Posts About Columbia
Columbia – Bold Crystal Depression Glass
Depression Glass Squared – Two Patterns with Square Shapes
Depression Glass Guide – Clear Depression Glass or Crystal
Use Your Imagination and Empathy with Vintage Glass
Federal’s Amber Depression Glass – Sharon Cabbage Rose
Depression Glass Guide – Clear Depression Glass or Crystal
Federal Glass made Columbia in crystal (aka clear), some frosted crystal and a few pieces in pink from 1938 to 1942. Crystal is considerably easier to find than pink and you will find every piece in crystal. The only pink pieces are the cup, saucer, bread and butter plate and luncheon plate.
Columbia is one of the patterns with square-ish shapes that get its looks from bold geometric motifs. Columbia has indented circles on the rim that increase in size towards the center, plus raised dots around the inside of the rim and a pressed star surrounding beaded circles in the center. The indents and raised bumps are all on the exterior or bottom of the pieces, as otherwise food would get stuck.
Pieces Available
Columbia is a dinnerware pattern with several serving pieces and two tumblers. The luncheon plate is 9 1/2 inches across from side to side, which is large enough for dinner, plus there is a 6 inch bread and butter plate and an 11 inch chop plate for serving.
You have a good selection of bowls, a 5 inch cereal as shown below, or a larger, square flat soup that is 8 inches across, which makes it big enough for serving too. Columbia includes a cup and saucer but no sherbet or creamer or sugar.
The other serving bowls are a round salad, 8 1/2 inches wide and a pretty ruffled fruit bowl, 10 1/2 inches and a round butter dish with domed cover.
The juice and water tumblers have rows of small, raised beads along the vertical base and a wider, smooth top. One interesting piece is the snack plate which has a star in the center and wings on either side.
This curved plate shown is not truly part of Columbia but a go-with.
Availability and Damage Concerns
Crystal Columbia is quite easy to find, especially online. I got a good sized set at an auction years ago – unfortunately I cannot find photos off all the pieces – and if you look at Craigslist or similar marketplace sites or happily browse antique malls you may find pieces.
Just now checking eBay and Replacements I see many, probably most, pieces. Prices vary from reasonable to optimistic but if you are willing to buy more than one piece at a time you might find lower costs.
We had at least 25 pieces and I recall only one that was nicked, an 11 inch serving plate. The square-ish shape has rounded corners and the rims are rounded and smooth so they are less likely to chip than a sharp corner.
Columbia has not been reproduced.
If you like this geometric, Deco-inspired pattern with bold styling and shapes, this is a good time to enjoy a few pieces of your own.