being made in West Virginia at the New Martinsville Glass Company was called "Hostmaster" and was available in ruby red, amber, clear, cobalt blue, light green, and amethyst. "Radiance" began production in clear in 1936 and quickly added colors such as ruby, ice blue, amber, emerald green, cobalt blue, pink, and ruby red with platinum trim to the mix until 1939. Be on the lookout for this 64-oz. "Radiance" pitcher in gorgeous ruby red, and you could sell it for a cool $300. Another good find would be the 6" round covered butter dish in clear, which is valued at around $200.
In 1940, the New Martinsville Glass Company changed its name to Viking Glass and began catering to those who were looking for a newer style of glassware during the Art Deco era. The colorful glass pieces produced by Viking Glass are some of the most distinguishable and recognizable of all vintage glass, in my opinion. Viking created truly unique and beautiful items until the mid-eighties. Of all the items they produced during that time, the most popular would have to be from the "Epic" collection, which began in 1965. The colors of Viking's "Epic" included, green, clear with platinum trim, persimmon (orange), Bluenique (blue), amber, ruby, ebony (black), Teaberry (light pink), clear, smoke, lime green, pink frosted, amethyst, frosted green, brown, amberina, and dark blue. The "Epic" collection by Viking Glass is responsible the highly collectible swung glass vases of the 1960s, as well as many coveted glass sculpture figurine pieces including their "Epic" long-tailed birds, ducks, cats, hound dogs, and mushrooms. Unbelievably, a bluenique "Epic" hound dog recently sold on eBay for over $500! An angel fish in the same color sold on eBay also for $150! The swung glass vases made during the Viking Glass era are some of the most coveted vintage glass items to find, buy, or sell! I am always on the lookout for a new one for myself! "Six-Petal Epic" Bon-Bons are another easily recognizable pieces by Viking Glass.
Mac-Beth Evans was formed in 1889 by two men, Thomas Evans and George Macbeth. They later were able to gain ownership of a company that held a patent for a glass blowing machine used to make lamp chimneys. Macbeth-Evans didn't produce their first full line of glassware until 1930! But once they got started they produced several still-popular patterns of colored depression glass! One of the most coveted, and therefore most valuable, Macbeth-Evans's patterns is "American Sweetheart", which was produced from 1930-1936, in colors including clear, pink, blue, red, cobalt with sterling trim, monax (white) and monax (white) with trims of gold, or red, and also cremax (beige). The best selling color of Macbeth-Evans's "American Sweetheart" depression glass pattern is pink and you should be on the lookout for this pattern in pink in an 80-oz pitcher with handle, like the one shown above. It is worth $1000! A pair of pink salt and pepper shakers with metal caps in the same pattern and color sells for $800! In comparison, the footed sugar bowl with lid in monax (white) is listed for sale for $550. Another popular pattern made by Macbeth-Evans was "Dogwood", made from 1930-1934 in colors such as clear, pink, green, yellow, monax, and cremax. A 5 5/8" rolled edge bowl in "Dogwood" pink by Macbeth-Evans can sell for about $50. The third most popular pattern by Macbeth-Evans is called "Petalware" and was made for a bit longer than the other two patterns. "Petalware" was produced from 1930-1950 in many various colors including, monax (white) with or without trims of gold, pastels, or primary colors, or with or without decals, cremax (beige) with or without trims of patels, primary colors, gold, red, or with or without decals, Fruits with red trim, Mountain Flowers, and painted-on colored glass in red or blue.
Avon as a brand began in 1920 in New York City and began selling collectibles and other types of products in the 1930s. Though most glassware made by Avon does not have very high values, there are some pieces that are more desirable and therefore can fetch a higher price. A popular pattern sold by Avon that is still being sought out by some collectors is the "Ruby Cape Cod" pattern, which was sold by Avon from 1975-1992 and was a deep ruby red color, as shown above. There were some single items made in cobalt blue and clear, but the ruby red set is beautiful at Christmastime. Be on the lookout for "Ruby Cape Cod" pieces such as the 11" footed cake stand which retails for $100, the 13" platter, worth $60, or the 46-oz. pitcher, valued at $50. Another Avon glassware pattern that can bring higher paydays is the 1980s "Royal Sapphire". If you happen to find one of the 13" rectangle baking dishes, you should be able to sell it for $50 if it is in nice condition. "Hummingbird" was made by Avon from 1986-1995 and was a clear glass with hummingbird and floral designs. The 5" bell is listed by Replacements for $85!
I hope you are still enjoying this series on Popular Vintage Glassware Patterns. Come back next week for Part VI to see patterns from Dugan Glassworks, Westmoreland, Colony Glass, and the Lancaster Glass Company. If you haven't already seen last week's post on Heisey Glass, Tiffin-Franciscan, McKee Glass, and Noritake, you can read it here. Until next time,
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