Popular Vintage Glassware Patterns: Part IV
Part IV: Heisey Glass, Noritake, McKee Glass Company, & Tiffin-Franciscan Glass
Last week, we discussed popular patterns by the glass houses of Smith Glass, Tiara Glass, U.S. Glass, and Duncan & Miller. This week we will be looking at more popular patterns of vintage glass from the houses of Heisey Glass, Tiffin-Franciscan, McKee Glass Company, and Noritake.
Heisey Glass Companies is well-known for their lines of elegant glassware styles and unique colors. Some of their most popular patterns included "Orchid", "Greek Key", "Empress", and although it's not really a pattern, I wanted to mention the wild love some collectors hold for Heisey Glass figurines! "Orchid" was produced by Heisey from 1940-1957 and was only produced in crystal clear. Some of the pieces in the pattern can have astronmical value such as the lemon dish with lid, which can be worth up to $650, and the 9 3/8" Basket, which can sell for $1600! "Greek Key" is another Heisey pattern that was only produced in clear. It began production at Heisey in 1912 and continued through 1938. A punch bowl in this pattern sells for $500 when the stand is included as well and a 64-oz. jug pitcher can fetch a price as high as $250! "Empress" was produced from 1930-1938 and was available in many Heisey-exclusive colors such as Sahara (yellow), Moongleam (green), Flamingo (pink), Alexandrite (light purple), Tangerine, and also cobalt blue, marigold, and clear. A Sahara "Empress" lemon dish with dolphin lid sells for $300 and the 3-toed 48-oz. jug pitcher is worth $260.
Heisey figurines are a quick topic I wanted to mention because they can be produced in any color available for other Heisey glassware like, clear, frosted, Moongleam, Sahara, Flamingo, amber, Ruby Flash, yellow, carnival glass, light and dark blue, and even Sultana. Some valuable Heisey figurines to be on the lookout for are the 11" clear gazelle, which is worth $1500, the 11" frosted Moongleam cherub, which sells for $1300, and the 7" clear swan, which is worth $900! Be sure to grab these if you are lucky enough to come across one, even if it doesn't work with your own personal style. I feel certain it would be worth your efforts if you find one for a much lower price at a thrift store.
Tiffin-Franciscan began producing glassware at their new Ohio factory on August 15, 1889. By 1892, they had merged with U.S. Glass. By 1963, one of their factories was destroyed and they also had filed bankruptcy. "King's Crown" was produced at Tiffin-Franciscan from 1943-1962 and was available in so many colors including ruby flash, clear, carnival glass, blue flash, yellow flash, amber flash, cranberry flash, green flash, and many others with a fruit decal motif. "Killarney Stemware" is available as a nice forest green bowl with a clear stem that was produced from 1950-1966. "Valencia" was made from 1948-1966 and could be found in clear & gold encrusted, clear with gold trim, pink gold encrusted, clear with gold encrusted band, optic clear with encrusted gold, green with gold encusted band, green bowl with stand amber with gold impressionist. Another type of glass made by Tiffin-Franciscan was called Watermelon Glass, which is a two-toned pink and green depression glass that I hope to write a post about in the future. Do yourself a favor and Google it if you haven't heard of it yet.
McKee Glass Company was founded by brothers in Pennsylvania in 1836 and would eventually acquired by Jeannette Glass in 1961. McKee was responsible for such patterns as "Jadeite", "Rock Crystal", and "Opal". "Jadeite" is one of the most widely beloved of all vintage glassware patterns! It began production in 1930 and continued until 1951. Value and prices for "Jadeite" has remained as steady and increasing as the love collectors hold for this type of vintage glassware. Evidence of that fact is that the 1 1/4 lb. lid for the covered butter dish sells for $160, for the lid only! "Rock Crystal" was produced from 1915-1944 and could be found in Ruby red, clear, pink, cobalt blue, amber, green, milk glass, frosted clear, aquamarine, amethyst, clear with gold trim, frosted blue, amberina, yellow, yellow-green, crystal with Ruby flashing, and frosted pink. "Opal" was produced from 1950-1952 and was available in milk glass, aqua, clear, green, ruby, and dark blue.
Noritake Glassware have produced many popular patterns that have easily maintained their value levels over many years after they are discontinued. Some of these patterns include: "Perspectives", "Sweet Swirl", and "Provincial". "Perspectives" produced from 1970-1985 and could be had in so many colors, such as Ruby red, green, blue, amber, tawny brown, clear, plum, smoke grey, tangerine, black, pink, and yellow. The bold and bright beautiful colors of Noritake glassware have always been a favorite of mine. Be on the lookout for a ruby red "Perspectives" luncheon plate; it is worth $70! "Sweet Swirl" was produced from 1985-1993 and was available in tawny brown, clear, evergreen, pink, light blue, light green, black, dark blue, cranberry, grey, sea foam green, and lilac. The 5 1/8" highball glasses seem to hold their value quite well with the tawny brown selling for $56 and clear selling for $60, and pink for $30, for a single drinking glass! "Provincial" was produced at Noritake from 1974-1988 and could be found in dark blue, brown, red, clear, amber, light blue, moss green, yellow, pink, spring green, and orange.
Which of these patterns was your favorite? Let me know in the comments. Come back next week for Part V when we review popular glassware patterns by the companies of New Martinsville, MacBeth-Evans, Viking Glass, and Avon Glassware. And if you missed last week's blog post, Part III in the series, you can read it here. And be sure to take advantage of the Customer Appreciation Sale going on
Comments
Post a Comment