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Glass Makers Marks–Identification Assistance

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November 18th, 2008 by ladymacbeth

This series of articles explores the glass and china marks that will help you to identify the maker of the glass product that you’ve purchased or are considering purchasing.

As most of you who collect glassware or china know, many of the companies who offer glassware, or have done so in the past, also offer a way to identify that glassware by virtue of their own particular marking on the glassware.

Some of the more famous ones are easily recognized by any glass user, while others are a bit less readily identified and take a little research to uncover.

A few of the more obscure ones of course are from companies which remained in business for a very short time, while others have evolved over the years, moving from one to another as the company underwent changes, sales or other upheavals across eons or even centuries.

China and glass companies as well as other manufacturers, including those  who existed only in the short term usually have their own specific mark that appears somewhere on their product. Some of them are so little seen that we aren’t even certain yet what companies they represent.

Finding a mark on a glass product that you have not previously seen is like a small mystery to a glass collector and most of us won’t rest until we know what, or who, it represents. Many are very well known, and easily linked to companies, while others take a lot of digging to uncover.

Some of the examples of  glass marks you may see which are more or less obscure and will help you to identify the company who made your glass product  are:

Oil City Glass Works–just a few miles from my home town in Pennsylvania, this glass company was in business for a relatively short time, about 15 to 17 years. (1952-1969) The mark resembles an oil derrick, which is symbolic of the area where the company is housed.

 

Olean Glass mark, from Olean New York, the OG may be encircled or without it. The G is not always clear and sometimes appears more like a C than it does the G that it should be

 

The well known Ball Glass Company mark, used on Ball canning jars,  originally began its life as the Ball Bros Manufacturing Company/Ball Bros Glass Company until 1969 when it became Ball Glass. It is located in Muncie,Indiana, but was originally located in Buffalo, NY  until about 1888. Best known for their manufacture of fruit and canning jars, Ball has also made a wide array of other products during their lifetime.

 

This very well known mark is symbolic of the Anchor Hocking glass company, from Lancaster, OH (as well as other factory locations) the company has been in existence since the late 1930’s. Reportedly this particular mark was no longer used after 1975 or 1976, I have personally seen it on Anchor glass products so I’m not quite sure what to make of that.
In the early 1980’s a new corporation was formed known as  Anchor Glass Container Corp, which has it’s own particular logo.

 

The quite well known mark of the Federal Glass Company. The mark is simply an F inside a shield. Federal Glass Company,which originated in Columbus, OH and operated from 1900 through 1980, began use of this mark in 1930. They made a huge array of table serving glass, drinking glasses, and were very well known and collected. Particularly interesting to collectors is their depression glass.

 

 

Comments

12 Comments »

  1. [...] Vote Glass Makers Marks–Identification Assistance [...]

    Pingback by glass canning jar | Digg hot tags — November 19, 2008 @ 2:22 pm

  2. What does the “J” symbol mean at the bottom of my parfait glasses.

    Thanks.

    s. grindstaff

    Comment by sandy grindstaff — December 14, 2008 @ 5:22 pm

  3. What does the “6” symbol mean at the bottom of a green base wine glass.

    Comment by Kathy — December 16, 2008 @ 8:51 pm

  4. Hi Kathy. Can you pass me along an image of it, or describe it. Particularly if there is a shape surrounding the number, such as an octagon or a circle type thing thats going to tell us a lot more.

    Comment by ladymacbeth — December 17, 2008 @ 5:10 pm

  5. again, like Kathy’s, the letter alone might mean several companies, one of them being Justrite Glass company. The history of where you found them, and what other marks are there will tell more..

    Comment by ladymacbeth — December 17, 2008 @ 5:12 pm

  6. glass plate diamonds and a starburst in the center.
    It has etched in the back-bottom, script, appears to be vael, voel? Or possibly a Uoel? just interested in age. Any information would be appreciated.

    Comment by Barbara A. Murphy — December 28, 2008 @ 3:23 pm

  7. HI Barbara. I love mysteries.. LOL will get your script investigated this week. Its one I don’t know, so that makes it a bit more interesting.

    Comment by ladymacbeth — December 29, 2008 @ 10:55 am

  8. HELP!

    I have a fused millefiori bowl consisting of many black and white millefiori beads fused together. There is one exception, it has one very interesting clear glass millefiori bead with a white “M” and a serrated white outline.
    Do you know if this is a signature bead of an artist or that it was made in Murano, Italy? Thank you for your help in advance.

    Comment by Tom Sparks — December 29, 2008 @ 6:37 pm

  9. Hi, I am new to this site _ My mother collected art glass/studio glass and lived in the midwest. I have a large studio glass vase that is signed but I can’t read it - are there websites where people can look at it and maybe someone can give me some info? Thanks so much!

    Comment by doris — January 2, 2009 @ 12:59 pm

  10. Hi, can anyone tell me what the number 3 on the bottom of a Northwoods leaf chalice means. No other markings.Thanks so much.

    Comment by Kathy L. — January 3, 2009 @ 5:53 pm

  11. There are websites where someone can take a look at it and help you to identify it. In fact it may be that someone here can assist you in what you’ve got if you’re willing to post us a pic of it.

    Comment by ladymacbeth — January 5, 2009 @ 10:42 pm

  12. The Northwood leaf chalice was advertised in about 1903, so that may have something to do with it. Thats a question I can’t answer but I”ll be glad to look into it for you. Northwood Glass Company is one of my favorites, although I’ve not done a great deal of studying on it, but mainly since its from my old stomping grounds so to speak. West Virginia is where it comes from.
    I”ll do a history of Northwood glass in the next article up, so w can all learn something new together.

    Comment by ladymacbeth — January 5, 2009 @ 10:50 pm

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