Information on Heisey Glass

History

• A.H. Heisey, the company's namesake, immigrated to the United States from Germany in 1842. Heisey moved to Pennsylvania, where he worked in the glass blowing industry. Heisey began building his own glass shop in 1895 and produced his first piece in 1896. He continued to produce glass until his death in 1922. Wilson Heisey, A.H.'s son, took over the company, which had successes and failures leading up to 1958, when the Imperial Glass Co. bought Heisey's company. Heisey glassware was not produced after the sale.

Types

• There are hundreds of different designs, or patterns, that the Heisey company used. These designs could be used to make practical or decorative glassware pieces. The common practical pieces are water pitchers, cups or plates. Yet these could also be used decoratively if the owner desired. Purely decorative pieces include statuary, vases and experimental designs.

Colors

• Color innovation is one aspect of the popularity surrounding Heisey glassware. Initially, glassware could be emerald, custard, opal or canary. Eventually pink (called flamingo) and yellow (called sahara) were developed, and these are the most common colors. Other colors are moongleam, a light green; hawthorne, a pinkish-purple; alexandrite, which can change from shades of blue to pink to purple; tangerine, a dark orange; and steigel blue, a cobalt shade.

Identification

• A piece of Heisey glass can be marked with a unique signature--the letter H enclosed in a diamond outline. But some pieces may not be marked. If a signature is not present, or if it is present and the piece is cracked, chipped or appears to have been repaired, the next step is to consult a collector or price guide.

Collection

• As of 2010, Heisey glassware is actively sought. There are two books, or guides, that aid the collector. The newest guide is the "Heisey Glass 1896-1957 Identification and Value Guide." An older, more extensive guide is the "Collector's Encyclopedia of Heisey Glass 1925-1938."