In 1896 Augustus H. Heisey, a German immigrant, founded A. H. Heisey & Co. in Newark, Ohio. The company produced high quality, hand made glassware that was sold throughout the country until the company closed at the end of 1957.

From elaborate sets of pressed ware in a range of patterns to delicate mold-blown stemware, the company produced a wide variety of items for their customers, changing with the times. On Heisey's glassware, often available in color or with fancy etchings or cuttings, the Diamond H trademark was a symbol of quality.
                          ....from Heisey Glass Museum Playing Cards, published by the Heisey Collectors of America, Inc., 2006

Timeline of styles & colors:
1896-1900
-   Patterns are called "pattern glass" and/or imitate cut glass
-   Lines of glassware are mostly accessory pieces such as table sets (creamer, sugar, spooner, covered butter) berry sets (9"bowl or "nappy" and 4-6 smaller 4-5" bowls), pitchers, relish dishes, shakers, etc. rather than tableware (plates, cups & saucers).
-   Production colors: crystal, Opal (milky white), Ivorina Verde (custard), Emerald (deep green), Canary (vaseline)
-   Pieces were often decorated with gold or ruby stain or hand painted
1900-1920
-   Heisey H in a Diamond trademark introduced in 1900 (copyrighted in 1901 - now owned by Heisey Collectors of America)
-   Many "Colonial" or paneled patterns introduced; also commercial drugstore, soda fountain & barware.
-   Most "pattern glass" patterns discontinued by mid 1900s and many molds, not in production, melted in WWI war effort
-   Blownware, etched and cut decoration operations begin in the late 19-teens
-   Many candlesticks & candleabra (candleholders, sometimes in multiple pieces joined by metal ferrules, that have bobeches & prisms) introduced
-   Production almost exclusively crystal except for a few pieces made in emerald & rose (pale pink)
-   Some patterns from this time period retained their popularity and were produced until the 1950s, items in these patterns may also be found in some colors from the color era.
1920-1930
-   The color era: 1925, Flamingo (pink) & Moongleam (green) introduced; 1927, Hawthorne (pale amethyst) made for one year; 1929 Marigold (brassy gold) made for one year
-   Lots of table service patterns as well as blown & decorated stemware
-   Elaborate cuttings and etched decorations produced
-   Art deco (Twist in 1928), "Sandwich glass style" & colonial-revival patterns added to lines
1930-1940
-   Sahara (light yellow) and Alexandrite (changeable orchid) colors introduced in 1930
-   Lots of drinking and smoking ware made especially after the repeal of Prohibition (1933)
-   Steigel (cobalt) Blue and Tangerine (reddish orange) introduced in 1932
-   By 1935 all colors except  Sahara and Steigel Blue were discontinued
-   The very popular Ridgeleigh (1935) and Crystolite (1938) patterns, often considered Heisey's "Depression Glass" were introduced.
-    Zircon (light blue green) color introduced in 1936 and made for three years
1940-1950
-   Orchid & Rose etches introduced in 1940
-   Etched and cut patterns made to coordinate with popular silver and china patterns
-   Most of the Heisey animal figurines were introduced in the 1940s. Heisey glass animals appeared with Jane Wyman in The Glass Menagerie
1950-present
-   The last Heisey colors were introduced: Sultana (amber) in 1951, Dawn (smoke gray with  a hint of purple) in 1955 and Limelight in 1956.
-   The Heisey factory closed for Christmas vacation in December of 1957 and never reopened. Heisey Company assets were sold to the Imperial Glass Corp. of Bellaire, Ohio. Imperial continued to make glass using the some of the Heisey molds and trademark until 1971 when the Heisey Collectors of America (HCA) acquired the rights to the trademark.
-   In 1984, after Imperial's bankruptcy the HCA purchased all remaining assets of the Heisey Company, including molds (except for the Old Williamsburg molds). Limited edition items made from the Heisey molds and issued by the HCA have been produced only in colors NOT originally made .

Approximately 80% of Heisey's glassware was marked with the "Diamond H" trademark, either pressed in the glass or on a paper label. The mark can often be found in hard-to-see locations on the glassware such as the back of a tiny dolphin foot on a nut dish or worked into the pattern on a pressed stem or candle holder.

Several famous designers including Eva Zeisel, Horace King, Royal Hickman, Walter von Nessen & Emil Krall worked for the Heisey Company.

Heisey glassware is of exceptional quality and clarity. Pieces usually having ground bottoms and were fire-polished to remove mold marks.

Some tips and advice for adding to your collection:
-    Always buy what you like and like what you buy.
-    Let your pocketbook be your guide, not a book - price guides are often regional and can quickly become dated.
-    If you're paying a premium price, buy from a dealer who has a good reputation/feedback.
-    Learn to recognize shapes, handles, stems, colors.
-    Wash "vintage" glass by hand and don't use it in the microwave.
-    Be wary of deals that are "too good to be true" - ask questions, ask for more photos.
-    And above all: enjoy your collection, live with it, use it. If beautiful glass that is packed away gets broken, that's a tragedy. If it gets broken while it's being used or admired, that's only an accident.