Cambridge Glass

Facts about Cambridge Glass:

• Cambridge began as National Glass Company making pressed glass wares in the early 1900s.
• Cambridge began using its well-known “C” within a triangle mark in the 1920s. Not all Cambridge pieces are marked, however.
• Many of the most interesting pieces and popular patterns from a collecting standpoint were introduced in the 1930s and sold briskly well into the 1940s.
• The most common reproductions of Cambridge glassware are figural lady flower frogs, but a number of pieces of the Caprice pattern have also been reproduced. Learning to recognize the quality of older pieces helps to ward off being taken in by repros.

It wasn't so long ago that the well-dressed table or buffet included a selection of elegantly etched stemware and accessories. If these pieces came from the Cambridge Glass Company, they were sure to be of unsurpassed quality.

Founded as National Glass Company, the earliest glassware items attributed to the Cambridge, Ohio, factory were actually heavy pressed patterns rather than handmade etched glass. The company used the mark "Near Cut," according to the National Cambridge Collectors (NCC) Web site. These early 20th century glass gems impersonated popular styles of hand cut glass that had become too costly to produce although the look was still in demand.

After running upon some hard times during the early 1900s, the company's manager, Arthur J. Bennett, raised the funds required to purchase the factory in 1907. Bennett continued to refine and grow what became the Cambridge Glass Company under his ownership.

By the 1930s, Cambridge Glass Company introduced some of its most interesting wares from a collecting standpoint. Throughout the '40s, homemakers entertained and decorated with the most popular Cambridge patterns. From the famed Rosepoint etch to the cool blue of the Caprice line, collectors clamor to own these sparkling treasures today.

Heisey Glass

Facts about Heisey Glass:

• The Heisey factory was in business from 1896 through 1957.
• Quality glass like that produced by Heisey has been nicknamed “elegant” glass by antiques dealers and collectors.
• All Heisey glass was marked with either a raised “Diamond H” directly in the glass or with a paper sticker. Most of the stickers have been removed with cleaning and use leaving many pieces of unmarked glass for collectors to identify by other means.
• Heisey Collectors of America owns most of the old molds from this company, which helps to minimize unauthorized reproductions.

From 1896 through 1957, exquisite glassware produced by A.H. Heisey & Co. left the factory for use in stylish American homes. This immaculate glassware endures as a fine collectible today.

In fact, many dealers categorize this type of glass as "elegant" glassware. It generally has a heavier feel and a fine finish when compared to lesser-quality molded glass lines produced through the depression era.

When new, Heisey’s elegant glass patterns were sold in upscale department stores and served as bridal registration choices for many young couples until the factory closed. At that point, production of this fine glassware ceased.

The lovely colors developed by Heisey remain true and bright as these collectibles continue to age. Even the clear glass they produced has the unmistakable feel of quality. And, the company’s etchings continue to be extremely popular since they're nothing short of exceptional.