Distinguishing Real from Reproduction Pieces. Look for tiny bubbles on the surface of the glass. Check the piece very closely, and look at it from all angles. If it is a real piece of depression glass, there will be a scattering of small bubbles.

Depression glass brightens the home and the spirit for many collectors, just as it did for the original owners during the Great Depression. Some pieces of this glass are affordable for almost everyone, while others are rare and extremely valuable.

While generally made with low-quality glass, the plates, saucers, cups and bowls that are today classified as “Depression Glass” have bright colors and pretty molded patterns that make them as fun to collect today as they were 80 years ago.

Depression glass is so called because collectors generally associate mass-produced glassware in pink, yellow, crystal, and green with the Great Depression in America.

Both carnival and depression glass are colored. However, carnival glass features an iridescent, multicolored look, whereas depression glass has more of a simple, single-colored, transparent look. Carnival glass was made to inexpensively mimic glass made by the Tiffany Company.

Produced by Hocking Glass Company around 1929 to 1933, this green glass cup is a common find. The value has generally held steady around $5 for a single cup for a few decades.

Identification. Both carnival and depression glass are colored. However, carnival glass features an iridescent, multicolored look, whereas depression glass has more of a simple, single-colored, transparent look. Carnival glass was made to inexpensively mimic glass made by the Tiffany Company.

The great majority of the green Depression-era glass contains very small quantities of uranium, which causes the glass to glow a fluorescent green under an ultraviolet light (blacklight). This type of glass is sometimes incorrectly labeled “ Vaseline glass ”, although true Vaseline glass (also containing uranium)…

With its warm rose color and vintage beauty, pink depression glass is a hot item among collectors and antiques enthusiasts. You can easily find this glass in most antique stores, but determining its value can be a bit more confusing. Values can range from a few dollars to over $100.

Depression glassware is a machine-pressed product that was mass produced for sale in five and dime stores at extremely low prices.