Red is my favorite color and what’s not to like about red glass at Christmastime?
Anchor Hocking developed their rich, deep red color in the 1930s but didn’t go all out with red until they released Royal Ruby, their trademarked red. You can find a few of their depression glass patterns in red, like Coronation.
Coronation Ruby Handled Bowl
Hocking made at least a little Royal Ruby in many of their patterns during the 1940s and 50s and produced tons of accessory pieces like this Hoover vase.
Royal Ruby Hoover 9 in Vase with Ruffled Top
One of Hocking’s most popular patterns was Bubble – you can find clear, white, green, blue, pink and of course, Royal Ruby.
Bubble Royal Ruby Juice from Anchor Hocking
You might see articles claiming all red glass contains gold. This may have been true once upon a time but glass makers learned to produce red glass with selenium instead of gold. (Wikipedia has a couple interesting articles on glass colorants here and here.) Once companies discovered how to use inexpensive selenium – and no gold – they could produce ruby colored glass inexpensively enough to mass produce and mass market it. Hocking went to town with Royal Ruby, making complete dinner sets, lots of drinking glasses plus gift and accessory items.
Although I don’t seek out Royal Ruby glass, it’s almost impossible to not get a few pieces if you buy any glass. We had several sizes of tumblers.
Royal Ruby 12 Ounce Footed Tumbler
And at least two styles of cups. This one is round with a small foot. It’s on the small side and may have originally been part of a snack set.
Royal Ruby Cup with Small Foot
If you want to put together a set of red glass for Christmas, Royal Ruby is a good choice. You can mix and match styles and patterns, and you can add in crystal pieces in complementary patterns for a bit of sparkle. Hocking made Forest Green, a gorgeous deep green colored glass, about the same time as Royal Ruby, and in many of the same patterns. Some people like to combine them at Christmas and they do go well together, especially if you include crystal pieces.
Royal Ruby isn’t a pattern but a color. Hocking used it for a line of plain shaped dinnerware which is quite nice and also affordable and not too hard to find. When shopping be sure to hold pieces up to the light to check for scratches and wear, otherwise it’s not particularly susceptible to damage.
Merry Christmas!