When most of us think about depression glass the beautiful colors – pink, green, yellow, amber, blue, amethyst – come to mind. Many patterns were made in crystal as well as the colored glass. While not as well known, crystal depression glass can be enticing and has its own unique charm. Let's look at some common patterns and see why they are so much fun to collect in crystal.

Several depression glass patterns feature bold geometric shapes that collect and refract light. Patterns with geometric shape motifs include Hocking’s Waterford, Miss America, Manhattan and Spiral, Jeannette’s Windsor, and Federal’s Diana and Columbia. In these patterns the stronger the design, and the more it refracts light, the more advantageous crystal glass becomes. For example, pictured below is a Miss America comport. This comport just sparkles in the light!

Miss America uses small diamond shapes clustered in squares and each little diamond will catch the light and send it sparkling across your table. Miss America comes in a myriad of shapes that make it so much fun to collect.

Windsor has inset diamond shapes combined with intricate shapes and curlicue edges on rims and handles. Crystal Windsor is particularly appealing as you can see by the covered sugar bowl sparkling in the sunlight.  Jeannette Glass made crystal Windsor into the mid 1940s, and a few pieces, such as the larger creamer and pointed rim plate are available in crystal only, not in pink or green.  Searching for unique pieces is half the fun of collecting depression glass!

Manhattan and Columbia have more rounded shapes. Manhattan have ribs and Columbia has strong lines complemented by rounded inset dots.  One of the signature pieces from the depression is the tilted ball pitcher and an example is below in Manhattan.  Hocking made Manhattan from 1938 to 1943, and as was true with Windsor there are a few pieces of crystal that were not made in pink.  Federal Glass made Columbia about the same time frame, 1938 to 1942, and you can probably see a resemblance in general style and look.  Both patterns have a deco styling typical of the era.

Some of these patterns can be found enhanced with silver or gold trims. Diana, which is a pattern of thin spiral ridges, is one of the patterns where you can collect sets with silver trim. Here is the silver-trimmed demitasse cup and saucer that make a stunning set.

Hocking’s Waterford is simply wonderful in crystal. Waterford, nicknamed Waffle, has prisms of squares on the outside of the pieces and catches light and glows. To me it is prettier in crystal than in the more expensive pink.  Waterford crystal depression glass came in some interesting pieces such as the large relish and handled, flat cake plate.  There were a few pieces in crystal that were not made in pink, such as the 13" relish shown below.

                             


Other depression patterns have designs that are mold etched. These can be intricate and fanciful, involving flowers, birds, baskets and lattices. Look for patterns such as Vernon from Indiana Glass or Mayfair from Hocking.  Indiana had several patterns that were made in small lines.  One of the prettiest is Loganberry, which features boldly molded berries and leaves on the outside.

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Royal Lace from Hazel Atlas is beautiful in any color but springs to life in crystal. Royal Lace is an intricate mold-etched pattern that shows beautifully in crystal. You can really see the pattern motif, and it catches the light much like Miss America.

One last point to consider in crystal depression glass’ favor is its cost. Typically depression patterns are much less expensive in crystal than in colors. And since many people do not recognize it as depression glass, you can sometimes pick up real bargains at garage sales and flea markets.

If you enjoy hunting glass,whether by online or driving from sale to sale, you'll have fun spotting crystal depression glass!