I found these bowls at a cousin’s house in Alabama. There are six of them and they originally came with a larger bowl that was broken long ago. The color is dark cranberry and there are no markings or dates to tell what they are. They were purchased around 1939 in Prineville, Ore., when my cousin was working for the Civil Conservation Corps, which was part of the WPA that President Roosevelt started. They are very pretty and I would like to know what they are and maybe their value. I have searched the Web but have not found anything. Is this depression glass?
If I could not answer your questions, you might very well consider it to be depression glass. But cheer up. I think I can help.
First of all, Depression glass is a broad category that covers the breadth and depth of low-cost glassware made during or even around the time of the Great Depression. It was predominantly translucent and produced in many colors by dozens of manufacturers in more than 100 patterns.
In fact, it was so inexpensive that it often was simply given away as a sales stimulator. Quaker Oats, for example, put a piece in every box of cereal! They also were routinely given away to promote the grand opening of a business or with a paid admission to a movie show, etc.
Your Depression glass was made by the Hocking Glass Co. from 1936 to 1940. The design is called Coronation, the name of which was chosen to commemorate Britain’s crowning of King Edward VIII, a news event that had captivated Americans in 1936. The pattern is also referred to by collectors as “banded fine rib” or “Saxon.” For the most part, it came in either royal ruby red, like yours, or pink, though green and crystal examples exist, too, as real rarities.
The pieces offered included berry bowls of three sizes, i.e., 4, 6 and 8 inches, as well as a cup, saucer, sherbet bowl, lunch plate, tumbler and pitcher. The latter is the hardest of all to find today. Royal ruby, however, was not manufactured until 1939, and only five of the nine pieces were ever made in that color — the three bowls, the cup and the lunch plate. You also might note that the handles of your bowls are open and feature a decorative scroll impression, while earlier molds produced examples that have a closed tab handle and a rayed or fine rib pattern.
Beginning in the 1960s, collecting colorful Depression glass became a very popular hobby. Until the invention of the Internet, people had few opportunities to add to their collections since they basically were limited to what they could find in antique shops, flea markets and rummage sales. Today, however, online auctions and sellers’ Web pages from around the world offer glassware for sale in abundance. Consequently, only the truly rare and sought-after articles have continued to go up in value.
Unfortunately, or fortunately, depending on your outlook, most ruby red Coronation pieces are plentiful. Either they were made profusely or the supply that remains far exceeds the demand. Theoretically, the smaller bowls are worth about $10 each and your larger bowl, the one that was broken, about $30. In actuality, seldom do patient people pay even half that. For example, I did a search at a popular online auction site and found that a set of six berry bowls like yours and a large 8-inch bowl sold recently for only $13.50, plus shipping!
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