Goofus Glass – Not My Favorite

In case you haven’t noticed, I love glass, especially art glass. My favorite is probably Murano Art Glass because it is not only colorful but it comes in so many shapes and sizes and the lines on this art glass are just beautiful. I have never found a piece of Murano Art Glass that I didn’t like. On the other hand, my least favorite is Goofus glass, even the name sounds, well goofy.

Goofus glass is pressed glass that was painted while the glass was cold. When you find this type of glass, in a lot of cases, you will find that the paint flakes or chips off and makes it look cheap. The old saying, “If you buy quality now, it will still be quality in the future,” is definitely true in this case. In the early 20th Century, when Goofus glass was produced, it was made very cheaply and it was used as premiums or give-away with soap or at carnivals, it is sort of the predecessor for Carnival glass. Companies that produced this type of glass included Indiana Glass, Dugan Diamond and Northwood. Although it is not my favorite glass, Goofus glass is still highly sought after by some collectors, especially those items made by Northwood.

Elegant Glass – Brief History of Fostoria Glass Company

In 1887, the Fostoria Glass Company was born in none other than Fostoria, Ohio. However after a brief stint, they moved their operations to Moundsville, West Virginia. From 1887 until 1983, Fostoria produced various products in different forms including blown glass, pressed glass, etched glass and crystal. Their most famous pattern is the American Fostoria pattern, which we have all seen at one time or another. Fostoria Glass was sold in 1983 to Lancaster Colony, which closed the company in 1986. Fostoria Glass is part of the elegant glass family; glass that was made prior to the Depression. Other elegant glass companies that are part of this family are Cambridge, Libbey and Heisey.