Depression Glass Collection Value Guide

This curated collection of green Depression-era glass represents a unique intersection of American history and chemistry, produced between 1929 and 1940. These pieces are highly collectible due to their distinct uranium oxide content, which causes the glass to emit a signature brilliant green fluorescence under ultraviolet light.

What Is Depression Glass Collection Worth?

The typical price range for Depression Glass Collection is $280 - $310 based on recent sales. However, values can vary depending on the item's condition, rarity, and other factors such as:

• The current market value for this specific curated assortment ranges from $280 to $310.
• The intensity of the fluorescence under UV light significantly impacts the desirability and price of the uranium glass.
• Condition is critical; the absence of chips, cracks, or 'sick glass' cloudiness preserves the collection's value.
• Historical scarcity due to the 1940s production halt for the Manhattan Project increases the demand for these pre-war pieces.

How to Identify Depression Glass Collection?

• Verify the presence of uranium oxide by using a UV or blacklight to check for a bright neon green glow.
• Look for characteristic patterns from the 1929-1940 era, such as Princess, Cameo, or Georgian designs.
• Check for typical manufacturing marks or mold lines consistent with mass-produced American glass from the Great Depression.
• Confirm the glass has a transparent green tint under natural light, distinct from the yellow-green of earlier Vaseline glass.

History of Depression Glass Collection

Uranium glass, often called vaseline glass, gained popularity in the mid-19th century but saw a massive production boom during the Great Depression. Manufacturers added uranium oxide to the glass melt as a coloring agent, which unintentionally created a brilliant green fluorescence under ultraviolet light. Production was strictly halted during World War II when uranium was confiscated for the Manhattan Project and did not resume on a commercial scale until the late 1950s.