We all worry about reproductions when we buy depression glass. But really, how worried should we be? Are repros that ubiquitous? Should you not collect depression glass because of repros?
There are actually only two patterns that have many every day pieces reproduced. One is Cherry Blossom and the other is Madrid. Let’s put those two aside and look at the others.
Most patterns have only a few pieces reproduced, usually the more expensive accessory pieces like shakers, pitchers, cookie jars or butter dishes. Some patterns have reproduced tumblers.
I went through my Gene Florence depression glass books and counted the patterns he lists with repros. There are 13 of them out of over 150 patterns.
What does this mean? First, when you pick a pattern (or two or three) that you like, do a little research and find whether there are any known repros.
If there are none, then stop worrying about it. If there are a few pieces, then read about the repros, learn which pieces to watch for. Then don’t buy those pieces until you have a little more experience with your favorite glass. Believe me, once you handle many pieces your fingers and your eyes will soon get good at spotting problems.
Let’s talk about variations.
Variations are when a piece looks or feels a little different. Maybe the color isn’t quite the same or it’s thicker or it’s not marked. The saucer below is Georgian, also called Lovebirds, from Federal Glass. Some cups, sherbets and saucers are marked and some are not. This one is not marked. It also feels just a tad heavier to me. Does that make it repro? No. Georgian hasn’t been reproduced.
I’ll cover more about reproductions and variations over the next several weeks.
