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Types of Heavy Antique Glass With Bubbles

Heavy antique glass with the characteristic bubble design was made in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, until 1935. The quality of the workmanship made antique pieces above par in comparison to the factory-made pieces of lighter weight produced during the mid-20th century. Glass pieces made during the mid-20th century are not considered antique, but rather collectible or vintage.

Functional
- Antique utilitarian heavy glass pieces with bubbles include oil lamps. Oil lamps from the 19th century were often decorated with a hobnail or bubble exterior. Genuine antique oil lamps with bubbles were meticulously crafted for functionality; they appeal to collectors today because they were also beautifully designed. Both heavy antique art glass and utilitarian glass will have the characteristic bubble look, which is often called hobnail glass.
Fenton Hobnail Glass
- One of the most popular hobnail glass makers---indeed, one of the most popular glass makers of all time---is the American company Fenton. This company made hobnail glass in 1930. Hobnail glass is the most distinct type of glass with bubbles, for the surface on hobnail glass resembles a pattern of small raised bumps. The bubbles may encompass the whole piece of glass or a small portion, such as on the base of stemware, like a goblet or wine glass. Early antique Fenton hobnail glass is clear.
Candlewick and Imperial Glass Company
- The Candlewick and Imperial Glass Company made, among other glass items, popular nut dishes with the hobnail edge, in small and medium sizes, with various colors. They made green lemon glass trays with a bubbled hobnail edge, and more. Visit http://www.imperialglass.org/museumgiftshop/museumgift.htm to see pieces similar in design to that of the old.
Patterns
- Many heavy antique bubble glass items have distinctive patterns along with the raised bubble, such as the fish scale pattern, which incorporate raised bubbles resembling fish scales; the oak leaf bubble, featuring raised bubbles in the shape of oak leaves; and, on later collectible pieces, the Royal Ruby bubble. Anchor Hocking also came out with a distinct pattern called "boopie." The boopie pattern consisted of a rim of small bubbles, similar to hobnail style, at the base of stemware or candle holders, in a circular pattern.
Opal Glass
- Antique opal glass comes from France. It is similar to the modern version of milk glass, with a more translucent opal finish. Glass artisans made the glass by using old stained glass, which was reheated and chemically treated, and hand-blown into bubble shapes.
Marks
- Antique or collectible pieces will have old company maker marks, which are easy to identify in collectible and antique value glass guidebooks or online at various collectible glass sites.

Antiques