Three methods add color to clear glass

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Is a red-and-white glass decanter made of cased glass, flashed glass or stained glass? All three were methods of adding color to a clear glass piece to make it more decorative. The cost and quality of each is different, and collectors should look carefully and ask questions before they buy.

Stained glass is the least expensive way to color glass. This method uses a staining material that is brushed on, becomes red or amber, and adheres to the glass when heated. The layer of material is very thin, and if cleaned too vigorously, it could wear off. It often is used to color pressed glass.

These 19th-century Bohemian flashed glass decanters were blown, flashed with red glass, cut and then decorated with orange and black enamel and gilt. The 20-inch-high pair auctioned for $1,920.

Flashed glass is made by using an added thin layer of glass over a different color glass. It is made by taking a “gather” of hot glass, dipping it into a second colored glass, then blowing it into shape. It leaves a thin layer of glass but makes a piece that appears to be made of one solid color, which would be more valuable.

Cased or plated glass is the most expensive. It is made by putting a thick layer of glass over a glass piece of a different color. It can be decorated on the outside layer or cut to expose the inside layer. Look at the rim at the top of a cased vase, and you’ll see two distinct layers. Some glass, like rubina verde, is made with a yellow glass body and red glass added inside. It makes a two-color glass.

To make this even more difficult for beginners, there are many different ways to decorate the outside of any of these glass pieces. The glass can be cut through to a different color or just in a clear section. It can be painted on the outside with gilt and enamel to make decorations in many colors. A very elaborate pair of Bohemian flashed glass decanters with cut and enameled decorations sold at a recent Cowan auction for $1,920.

Q: When did Judith Leiber start making her jeweled purses? I have my mother’s purse, which looks like a pile of books. Is it valuable?

A: Judith Leiber purses were first made in 1963. She sold the company and the name in 1993, but she continued designing until 2004. Her jeweled handbags in great condition sell for hundreds of dollars. The pile of books purse has sold for $700.

Current Prices
Cup, Adams Pottery, little gray rabbit, verse, bunny with basket, flowers, squared handle, $22.
Window, leaded, alternating yellow daisies and leaves, portrait medallions, 59 3/4 x 14 1/4 inches, pair, $50.
Doll, Raggedy Ann, cloth with striped dress and candy corn buttons, hand stitched facial features with auburn yarn hair, 19 inches, $90.
Cane, shark spine vertebrae, ivory handle, monogram, wood ferrule, c. 1900, 37 inches, $210.

TIP: To untie knots in ribbons, shoelaces or necklaces, sprinkle a little talcum powder on them.

For more collecting news, tips and resources, visit www.Kovels.com

© 2018 King Features Synd. Inc.