Reproduction Alert

How many times have you been glass shopping and come across a deal that seems too good to be true? 
    Do you know enough about the glass you collect to recognize a bargain or would you be taken in by a reproduction?

There are thousands of reproductions being made both at home and abroad. Most enter the glass collectibles market
    through wholesalers, flea markets and internet auctions. And while some are obvious copies, others are 
    good enough to fool even seasoned collectors.

A glass collector’s best weapon in this war on counterfeit glass is knowledge. If you educate yourself about the glass 
    you collect, you stand a pretty good chance of finding that bargain rather than being fooled by a fake.

On this page, you’ll find a list of known reproductions and how to spot them. Before your next shopping trip, 
    arm yourself by checking out the information below. And - we can't stress this enough - 
        BUY FROM A DEALER YOU TRUST!

Just Glass wants to thank all you ‘Glassies’ who helped put this page together – please keep the information coming! 
    If you know of any repros not listed here, or have suggestions for sources to learn about the latest fakes, 
    email us and we’ll spread the word!


Depression Glass

Depression Glass has been reproduced since it first became popular back in the 1970’s. 
    Here’s a list of known reproductions and how to spot them.


ADAM

Butter Dish--Pink, Green Repro: lid - veins in the leaves do not join or touch in center of leaf, 
    Bottom: On the old, large leaves point to center of each side (North, South, East, West) 
    On the repro, they point off center (northeast, etc) Very poor mold on both top and bottom.


AVOCADO

Avocado was made in pink, green and crystal from 1923 – 33, with milk glass made by Indiana in the 1950's. 
    Yellow, red, blue, amethyst and frosted colors are all reproductions made by Tiara from 1974 through the 1980's. 
    Pink and green were also made by Tiara, but are different from the original colors as follows: 
    New pink has an orange tint rather than the soft pink of the old color. New green is darker than the original.

CAMEO

Shakers have been made in green, pink and cobalt. The glass is too thick and there is too much glass in the bottom of shaker. 
    Cobalt was never originally made. Mosser Company produced the Jennifer Line of children's miniature sets 
    with the Cameo pattern. As children's dishes were never made, these miniatures pose no problem.


CHERRY BLOSSOM

The following pieces have been reproduced in any or all of these colors: pink, green, light blue, delphite, cobalt, red and iridized colors
    As pink, delphite and green are the only original colors made, they are the ones that pose problems. 
    Round 2 handled tray, footed cake plate, 8 1/2 inch bowl, cereal bowl, dinner plate, cup & saucer, shakers, 
    Children's sets, Scalloped bottom pitcher & tumbler, 13 inch divided platter, butter dish & cover. 
    In general, repro pieces are badly molded. The pattern is crudely done, with branches and leaves lacking texture 
    (leaf edges are straight instead of serrated, no bark on branches) and the flowers not as detailed. 
    Pieces tend to be heavier than the originals, with crooked handles and off set mold lines. 
    For more information on Cherry Blossom reproductions, click here.  


COLUMBIA

Juice glasses marked "France" on the bottom are new.


CORONATION

Anchor Hocking has recently produced a pattern called Annapolis that is a modern adaptation of Coronation. 
    Annapolis comes in pink and crystal in the following  items: 12 and 16 oz flat tumblers,16 oz footed  tumbler,
    8 and 10 inch plates, 6 ½ inch bowl, and 10 oz footed sherbet. For more information on Annapolis, click here.


DIANA

13 ½ inch scalloped edge bowl is new.


FLORAL POINSETTIA

Shakers are found in cobalt, red and a dark green color, none of which were originally made. There is also a pink shaker 
    that is very close to the original. New pink shakers have a continuous thread where the top screws on: 
    old shakers have a pair of threads that end before the mold seam on the side. New shakers have the pattern 
    molded on top of the base, while old shakers have the pattern underneath so you must turn them over to see it.


FLORENTINE 1

Shakers have been found in pink, red, and cobalt. The pattern is very badly done and red & cobalt are not original colors.


FLORENTINE 2

Pitcher & tumbler sets in red, dark green, cobalt,  and other colors that were not originally made.

HERITAGE

Both the large and small berry bowls have been reproduced for McCrory's in amber, crystal, and avocado green. 
    Marked with 'MC' or 'N' in the center, they are of very poor quality and mold and are easy to spot.

 

IRIS & HERRINGBONE

Since the year 2000, there have been 6 items in the Iris & Herringbone pattern reproduced. In all cases, the glass is too clear. 
    If you put an original piece of Iris on a white background, the glass will appear yellow or grey. 
The reproduction iris items have no tint at all. Here are specific:

    6 ½ inch footed iced tea tumbler – You can tell the old from the new tumbler by first examining the rays on
         the underside of the foot. New tumblers have very sharp rays that will almost cut your finger if you press 
        down firmly on them. Old tumblers have rounded rays that are smooth to the touch. New tumblers also 
        have very weak herringbones near the side seams, while the pattern stays uniformly strong on old tumblers.

    4 inch flat tumbler – the easiest way to tell old from new is to look at the pattern on the bottom of the tumbler. 
        Reproduction tumblers have no herringbone in the bottom pattern design, while 
        original tumblers have both iris & herringbone on the bottom.

    4 ¼ inch cocktail stem – These first appeared in 2004. If you look down into the glass of the glass, there will be 
        a round dot in the center where the stem meets the bowl.

    9 inch dinner plate – New plates have 2 distinct characteristics to look for: the herringbone pattern at the edge 
        of the plate ends in points that create a zigzag pattern, and the clear rim of the plate slopes down and inward 
        instead of being flat and perpendicular to the center part of the plate.

    Coaster – New coasters have thicker bases than old ones when viewed from the side. An old coaster has 
        1/8 inch thick base, while new ones are 3/8 inch thick.

    4 ½ inch beaded rim bowl – the irises in new bowls are textured instead of being completely smooth.

In addition, a 10 inch dinner plate has been made, but this size was not originally produced so all are new.

LORAIN

In the 1950's – 60’s, the footed sherbet with an open lace edge was produced in milk glass and avocado 
    for use as a florist bowl - colors never made during the Depression years. These were probably made 
    by Anchor Hocking instead of Indiana - who produced Lorain originally - as some have been found 
    with Hocking paper labels still attached.

MADRID
In 1976, Federal reissued this pattern for the Bicentennial under the name "Recollection". Pieces were made 
    in amber, but marked with a 76 in the design to distinguish old from new. Indiana Glass bought the molds 
    when Federal closed, removed the 76 and made crystal. Since then, pieces have been made in blue, pink, teal,
    and a light 'coke bottle green-blue' color. The new blue is brighter than the original color; the new pink is too light. 
    Reproductions of old pieces tend to be too heavy, the wrong color and sloppily molded.
Many new pieces have been made by combining two old items into a new one: 
    the candlestick on a 10 inch plate became the pedestal cake stand; 
    a tumbler on the candlestick base is sold as a hurricane lamp/vase, 
    and the butter dish on the candlestick makes the footed candy dish.
New items that have been introduced include a footed tumbler, a short salt & pepper shaker, a 2 part grill plate, 
    a heavy flat bottom tumbler, and a 10 ¼ inch snack tray with 2 inch cup indent. None of these items were originally produced.
The following items are most troublesome to collectors, but can be easily identified if you pay attention: 
    
Candlestick – new candlesticks have ridges inside the candle cup, while old candlesticks are completely smooth  
    
Cookie jar & butter dish - the seam on the knob on the lid goes vertically over the top instead of around 
        the circumference of the knob
.

MANHATTAN

Similar to Manhattan, Anchor Hocking produced 'Park Avenue' from 1987-93 and then again in the late 1990's 
    in crystal and light 'sapphire blue.' Light blue was never made, and shapes were changed so as to maintain 
    the integrity of the original crystal pieces. If you find something that's not listed in the Depression Glass Encyclopedias, 
    it's part of the Park Avenue line NOT Manhattan.

MAYFAIR (OPEN ROSE)

Cookie jars, shot glasses, small juice pitchers and salt/pepper shakers have been reproduced in 
    pink (more orange than the original), green (both too dark and the wrong shade), cobalt, amethyst, red, jadite, 
    amberina, and pink slag. The pattern is very weak on all items and they are crudely molded. The pitcher and 
    cookie bottoms lack the circular mold mark on the bottom, the shots have too much glass in the bottom.

MISS AMERICA

Reproduced in pink, green( wrong shade) red, amberina, cobalt, crystal and ice blue as follows: 
    Repro flat tumblers have 2 mold seams instead of 4. 
    Repro pitchers are missing the ice lip and the 'hump' in the top edge that old pitchers have 
        by the handle to help grasp when pouring. 
    New shakers are 3 1/4 inch tall and have too much glass on the inside - old are 3 3/8 inch tall 
        and fill all the way to the bottom with salt. 
    New butter dishes have a lump of glass sticking out (convex) under the knob; old are concave (curved in).

PATRICIAN

Sherbets are being reproduced in amber. The color is too light and the pattern is very crude.

PINEAPPLE& FLORAL (No 618)

Indiana reissued the diamond shaped comport and the 7 inch bowl in pink, cobalt, avocado, and crystal 
    with sprayed on colors. Only crystal was originally made so the other colors are no problem. 
    Both items tend to be roughly molded and heavier than the originals. The new 7 inch bowls also have 
    smooth rims instead of the wavy rim that the old bowls have.

PRINCESS

Candy jars and shakers have shown up in cobalt, amber, light blue, pink and green. Both are poor quality, badly molded 
    with bubbles and a greasy feel to the glass. The colors are wrong and some are marked 'China' with a paper label.

PYRAMID (No.610)

In 1974-5, Indiana produced the berry bowl, 4 part relish, and 8 oz tumbler, in blue and black as part of their Tiara line. 
    These colors were never made originally.

ROYAL LACE

The cookie jar, juice and water tumbler have been reproduced in cobalt blue, green and pink. 
    The colors are off: cobalt is much darker than the original, green is too light and the pink has an orange cast. 
    Cookie jar: The mold is very poor, with lots of bubbles in the glass and a very weak pattern. Old lids should have 
    a mold seam running across the knob (divides the lid into 2 halves.) New ones are missing this seam. 
    Tumblers: Some are missing the design in the base. The glass is thicker and they are shorter than the originals 
    with too much glass in the bottom of the tumbler.

SHARON

Reproduction items in pink, dark green, blue, light green, jadite, opalescent blue, red and dark amber have shown up. 
    Butter dish, covered candy, cheese dish, sugar & creamer, salt & pepper all have been made and can be found with
    "Made in Taiwan" labels. As only amber, pink and light green are original colors, they are the only ones to pose a     
    problem for collectors. New Sharon is poorly molded, too thick with a greasy feel and lots of bubbles in the glass. 
    The knobs on the butter, cheese and candy lids are too high - look stretched instead of the squat, hard to grasp 
    older pieces. The pattern on the shakers does not look like roses; instead it looks like a pinwheel. 
    The sugar & creamer are too light and of such bad quality that they are obviously new.

THISTLE

A butter dish, pitcher and tumbler have been recently produced that resemble heavier pattern glass rather than the 
    delicate Depression Glass Thistle pattern. These come in a wide array of colors, from soft pastels to 
    iridescent treatments and opaques. All are new.


40's 50's 60's Glass/Fire-King Glassware

BUBBLE/RUBY

Anchor Hocking reissued the 8 inch and 4 1/2 inch bowls in Ruby. Most are marked with the Anchor trademark. 
    They have also produced the ashtray, punch cups and some vases recently - all marked with the Anchor trademark.

CHARM

Charm was originally made by Anchor Hocking from 1950 to 1954 in Royal Ruby, Forest Green, and Azurite. 
    It's square shape is very popular with today's collectors. So great is the demand for the original issue, that 
    Hocking has brought the Charm shape back for the new millennium with the name "Union Square Contemporary Glass Service”
     and marketed it as "an updated version of a design from the 1950's to bring style to your table."  
But collectors have no need to fear being taken by repros pretending to be the real thing: Union Square is only available in crystal,
     a color that was not produced in the 1950's. Five items are currently being sold: three sizes of bowls (4 3/4", 6" and 8 3/4") 
    a 9 inch plate and a 12 inch square platter. These new items are slightly larger than the comparable original issue pieces, 
    and the square platter is an item that is completely new to the 'Charm' line. In the past, Hocking has maintained the integrity 
    of their older glass when they re-introduce patterns from the past. Hopefully, they will continue this practice of 
    'responsible reproduction' with Union Square and stay away from the original colors if they expand the line. 

EARLY AMERICAN PRESCUT

A powder jars with lid in two sizes - 4 inch and 5 inch - have turned up. This item was never made by Anchor Hocking, 
    and they are marked "Italy" in the glass on both top and bottom

ENGLISH HOBNAIL

The hexagonal creamer & sugar and the oval pickle dish are being made by Brooke Glass and marked with a circular 
    Westmoreland Glass mark. They are of very poor quality when compared to the original. The small footed nut cups 
    are also found in many colors, some marked with an "S", and are again not the quality of Westmoreland originals.

FIRE-KING BREAKFAST SET

Reproduction jadite items that look like Fire-King’s Breakfast set are coming from China and being sold in gift shops. 
    The cup & saucer, 5 inch cereal bowl and 9 inch plate have all shown up in the market. All 4 items are too heavy 
    and are unmarked – original items usually have the Fire-King Ovenware mark on the bottom. The jade color is light 
    with a yellow tint. Lastly, the glass is not tempered for oven use and tends to shatter when exposed to any sudden 
    temperature changes. Dishonest sellers are putting old Fire-King labels on this new glass and passing it off as the original, 
    so buy from someone you trust!

JADE-ITE

Both Martha Stewart and Cracker Barrel Stores have their own lines of jadite glass - some marked, some not. Some of these 
    items are copies of older pieces, while others are new creations. Buy from someone you trust and 
        study your books so you know what was originally made!


LAUREL (FIREKING)

A cup and saucer/plate (no cup ring) have turned up in a translucent green that is supposed to look like jadite. 
    The color is too light and nothing like Fire King jadite. Both pieces are marked with a diamond shape, 
        and the numbers 402 and 4 on the bottom.

PANELED GRAPE

Summit Art Glass is producing the large canister in an orange slag - never originally made by Westmoreland - 
    and milk glass. They do have the WG mark on both top and bottom, but the mold is very poor on the milk glass and easy to spot.

SANDWICH - Anchor Hocking

The cookie jar in crystal has been reproduced. These are sold in catalogs with nut/candy assortments, especially around the holidays. 
    The repro jar is larger than the original - 10 1/4 inches tall, 5 1/2 inch opening and 22 inch diameter at the widest part of the jar. 
    The old cookie jar is 9 1/4 inches tall, 4 7/8 inch at the opening and 19 inches in diameter at the widest part. 
     Those extra inches make the new jars seem huge.

SANDWICH - Indiana

Indiana reissued their Sandwich pattern as part of the Tiara Line. Tiara Exclusives was sold at home parties and touted as 
    'Tomorrow's Collectible Glass - made from original molds.' This basically means that they made new glass using old molds, 
    NOT that the glass was old. Amber, crystal, smoky blue, teal, Chantilly green, milk, and red were all produced. 


Early American Pattern Glass 

The definitive work on Pattern Glass reproductions has been written! Every pattern glass collector should have 
    Identifying Pattern Glass Reproductions by Jenks, Luna & Reilly in their library. 
        Get your copy here in the Pattern Glass category

Elegant Depression Glass 

AMERICAN

Lancaster Colony Company continues to make certain pieces of American under the "Whitehall" name. 
    (Whitehall was made by Indiana glass, which Lancaster also owns.) Pieces in red, white, pink, avocado green, 
    crystal and various blues have been made. The glass quality is not as good as the original with
    more pronounced mold lines and ripples in the glass. Check Gene Florence's Elegant Glassware of the Depression Era 
    for a complete list of pieces that have been recently made.

BAROQUE

Indiana has made some items (bowls, vases and reports of candlesticks) for Tiara in a color similar to wisteria, 
    but that does not change color in natural/artificial light as Wisteria does. As Fostoria did not produce the Baroque pattern 
    in Wisteria color, these new items are obvious.

CANDLEWICK

Dalzell Viking had made some Candlewick pieces in colors that were never originally made. Recently, a pastel frosted line in 
    pink, blue, green, lilac and yellow were sold. Boyd also makes some items, sometimes marked with their B. Items in odd colors are new. 
    Some Czech glass also resembles Candlewick.

CAPRICE

Mosser made a miniature line in Caprice as well. As children's pieces were never originally made, these pose no problem. 
    Summit Art Glass presently owns some Caprice molds and is producing these items - check Gene Florence's
    Elegant Glassware of the Depression Era for a detailed listing. 
    Boyd has also produced the covered dolphin footed box in many colors - all marked with the B.

 

Kitchenware/Other Glass

AKRO AGATE

Bennett glass company is reproducing 6 inch oval planter (#654)and 5 1/4 inch Lilly Planter(#657) These items are marked with a 'B' 
    in a triangle and come in colors never originally made by Akro. The bell is also being reproduced. Check for paneling on the handle 
    as the repro has paneling that stops short of the body: Akro bells are paneled all the way down to where the handle attaches.
     The 2 handled basket is also being found in non-Akro colors. 

AKRO AGATE CHILD SETS 

Akro Agate child sets are being reproduced in the Interior Panel and Chiquita patterns. Both sets have shown up in cobalt and 
    jade green with scotty dog decal decoration. These are imports, possibly made in Indonesia or Malaysia.

BOTTOMS UP TUMBLER SET

Original says "PAT 77725" right under the feet. Skokie Green, Crystal, Seville Yellow, Black, Cream Ivory, and French Ivory are the original colors. 
    All other colors are new. Coaster should match tumbler. Old colors show opalescence when held to light.

CRISS CROSS

Cobalt, green and pink items, including the 1/4 pound butter dish, are being sold through various catalogs and internet auction sites. 
    These new pieces are poorly molded, the glass is too thick and has a greasy feel as well as an overall poor quality look.

KITCHEN GLASSWARE

Much kitchen glass is being reproduced now including: measuring cups and pitchers (with and without reamer tops), single & double drawer pulls,
    Hoosier canisters and shakers, glass knives, reamers, baby reamers, Kellogg's 3 spout measuring cups, rolling pins, sugar shakers. 
    Generally found in cobalt, pink and green - many other colors are out there - they are of poor quality, too thick, and badly molded. 
    Know from whom you buy!!

SHIRLEY TEMPLE

Mugs, bowls and cream pitchers have been reproduced and other items never originally made - like salt shakers - can be found. 
    The cobalt color is too dark, the silkscreen design is too white and grainy, and the glass is too thick on these new items.


Books, Catalogs & More

Some of the best books available on reproduction glass are Confusing Collectibles and More Confusing Collectibles, Volume 2    
     by Dorothy Hammond. You can find both here in the Misc. Glass Books category.

Another excellent way to learn more about what's on the market is to order catalogs from the importers. We suggest the following:    
     AA Importing. AA Importing has been around since the 1970's and has quite an extensive inventory of reproduction glass. 
    Helen & Phil Rosso Wholesale Glass Dealers - they feature glass made from Cambridge, Imperial & Westmoreland molds.

Real or Repro? is a website dedicated to identifying fakes & reproductions in the antiques & collectibles market.
    

Finally, we cannot stress enough - KNOW YOUR DEALER and BUY FROM SOMEONE YOU TRUST
    Learn your collectible and keep reading. And if you know of something we missed, PLEASE let us know!