With the advent of mass production, decorative glassware could be seen on almost every table — and it now provides striking items for modern collectors on a budget.

The machine age affected the glass industry, as it did almost every other; the invention of mechanical press-moulding changed glass-making from an ancient handcraft to a cheap, fast, factory process. The technique of pressing soft, hot glass into patterned iron moulds was developed in the United States during the 1820s.

The first pressed-glass objects were simple shapes, such as open salts and small cup plates for the tea table. They were often in clear glass, but opaque milk glass and solid pale blue were also used. Pieces often featured an elaborate pattern set against a stippled background that camouflaged imperfections. As demand grew, so did the range of shapes.

Antique Collection

Early pieces in Europe

The technology reached Europe in the 1830s. Early European pieces tend to be heavy with deep, crisp patterning and strong vertical lines typical of the Gothic Revival. Jugs, goblets and caskets were made in black or opaque red glass and fetch about £50, or up to £500 for elaborate caskets. The style was superseded in the r84os by the curvaceous scrolling of the Rococo Revival. Cream jugs and sugar dishes in such a style fetch around £30, while large vases can cost up to £100.

The main early producers in Europe were France and Bohemia. Pressed glass was not widely made in Britain until the repeal of the glass tax based on weight, in 1845. Technical advances in mould-making later in the century made it possible to create more complicated shapes. A bewildering variety of domestic and novelty wares were produced by companies throughout Britain, Europe and the United States. Most colour recipes were used, to make marbled slag, ‘porcelain’ and creamware’. Other finishes include milky opalescent edges and highlighting. Such pieces, particularly those made in England at the Sowerby factory in Gateshead, today sell for hundreds of pounds.

Fancy pieces in unusual colours and shapes are keenly collected, and can fetch as little as £5 or as much as £1500. Examples bearing factory marks — or those that can be identified from company catalogues — are more valuable than unidentifiable pieces.

As the l0th century ended, the industry was in crisis. Tastes were changing and makers could not afford the new moulds that would have maintained the momentum of the market. American factories survived by amalgamating. They offered technically advanced, thin glass with detailed ‘cut’ designs, often embellished with ‘gold‘ and ’silver’ trim and ruby or amber staining. Today such pieces are generally affordable, fetching £10-£30. Unable to compete with the American companies, many European factories closed and their moulds were destroyed.

During the 1920s, totally mechanised continuous production of pressed glass became possible. Ruby and pale acid-pink pressed glass came to the fore, and innovative French designer Ren Lalique produced opalescent and coloured pressed glassware.

Dressing-table sets of the 1920 and 30s, decorated with sunray patterns or nymph-like figures, are very popular with collectors. Odd items cost around £5, and a whole dressing- table set up to £100. An attractive flower bowl of the same period will fetch up to £50.

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Pressed Glass