Cube was one early depression glass patterns, mass-produced using new technology from 1929 to 1933. People mostly look for green or pink Cube and Jeannette also made some pieces in crystal, ultramarine and yellow. We saw far more pink than any other color when we shopped for glass in mid-Michigan.
Sometimes people get Jeannette’s Cube, Fostoria’s American and Indiana’s Whitehall glass mixed up. If you like this pattern it’s a good idea to get a good reference book – I like Gene Florence’s Collector’s Encyclopedia of Depression Glass – and look at the pictures. All three patterns are quite different and once you know what each looks like you won’t confuse Cube with the others.
Fostoria’s American pattern is high quality glass, almost exclusively made in crystal. Whitehall is inferior quality glass made in lots of colors and crystal. Cube pink and green differ from Whitehall pink or green and the shapes are very different.
I have seen Whitehall pitchers labeled as Cube. The only Cube depression glass pitcher is tall, has a smooth band of glass above the cube shapes and does not have an ice lip.. Please take note of the shape as it is very different from Whitehall pitcher.
For comparison only, the Whitehall pitcher is squat, with no smooth band on the top and it has an ice lip. This is not Cube. It is not depression glass. It is not Fostoria.
Cube is a dinnerware pattern with a few accessory pieces such as the candy jar shown above, and there is a 9 ounce flat water tumbler too. Pitcher and tumbler are hard to find in either green or pink. Remember this is almost 100 years old and many people dumped their older glass dishes.
Some other interesting pieces are the butter dish and powder jar. The powder jar has 3 little legs and is round and cute. The original lid was glass but lids tend to break and many times you’ll see replacement lids.
The pink creamer shown above is the larger size, about 3 1/2 inches tall and it has a fairly hefty feel. There is a smaller creamer made in pink or green that is about 2 1/2 inches tall. I have seen oodles of little crystal creamers and sugars and a few in white glass too which Florence says are from Hazel Atlas, not Jeannette. I do not know whether Hazel Atlas used the same molds.
Cube is one of the old standard depression glass patterns. I find it mentioned in the earliest books about depression glass and it’s super easy to identify – just be aware of the similar Fostoria and Whitehall patterns. The green glass that Jeannette used for Cube is very pretty, a soft clear color and the pink is nice too.
None of the Cube pieces are particularly costly except for the pitcher and tumblers and the lid to the powder box. There are quite a few pieces available on eBay and other sites but be aware some may describe other patterns as “cube design” that are not actually Cube depression glass. Nonetheless you can find many pieces without too much difficulty.
Several Cube pieces have pointed rims and these can chip. The squared off edges of the individual cubes can get a little rough too – this is rather soft glass so it scratches and shows wear. It’s pretty easy to feel any damage when you run your finger around the rim or base.
If you decide to add Cube to your glass collection you have made a lovely choice. It’s a pretty pattern with unmistakable looks.