Antique Milk Glass

Founded in 1901 in Bellaire, Ohio, Imperial Glass Co, became a subsidiary of Lenox, Inc., in 1973. It was eventually sold to Arthur R. Lorch in 1981. Collectors of Imperial Glass link the freehand art glass, and carnival glass along with other top-quality tablewares. Imperial Glass is well known for it’s fanciful glass in such shapes a pheasants, elephants, horses, hens, and woodchucks.

New Austin Home Imperial Pheasant Metal Sculpture US $112.49 End Date: Tuesday Feb-03-2009 12:11:02 PST Buy it now | Add to watch list

HEISEY & HEISEY BY IMPERIAL Glass Animals ID$ BOOK OOP US $16.97 (0 Bid) End Date: Thursday Jan-08-2009 15:31:12 PST Bid now | Buy it now | Add to watch list

Heisey & Heisey by Imperial Glass Animals US $21.49 End Date: Saturday Jan-10-2009 0:49:21 PST Buy it now | Add to watch list

Vintage Glass Animal ID Book Imperial Westmoreland Etc US $26.49 End Date: Saturday Jan-10-2009 23:24:36 PST Buy it now | Add to watch list

A recent article in the Providence Journal mentioned French milk glass from the Portieux Company. Also mentioned was milk glass produced by the Vallerysthal company, another French glass manufacturer who made popular and amusing milk glass items in the first half of the 20th century.

Here are a few examples of their work.

Vallerysthal Milk Glass Robin on Nest Covered Dish US $49.95 (0 Bid) End Date: Wednesday Jan-07-2009 15:57:12 PST Bid now | Buy it now | Add to watch list

Compote, Blue Milk Glass, Vallerysthal/Porteiux Piece, US $9.99 (0 Bid) End Date: Thursday Jan-08-2009 12:10:37 PST Bid now | Add to watch list

Rare GRAZING COW Milk Glass Butter Dish ~ VALLERYSTHAL US $350.00 End Date: Thursday Jan-08-2009 15:16:09 PST Buy it now | Add to watch list

Vallerysthal Milk Glass Basketweave Open Salt US $24.95 (0 Bid) End Date: Thursday Jan-08-2009 17:12:02 PST Bid now | Add to watch list

Here’s an excerpt from an article in the Providence Journal about French milk glass.

Milk glass, an opaque white glass, was, of course, named for its color. The thick white glass was first popular from 1870 to 1880. It regained popularity in the 1920s and ’30s, and then in the 1950s to ’80s. Glass factories made thousands of covered dishes, pitchers, small trays and even figurines.

Milk glass was made in many colors in the United States and Europe, especially France. The descriptive terms “blue milk glass” or “black milk glass” are now used for some colored glass. The pieces are similar enough to be confusing. Portieux and Vallerysthal are two French names that appear on some colored milk glass made in the 20th century. The two companies merged in the 1970s.

One unusual sugar bowl made of blue milk glass by Portieux in 1933 has a cover shaped like a fat man’s head. He is smoking a pipe.

Much of the French milk glass from the early 1900s is quite attractive, and very collectible.

PAIR OF FRENCH MILK BLUE GLASS BOBECHES PORTIEUX EXC. US $39.00 (0 Bid) End Date: Thursday Jan-08-2009 17:00:36 PST Bid now | Add to watch list

Portieux Milk Glass Parrot Double Salt Leaf Underside US $24.95 (0 Bid) End Date: Thursday Jan-08-2009 17:11:01 PST Bid now | Add to watch list

FRENCH PORTIEUX CORDIAL GLASS US $9.99 (0 Bid) End Date: Friday Jan-09-2009 13:23:49 PST Bid now | Add to watch list

FRENCH PORTIEUX CORDIAL GLASS US $9.99 (0 Bid) End Date: Friday Jan-09-2009 13:24:28 PST Bid now | Add to watch list