Cranberry Glass - Elegant and Beautiful
Although its origins go back to Roman times at least, it became very popular in the 19th century in Britain, Europe and the USA. Today, both antique and new ruby and cranberry glass remain popular with collectors.
It has a wider market than just collectors, though. Because it is so beautiful, many people choose it for wedding and anniversary gifts as well as for themselves because they love the look of it.
Contents
- History of Cranberry and Ruby Glass
- Books on Ruby Glass
- Top Tip
- Techniques for Making Cranberry & Ruby Glass
- Cranberry and Ruby Glass in the 19th Century
- Collecting Cranberry and Ruby Glass
- Ruby Glass and Silver Serving Dish
- Did You Know?
- Glass Blowing
- Handle with Care
- More About Collectible Glass
- Like This Lens?
- Do you collect glass?
- Stazjia's Social Networks
- Please Vote for this Lens
History of Cranberry and Ruby Glass
Silver-Gilt Mounted Engraved Self-Coloured Ruby Glass Beaker,
Nuremberg or Augsberg, 1650-1700 Giclee Print
Buy at AllPosters.com
The origins of gold ruby and cranberry glass are unknown. It is thought that the Romans discovered it and the famous Lycurgus Cup, in the British Museum, is a 4th century example of the technique. In daylight the cup looks green in colour but when a light is shone through, the cup appears red. Chemical analysis shows the cup has a small amount of gold and silver in its composition. The British Museum experts believe that this could have been an accidental affect because the Romans habitually added scrap metal to molten glass to colour it so perhaps they did not set out to make ruby glass. They might not have even known exactly what they had added to produce this effect.
Whether or not the Romans purposefully used the technique, the knowledge was lost and it was only in the 17th century that a reliable method for producing ruby and cranberry glass was rediscovered. Experts are divided on which glassmaker deserves the credit, although most agree it was either Italian Antonio Neri or Johann Kunckel of Bohemia.
Books on Ruby Glass
Royal Ruby (Schiffer Book for Collectors)
Amazon Price: $24.95 (as of 07/11/2009) 
More Royal Ruby (Schiffer Book for Collectors)
Amazon Price: $24.95 (as of 07/11/2009)
Ruby Red
Amazon Price: (as of 07/11/2009)
Ruby Glass of the Twentieth Century
Amazon Price: (as of 07/11/2009)
The Mystery of the Ruby Glasses
Amazon Price: (as of 07/11/2009)
Top Tip
When buying a decanter, make sure the stopper fits and belongs to the body. Take the stopper out and run your finger around the top of the decanter to feel for small chips.
Techniques for Making Cranberry & Ruby Glass
Both cranberry and ruby glass can be fused on to clear glass, a technique called casing, then the outer layer of coloured glass is cut away in places to reveal the glass beneath usually giving a highly ornate decoration. An alternative method, called flashing, is to simply dip a clear glass body into molten cranberry or ruby glass. This usually gives a thinner outer layer of coloured glass than casing. As well as giving the opportunity for decorative effects, it also reduces the cost by using less of the very expensive ruby or cranberry glass to make an object.
Cranberry & Ruby Glass Dishes on eBay
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Ruby glass light shade in the Dog Iron Ranch, home of Will Rogers.
Copyright © Cali2okie - Creative Commons License
Buy Ruby and Cranberry Glass
Ruby Glass Collection
Amazon Price: (as of 07/11/2009)
Tall Glass Tumblers Set of 6 - Ruby
Amazon Price: $34.99 (as of 07/11/2009)
Lenox Crystal Holiday Gems Ruby Balloon Glasses, Set of 4
Amazon Price: (as of 07/11/2009)
Glass Tumblers Set of 6 - Ruby
Amazon Price: $34.99 (as of 07/11/2009)
Lenox Holiday Gems Ruby All Purpose Glasses, Set of 4
Amazon Price: $29.95 (as of 07/11/2009)
Chihuly Ruby Glass Chandelier, photographed at an exhibtion.
Copyright © Ari Cee - Creative Commons License
Cranberry and Ruby Glass in the 19th Century
Pair of Victorian Cranberry Glass Lustres
Although it was discovered again in the 17th century, it is with the Victorian era that both gold ruby and cranberry glass are most associated when it became very popular in Britain, probably helped by the removal of a large tax on glass. In the first half of the 19th century it was mostly imported from Bohemia where the best ruby glass was produced and craftsmen were expert at engraving and other ornamental techniques.
Victorian Cruet Set
Copyright Sherry's Rose Cottage used under Creative Commons License
By the 1850s, though, English factories were making this type of glass, particularly around Stourbridge. The Victoria & Albert Museum have a particularly beautiful flagon made by John Hardman & Co of Birmingham dating from the late 1850s. It is Gothic style ruby glass with silver-gilt mounts and decorated with stones and enamels and obviously heavily influenced by Pugin, the architect who designed the Houses of Parliament.
The manufacture of ruby and cranberry glass was not confined to the West Midlands. Glassmakers in Bristol first made a piece of ruby glass for the Great Exhibition of 1851. The modern Bristol Blue Glass company still makes both ruby and cranberry glass today using 24 carat gold. It was also made in France, Belgium, Germany and the USA.
In the 19th century ruby and cranberry glass was used for all kinds of objects including jugs, vases, lamps and lampshades, decanters and drinking glasses, épergnes (table centrepieces), dressing table and washstand sets.
Buy Ruby and Cranberry Glass Bowls
6" Diameter Ruby Accented Crystal Rosaline Bowl
Amazon Price: $26.99 (as of 07/11/2009)
Colorful Recycled Art Glass Ruby Red Small Bowl 7.5"D
Amazon Price: (as of 07/11/2009)
Colorful Recycled Art Glass Ruby Red Large Oval Boat Bowl 13.25"L
Amazon Price: $33.00 (as of 07/11/2009)
Colorful Recycled Art Glass Large Ruby Red Salad Bowl 160oz
Amazon Price: $33.00 (as of 07/11/2009)
Ruby glass sweet bowl on display at the Black Country Living Museum. It was made by Steven and Williams in Stourbridge, Worcestershire, UK, in about 1885.
Copyright © R J Higginson - Creative Commons License
Collecting Cranberry and Ruby Glass
Victorian Cranberry and Enamelled Vase
Dating is difficult. Specialist dealer Stephen Farnsworth of Grimes House says there are no real identifying features to help ascertain the date a piece was made especially as ruby and cranberry glass was manufactured in so many different styles, many of which were produced well into the 20th century. He points to a company called Haden, Mullet & Haden who were advertising Victorian styles in 1925. This, however, does not affect the value and 1920s pieces are worth collecting.
Prices start at around £20 for a plain Victorian tumbler while a gilt decorated bowl could be £150 or more, depending on size and the intricacy of decoration. Large ornate pieces could cost several thousand pounds. New collectors are advised always to buy from reputable, specialist dealers because reproduction cranberry and ruby glass is widely available. Pieces should always be perfect with no chips or cracks.
Ruby & Cranberry Glass Jars
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Ruby Glass and Silver Serving Dish
The picture above was taken in the Henry Ford Museum, Greenfield Village.
The ruby-glass and silver serving dish was once displayed in the window of Grimm's Jewelry Store in Greenfield Village. The original owner of the store, Engelbert Grimm, was a German immigrant and acquaintance of Henry Ford.
Copyright © Maia C - Creative Commons License
Buy Ruby and Cranberry Glass Pitchers
Vintage Ruby Red Glass Pitcher
Amazon Price: (as of 07/11/2009)
RUBY RED STRAWBERRY GLASS VINEGAR PITCHER
Amazon Price: (as of 07/11/2009)
Italian Ruby Pitcher
Amazon Price: (as of 07/11/2009)
Murano glass pitcher, 'Ruby'
Amazon Price: $156.95 (as of 07/11/2009)
Did You Know?
If you look at the base of piece of glass made by blowing, you will see a small circle or perhaps a small raised area where the blowpipe was removed when the piece was finished. This is a called a pontil.
Ruby & Cranberry Glass
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Glass Blowing - Red Wine Glass - Bristol Blue Glass
Making a Bristol Blue Glass Red Wine Glass Footing Tool: Essemce http://www.onecuts.com/glass/tools/essemce_footboard/
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Blog Posts from Google about Cranberry Glass
- silveremporium: #silver VICTORIAN SILVER PLATE & CRANBERRY GLASS ...
- #silver VICTORIAN SILVER PLATE & CRANBERRY GLASS TEA CADDY JAR: US $8.50 (0 Bid) End Date: Tuesday Jul-14.. http://tinyurl.com/lxxavw.
- silveremporium: #silver Solid Silver & Gold Cranberry Glass ...
- #silver Solid Silver & Gold Cranberry Glass Perfume Bottle 1870: US $1.64 (1 Bid) End Date: Sunday Jul-05.. http://tinyurl.com/mq2dwn.
- Spirit of the glass on Flickr - Photo Sharing!
- Sir, im drinking cranberry lemonade-vodka; Cheers!! Takecare Posted 4 hours ago. ( permalink ) ... hehehe...akala ko kung ano na spirit of the glass.... Pero spirit nga talaga,hehe. Posted 4 hours ago. ( permalink ) ...
- Cranberry Glass Mirror, Chevy Astro Mirror Glass, Ford Expedition ...
- Cranberry Glass, Imperial Glass, Lead Crystal, Glass making, Celadon, Cloisonne, Antiques, Georgian, Victorian, Edwardian ? bowl or mirror supported a ? www.antiquesndynasties.com/cranberry_glass.htm ...
Handle with Care
Never pick up glass vessels by the rim. It is preferable to use two hands, one under the object and the other around the side.
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Ruby & Cranberry Shakers
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Do you collect glass?
norbridgeantiques wrote...
Excellent lens about cranberry glass. This is popular in Canada. 5*
Posted February 14, 2009
Tigga wrote...
Thank you for lensrolling my Carnival Glass - reciprocated!
I loved your story, it reminded me so much of the past although mine was far happier. I was born in 1940 and evacuated within weeks to a couple who were childless and adored me. I eventually inherited from them. Although brought up singlehanded by my mother, obviously with very little money, the post war years were very happy. Like you I made grammar school, but university was never an option, not until the Open University, I was the first year to graduate and became a teacher.
My mother was the opposite of yours, strong, determined and independent. I believe I owe everything to her, she made me what I am today.
Finally - why have you got sand on your bit of the South Coast and I've only got pebbles!
Posted November 11, 2008
Treasures-By-Brenda wrote...
Too bad they had to go and make modern reproductions of old china, glass, etc. Sure makes it hard for people (non-experts) to collect items although I suppose if you cannot afford the originals, maybe you can afford the reproductions!
Posted October 28, 2008
BFuniv.com wrote...
I've e-mailed this to my Mom, she has been collecting modern Ruby Glass most of my life. I think it may have started so we knew what to give her as presents. It is beautiful on display.
Posted October 28, 2008
aidenw wrote...
I had never heard of cranberry and ruby glass before. Very informative lens about amazing objects, and the pictures are really beautiful. 5*
Posted October 27, 2008
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by Stazjia
I am English and I've spent the last 11 years writing freelance for UK magazines, a couple of books and online. More on my Lensography.
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