While it is easy for someone not well versed in the art and near religious fervor of the glass collecting world to mistake Depression glass with Elegant glass, the differences are actually quite substantial, despite the fact that both were produced during about the same time period, which further confuses matters.

The seven major Depression glass companies mass produced cheap press-molded tableware that was either given away to promote banks, gas stations, movie theaters, cereal, soap and other products from the 1920s through the 1940s, Elegant glassmakers paid far more attention to quality and detail and it was far too expensive to be given away or sold in the five and dime.

Elegant glass is characterized by hand finishing techniques such as fire polishing to smooth mold marks, acid etching to create decorative designs and many other laborious and costly hand finishing details that made them more intricate and valuable than Depression glass.

The colors achieved in Elegant glass were more vibrant and intense, with a much wider range of colors and hues than those of Depression glass. Deep ruby red, cobalt blue, emerald green and iridescent colored glass batches were used which could not be afforded in the large scale, low cost operations of

Depression glass manufacturers, who tried to survive the lean years by out producing each other and competing for thin margins rather than let their foundries sit idle.

Most Elegant glass could not be afforded by the average consumer of the time and were purchased by the more affluent customers who did not tend to use the pieces, but rather displayed them in their homes and used only for special occasions.

Whereas Depression glass pieces were generally highly functional items like pitchers, plates, bowls and salt and pepper shakers which that were used daily in the average home, Elegant glass pieces tended to be items like vases, platters, wine glasses and tea sets that might be used for entertaining guests once in a while in upper class homes.

A number of different companies produced Elegant glass and most of the patterns were exclusive to a single maker. An interesting trend was that some companies made “blanks” which were sold to other companies, which would then add their own, unique designs to the pieces, so that a company like Lotus Glass Company, for instance, never actually manufactured glass pieces!

A few of the most popular Elegant Glass companies and patterns among collectors today include:

• Cambridge Glass produced Portia, Rosepoint, Tally Ho and Wildflower, Duncan and Miller made patterns like Dover, Caribbean and Sandwich.
• Fenton Glass Company produced a number of patterns that are highly sought after by collectors these days, including Ming, Rose Crest, Silver Crest and Sophisticated Ladies.
• Fostoria Glass Company made many Elegant glass patterns between 1927 and 1944, including Coronet, which was only made in crystal (clear), Fairfax, which had no etching and Pioneer, which was available as a complete dinner set.
• Heisey Glass Company is well known for its Crystallite, Plantation, Ridgeleigh, Rose and Triplex patterns.
• Imperial Glass Company produced the well regarded Candlewick, Cape Cod and Tradition patterns among others.
• Lotus Glass Company, which bought blanks from various companies and finished them using techniques such as acid etching, cutting, enamel decoration, gold encrustation, platinum and gold trim designed popular patterns, including Bridal Bouquet.
• Tiffin Glass Company is well known for its patterns, including June Night and Cherokee Rose.