Jeannette Glass produced their lovely Adam pattern from 1932 to 1934, mostly in pink and green, with some crystal, yellow and Delphite blue. It’s a beautiful pattern but you will find some pieces are hard to find in perfect condition. The main problems are those wide rims on many pieces or the feet on tumblers, sherbets and pitchers.
The design is quite pretty with a big paisley type motif in piece centers and a floral band around the rims.
Most Adam pieces are square or square-ish and the bowls, camdy, sugar, vase, relish have wings of glass, or wide, flat rims, that extend out from the rim as with this candy dish.
The wings can chip and most bowls that I’ve seen have had inner rim roughness.
How to Spot Rough Spots and Nicks
Use this technique to check those wide rims on Adam.
- Run your finger along the inside edge of the rim. It should be smooth. If you feel any rough spots or places that feel different from the surrounding glass then check carefully for wear. You can smooth some tiny nicks with fine sandpaper which does leave a dull mark.
- Now check the top of the wide rim, both on the inside and outside edges. Sometimes the top outside edge can chip and you may not see it.
- Run your finger along the outer rim and again pay attention to any spots that are less than smooth.
- Do the same for the underside of the rim.
The nick on this bowl looks huge in the enlarged photo, but it was actually hard to see. I could feel it easily.
For cups and such use the same approach: Check the edge of the rim along the top, the inside and outside and also along the sides. I’ve seen a few pieces of glass that were smooth on the rim edge with big divots in the glass below the rim. Also check the handle. Jeannette cup handles tended to have protruding corners that chip as with this one.
For the feet on tumblers, candle holders, vases and pitchers use the same approach to look for chips on the edge of the foot and along the top and bottom. There is one more step to check the foot: Turn the piece upside down and check the inside rim on the base.
For lids be sure to check the rim of the lid and the flange that goes into the receptacle base.
I’ve seen more nicks in the inner rims than anywhere else on Adam.
Plates don’t seem to be any more likely to chip than other patterns and the big center design tends to hide any wear. Plates have wide rims but lack any sharp transition from rim to plate as there is a gentle slope. This shape minimizes inner rim wear.
How to Check for Wear
Adam isn’t any more likely to scratch than any other depression glass pattern; the glass is fairly soft and can show utensil wear or rub marks from stacking. I’ve found the easiest way to spot wear is to hold the clean piece of glass to the light.