# "Depression" glass....how to identify? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 3, 2013, 6:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/depression-glass-how-to-identify/672969 "2013-11-03T06:47:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2013, 6:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/depression-glass-how-to-identify/672969/1 "2013-11-03T06:47:49Z")
It’s my favourite time of year in my part of Melbourne…\*\*HARD RUBBISH CHUCKOUT \*\*time, where householders go through all the crap cluttering up their homes and put it out on the verge where the local council will (eventually) turn up and take it all away. Most of it is indeed junk…skanky mattresses, broken kids toys etc but you would be amazed at what people throw away. Today I scored a perfectly good wheelbarrow, an assortment of terracotta pots, an esky, a brand new kid’s easel (blackboard on one side, whiteboard the other) and other misc bits and pieces that will either be sold on Ebay or go to good use for family, friends or the local Op Shop. _Anyways_, one of the things I found was a (flattish) green glass fruit bowl. After a good wash, it actually comes up sort of ok, except for some minor scratching on the surface. And it was the same ‘green’ as my old nana’s ‘Depression’ butter dish that adorned her (laminex) kitchen table for years. I tried looking on Ebay etc for something similar (to no avail) and wondered if there was some other way for a nuff-nuff like me to find out whether it’s just a bog-ordinary bowl purchased from KMart, or whether it might be something with a bit of history? I’m not energetic enough to go touting antique shops btw. And before you all go yelling “NOBODY THROWS OUT ANYTHING OF VALUE”…my daughter scored a Gritzner Sewing Machine yesterday, in mint condition, with all of the accoutrements and other accessories in what appears to be a crocodile skin case! People throw out all sorts of stuff…and that’s why I LOVE this time of year. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2013, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/depression-glass-how-to-identify/672969/2 "2013-11-03T14:32:25Z")
Is there any maker’s mark on the underside? Or a number? If not you might be able to identify the pattern. This is one such site, there may be others. > **[Depression Era, 1940s, 50s, 60s and Elegant glass patterns identification guide](https://www.kejabatreasures.com/kejaba-depressionglass.php)** > > You can use this site to find and identify depression era glass > patterns, elegant glass patterns and 1940s, 1950s and 1960s era glass patterns. BTW, is it clear green, or cloudy green? The cloudy green isn’t depression glass, it’s called [jadeite](http://antiques.about.com/od/glass40s50s60s/a/Fire-King121112.htm) and its from the postwar period (40s-60s) (however modern reproduction is also common because Martha Stewart hyped it in the 90s). I can fully believe people would be getting rid of valuable old glassware in the curbside trash. On several occasions I’ve found carnival pieces at yard sales for 25 cents. ---
**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2013, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/depression-glass-how-to-identify/672969/3 "2013-11-03T21:07:37Z")
Thanks **Hello Again**. No, there’s no identifiers on the underside, and I had a good look on the site you provided, but nothing jumped out at me. Oh, and btw, it’s clear, not cloudy glass too. I’ve gotta wander down to the shopping centre later…might mosey into an antique shop for a quick appraisal. ---
**Author:** ![Enola\_Straight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dec6dc/32.png) [@Enola\_Straight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Straight)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2013, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/depression-glass-how-to-identify/672969/4 "2013-11-04T15:40:18Z")
We recently came into possession of one of these: [http://www.etsy.com/listing/162479034/antique-green-depression-ribbed-cheese](http://www.etsy.com/listing/162479034/antique-green-depression-ribbed-cheese) [http://www.artfire.com/ext/shop/product\_view/autumnsantiquevilla/7751011/vintage\_green\_depression\_glass\_shaker\_criss\_cross\_metal\_screw\_on\_top/vintage/collectibles/glass](http://www.artfire.com/ext/shop/product_view/autumnsantiquevilla/7751011/vintage_green_depression_glass_shaker_criss_cross_metal_screw_on_top/vintage/collectibles/glass) ---
**Author:** ![Icarus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icarus/32/72_2.png) [@Icarus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icarus)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2013, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/depression-glass-how-to-identify/672969/5 "2013-11-04T17:57:34Z")
nm ---
**Author:** ![phxjcc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8491ac/32.png) [@phxjcc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phxjcc)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2013, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/depression-glass-how-to-identify/672969/6 "2013-11-04T19:48:59Z")
> [@kambuckta](#): > > It’s my favourite time of year in my part of Melbourne…\*\*HARD RUBBISH CHUCKOUT \*\*time, where householders go through all the crap cluttering up their homes and put it out on the verge where the local council will (eventually) turn up and take it all away. Most of it is indeed junk…skanky mattresses, broken kids toys etc but you would be amazed at what people throw away. Today I scored a perfectly good wheelbarrow, an assortment of terracotta pots, an esky, a brand new kid’s easel (blackboard on one side, whiteboard the other) and other misc bits and pieces that will either be sold on Ebay or go to good use for family, friends or the local Op Shop. > > _Anyways_, one of the things I found was a (flattish) green glass fruit bowl. After a good wash, it actually comes up sort of ok, except for some minor scratching on the surface. And it was the same ‘green’ as my old nana’s ‘Depression’ butter dish that adorned her (laminex) kitchen table for years. > > I tried looking on Ebay etc for something similar (to no avail) and wondered if there was some other way for a nuff-nuff like me to find out whether it’s just a bog-ordinary bowl purchased from KMart, or whether it might be something with a bit of history? I’m not energetic enough to go touting antique shops btw. > > And before you all go yelling “NOBODY THROWS OUT ANYTHING OF VALUE”…my daughter scored a Gritzner Sewing Machine yesterday, in mint condition, with all of the accoutrements and other accessories in what appears to be a crocodile skin case! People throw out all sorts of stuff…and that’s why I LOVE this time of year. > 😃 For ~ $8 + S&H you can get the definitive reference source from amazon. > **[Collector's Encyclopedia Depression Glass (Collector's Encyclopedia of...](https://www.amazon.com/Collectors-Encyclopedia-Depression-Glass/dp/B008SLPE3Q)** > > Collector's Encyclopedia Depression Glass (Collector's Encyclopedia of Depression Glass) \[Florence, Gene, Florence, Cathy\] on Amazon.com. \*FREE\* shipping on qualifying offers. Collector's Encyclopedia Depression Glass (Collector's Encyclopedia of... ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2013, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/depression-glass-how-to-identify/672969/7 "2013-11-04T21:43:45Z")
> [@Hello\_Again](#): > > BTW, is it clear green, or cloudy green? The cloudy green isn’t depression glass, it’s called [jadeite](http://antiques.about.com/od/glass40s50s60s/a/Fire-King121112.htm) and its from the postwar period (40s-60s) (however modern reproduction is also common because Martha Stewart hyped it in the 90s). Thanks a bunch for posting this! Years ago I saw some 1950s-ish square blue dishes at a 2nd hand store and was very taken by them. I have just the faintest memory that some relative or neighbor years ago had them. I asked my mom about it but she has no clue what I’m talking about. (Hard to describe verbally.) But now I know the name, can find pictures of them, etc. Time to ask around again. Very cool looking dishes. Much better, IMHO, then depression or vaseline glass.