American Cut Glass is difficult to identify because this form of glass art is no longer practiced in America. The last authentic peices were produced before the 1920s. Even if we could send artists to Europe to learn how to properly cut the glass, the process by which this very clear and heavy American glass was produced is gone. The following information is intended to help eBay buyers identify real American Cut Glass.

According to the American Cut Glass Association Inc. there are five ways to determine if a particular cut glass item is really American Cut Glass from the Brilliant Period (1876-1917). These ways include florescence, signature, wear marks, shape of the blank area, and the diamond wheel cutting. Accoring the website for the American Cut Glass Association, there have been a number of fakes produced over the last 10 years and many of these can be identified by the pink or purplish color that presents when these items are exposed to a 15 Watt black light florescent bulb.

Even before the use of the black light test, European Cut Glass could be distinguished from American Glass. American Cut Glass is very brilliant and clear, whereas European Cut Glass has a faint yellow, gray, or cloudy, or blue tint. You can identify this tint by looking straight down on the cut edge of the piece--not sideways through the glass.

The most notable artist of American Cut Glass was named Libbey. He signed some of his pieces with a single letter "L" at the bottom near the absolute center. Other famous artist include Jewel (known for his hobstar cut), Hawkes, Egginton, Hoare, Meriden, Tuthill, Sinclaire, and Clark. Forged signatures lack the perfection of the real artists. Use a magifying class to find these signatures.

Real American cut glass is also very heavy and thick and you can rub your finger across the cuts and feel the edges of the glass. Modern forgeries and have been cut with a diamond cutter and have little groves that the authentic pieces do not have. There are flaws in the fake pieces as forgers tried, but failed, to imitate the original artist. Most forgeries are attempts to re-create Libbey's work.

Pineapple designs, crisscrosses, six-pointed stars, are common patterns to the cuts, as are starbursts, hexagons, fans, pentagons, circles with other shapes, squares, rectangles, diamonds, triangles, parallel lines, and oblique and irregular shapes of all kinds. I have one piece that belonged to my great grandmother who was born in 1864 and died in 1898. This is a pineapple design relish dish. It has the typical scalloped edge with high ends and four rounded dips on each side. I also have a hand-signed Libby piece that combines all of the above-mentioned shapes. Both of these pieces are worn on the bottom--which is a sign of authenticity. Be suspicious of pieces that are in too good a condition.

The more concentrated the lines and delicate the design, the more valuable. Some pieces that are very beautiful combine etching with cutting. My only two cut glass pieces, which combine etching and cutting techniques, are European-made.

Unfortunately, I did not notice the slight grayish ness of these pieces until I compared them with my real American Cut Glass. This is often the case if your dealer is uncertain and you cannot compare it side-to-side with the real thing.

For the purposes of buying American Cut Glass on eBay, always get a guarantee from the seller and a promise that you can return the item (in the condition in which you received it) if you discover that it is not American Cut Glass upon delivery.

If you do not already have an authentic piece of American Cut Glass for comparison, find a good quality antique store, which carries authentic American Cut Glass and ask if you can bring a piece in for comparison. Most antique dealers will not mind if you do this because they are curious about your item. Many of these dealers will sign a statement that your piece is, or is not, the real thing--but be cautious if the store owner says it is not the real thing but offers to take it off your hands.