Learn how to correctly determine the value of a crackle glass piece and how to identify the company where the glass was manufactured.
History of Crackle Glass
Crackle glass is also known as craquelle glass, overshot glass, and ice glass. Venetian glass makers of the 16th century are believed to have invented the process. Submersing a hot piece of glass into cold water forms crackle glass. This process causes fine cracks to form over the surface. The glass is then reheated in order to smooth the surface and seal the cracks. Crackling does not affect the shape or color of the piece. Crackle glass is not considered to be a particular style of glass. It is merely a process. One of the reasons for the production of crackle glass was to cover up imperfections. If a glass piece contained lines or swirls through it, it was referred to as "corded". Instead of disposing the damaged material, the glass was crackled to cover the imperfection and sold. In the United States, most crackle glass was manufactured from the late 1930's to the 1970's. West Virginia was the main producer of crackle glass but Ohio and Pennsylvania companies were also known to manufacture crackle glass items. West Virginia is well known for its production of off hand glass. This is a term used to refer to glass that is mouth blown.
Crackle Glass Manufacturers
Although numerous companies were known to have manufactured crackle glass in the United States, a mere handful produced the vast majority available. Bischoff, Blenko, Kanawha, Pilgrim, and Rainbow were five well-known companies all located in West Virginia. Blenko is the only company that still produces crackle glass today. Pilgrim Glass Company closed in March of 2002.
Cruets, cups, decanters, glasses, jugs, pitchers, and vases were the most common items made. Cruets are a small bottle with a glass stopper that usually contains vinegar or oils. Decanters are larger bottles with a stopper used most often for liquor. Many items were copied from one company to another, making it harder to identify the piece. Crackle glass books with photos or an old catalog from the company are your best bet in helping to identify a piece.
For a short period of time, Blenko Glass had their name sandblasted on the bottom of the glass with the image of a hand underneath it. Any items containing this mark are highly sought after by collectors.
Many items produced at Pilgrim Glass contain a mark on the bottom resembling a strawberry. Tapping a file against the glass while it was hot made this imprint. Unfortunately this mark was not made on all Pilgrim pieces thus making them harder to identify.
Pricing Crackle Glass?
When trying to determine the value of an item, there are several factors you should consider:
1) Is the piece a rare find or was it mass-produced? Perfume bottles were not that common and generally are considered expensive when compared to much larger crackle glass items. Crackle glass in the shape of fruit or wine containers in the shape of a fish are both rare collectibles.
2) Color plays an important role in determining the value. Some colors were more expensive to manufacture and this was reflected in the price of the item. Amberina, cobalt blue, cranberry, ruby red, and tangerine are all colors that were more costly to produce. Also, some colors had a short production life. They are less common and demand a higher asking price. Gray or smoke crackle glass was only produced for a period of about ten years. If you have a piece in this shade not only is it worth more but it is also much easier to determine the date manufactured. Although it did not cost more to produce, amethyst is a very popular color among collectors today.
3) Does the item contain a stopper? Most often the stopper was damaged or destroyed over time. A piece that contains the original stopper in good condition is a rare find.
4) Does the piece still have a label on the bottom? The majority of crackle glass does not since it was common practice to remove the label and clean the glass. A label takes the guesswork out of identifying the piece and adds value. Just be certain that the label is an original and was not misleadingly put on the item by the seller.
For further reference there are books available that contain numerous photos of crackle glass. Many list the manufacturer, production date, measurements of the glass, and a general price guide. It is not uncommon for the value of crackle glass to differ from one area to another though. In some places there is a much greater demand for crackle glass than others. Before making a purchase you should ask yourself how much the item is worth to you. It helps to have a general idea of an items value but the buyer and seller have the final say when deciding upon a price.
