Block Optic Depression Glass Creamers and Sugars

Block Optic is a neat depression glass pattern from Hocking Glass that has an art deco style. It combines rounded shapes with square blocks and has a lot of looks. Hocking made Block Optic for only 4 years, from 1929 to 1933, although it comes in a wide range of shapes and pieces. It is one of the most popular depression glass patterns because of its looks, the fact that is is moderately available and moderately priced and the huge collecting appeal.

One point to be aware of is there are Five different creamers and sugars! There are three basic shapes, cone shaped as with the green creamer, rounded, as the yellow sugar bowl and a flat squarish shape that I've not seen. Then there are three different handle shapes, plain, which the creamer has, fancy scroll as on the sugar, and pointed. You can find the angled and plain handles on the cone shaped pieces, and the plain and fancy handles on the round pieces. Now that is a lot of collecting opportunity!

Plus Block Optic came in green, pink and yellow, plus some was satinized and decorated, and you can find clear pieces, too. Wow! That is a lot of pieces for the depression glass lover!

Fostoria Eilene Needle Etched Champagne

Isn't this pretty? The pattern is Eilene, etch number 82, by Fostoria. This is a needle etch; each line is traced continuously. Needle etches were perfected earlier than plate etches and this champagne dates to about 1930. It's a little more elaborate needle etch than some.

The 5082 stem is also quite nice. In fact this is so distinctive that I was able to pick up a plain amber one without worrying about identifying it. The stem is rounded as you can see, but what doesn't show well in the photo is that it is hexagonal, six sided. There is a flat round wafer at the top and the bowl is cupped. Very very nice!

I like most shades of green and Fostoria's green glass is gorgeous, emerald in tint but not quite as dark as emerald, and it has a lot of life. You can see this on my TIAS store and it will start on eBay auction on December 9.

Olive, Line 134, Depression Glass from Imperial Glass

Maybe you can tell I have my box of Imperial Glass out to list. This is another pattern from Imperial that is usually classified as depression glass - it was mass produced - and yet is fairly nice quality glass. The pattern is Olive, or line number 134, and Imperial produced it during the late 1930s. According to my reference books, you can find Olive in red, light blue, emerald green and pink, but we have seen only blue and only this particular piece, the footed fruit bowl. This is one of my favorites, partly because the color is a soft rich blue, and partly because the design is just plain cute. The elongated oval thumbprints are simple but go well with the scalloped rim and raised ribbed foot.

If I get time I want to list this on eBay as it is a super nice piece of glass. It is in my TIAS store already.

http://www.tias.com/stores/catladykate/

Customer Service

This has not been a good week for our customer service and that is a problem since we try to differentiate ourselves by accurate descriptions, clear photos, careful wrapping and fast shipping. We (I actually) made several listing mistakes.

Somehow I had 8 plates, sold 4 and figured we had 6 left. The buyer who wanted 6 is not happy to only get 4. Sure we can make it right on the financial end, but it's still disappointing. These are the plates in question, Wayside by Syracuse.

Another lady bought a cup and saucer. When I listed the cup I took pains to describe a flaw and totally missed the chip in the rim. This happened the same day I found the plate mistake. Not a good day.

To top it off, someone has an offer for stems that I am just not seeing in my inventory boxes. These stems have not sold (we just got them so I definitely know that!) but where are they?? OK, that's it. Tomorrow better go better than this!

Bartlett Collins Golden Ivy Beverage Pitcher

Bartlett Collins made lots of tumblers during the golden age of decorated tumblers, the 1940s-1970s. They had all sorts of cute designs, including hand painted fruits, silk screened poodles, flowers and more.

The design on this juice pitcher is Golden Ivy, and the white ivy leaves are formed by raised speckles of textured material. This is similar to Coraline and gives a sparkly retro look. Bartlett Collins made a whole series in similar styles, using grapes, fruits, flowers and the like.

Of course you would wash this by hand, but wouldn't it be a great way to serve your morning OJ?

Heisey Empress Etched Sahara Tall Champagne / Sherbet

This is even more beautiful in person than in the photo. It is the Empress etch on Sahara Old Dominion tall champagne. Heisey Glass called their light yellow Sahara and it is simply stunning in this piece.

This is one of the pieces I bought on eBay. Someone offered this with some other stemware and the picture suggested that it might be etched. Yes it was, the seller sent me a photo of the etch, and that was all it took to make this glass lover put in a bid!

We are listing this on Monday, picking the date to be one full week before the second Monday in December. That second Monday has been one of the best days each year for online sales. We shall see. While many people collect Empress and Sahara Heisey glass, a smaller number are in the market on any given day. My hope is that by combining a desirable item with a high traffic sales day we will make two people happy - the buyer and me!

http://stores.ebay.com/Vintage-Elegant-Depression-Glass

Tiffin Classic - Scarve Draped Dancer Etched Pink Beauty

Several etched glass patterns from the elegant depression era incorporate dancers, notably the Springtime by Monongah etch and Tiffin's Classic. When Hocking Glass bought out Monongah during the depression, they converted the lovely Springtime dancer plate etching to a mold etch which could be mass produced. That pattern became the beautiful Cameo depression glass.

The design shown here, with a dancer draped in flowing scarves surrounded by swags and scrolls, is Classic by Tiffin. We were fortunate to acquire a few pieces in the pink; this is scarce and quite valuable.

The piece shown here is the small footed juice tumbler. This footed cone shape was a classic depression-era tumbler, and to me embodies the vintage look of elegance and grace. The tumbler has a subtle vertical panel optic that enhances the beauty of the design.

One reference attributed the dancer to be Isadora Duncan an early modern dance pioneer. Whether the lady in our Classic by Tiffin is Isadora or not, this is a beautiful etch that is simply gorgeous in Tiffin's pink!

http://www.tias.com/stores/catladykate/

http://stores.ebay.com/Vintage-Elegant-Depression-Glass