Depression glass is clear or colored translucent glassware that was distributed free, or at low cost in the United States around the time of the Great Depression. The Quaker Oats Company and other food manufacturers and distributors, put a piece of glassware in boxes of food as an incentive to purchase. Movie theaters and businesses would hand out a piece simply for coming in the door.
Most of this glassware was made in the central and mid-west United States, where access to raw materials and power made manufacturing inexpensive in the first half of the twentieth
century. More than twenty manufactureres made more than 100 patterns and entire dinner sets were made in some patterns. Common colors are clear (crystal), pink, pale blue, green, and amber. Less common colors include yellow (canary), ultra marine, jadeite (opaque pale green), delphite (opaque pale blue), cobalt blue, red (ruby & royal ruby), black, amethyst, and white (milk glass).
Although of marginal quality, Depression glass has been highly collective since 1960's. Due to its popularity as a collectible. Depression glass is becoming more scarce on the open market. Scarce pieces may sell for several hundred dollars. Some manufacturers continued to make popular patters after World War II or introduced similar patterns which are also collectible. Popular and expensive patterns and pieces have been reproduced, and reproductions are still being made.
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