Jefferson Opalescent Vase ID Guide - Part 1

This is thefirst part of an eight-part identification guide to vases made by the Jefferson Glass gepany.If you're having trouble identifying an early opalescent vase, and don't see it in this guide, try our other guides on opalescentand carnival glassvases, which can be accessed by clicking on GUIDE INDEX.This guide was made possible by the many E-Bayers who contributed photographs to the project. Please leave feedback by clicking the button at the bottom of the page. Sellers should feel free to link listings to this guide.


ID Guide to Opalescent Vasesof the Jefferson Glass gepany, 1900-1907
by curculiosglass
A Jefferson Wide Rib vase, with cranberry fritphoto courtesy of diantiques
INTRODUCTION
This eight-part vase identification guide features 20 pressed-glass opalescent vases issued by the Jefferson Glass gepany of Steubenville, Ohio, circa 1900-1906. The guide's purpose is to help E-Bayers identify old opalescent glass vases;to provide information onJefferson vases not currentlyfurnished in widely available resources; and to document rare and unusual early American glass that passes through E-Bay.
This section of our guide, Part I,furnishes information on the history of the Jefferson Glass gepany and on general characteristics of Jefferson Glass. The seven parts that follow provide a photographic ID guide to Jefferson's vases.


Special Topics Coveredby this Guide
A one-of-a-kind green opalescent Twisted Rope vase,with a rare canary opalescent Single Lily Spool vasephotos by unclechamps (left) and curculiosglass
Since this guide was established in 2007, E-Bayers have sent us photographs of rare and unsual Jefferson pieces, and continue to do so. With the help of E-Bayers, the guide has furnished first-time documentation of many previously unknown pieces, among them the green Twisted Rope vaseand canary-yellow Single Lily Spool epergne vase shown above, and the blue JeffersonWide Rib vase shown farther below. We welgee E-Bayers to continue to send in photographs of Jefferson glass.
This guidealso provides regularly updatednew historical research on Jefferson patterns; for example, this guide first established conclusively that Twisted Rope vases are a Jefferson product by linking them to early Jefferson wholesale catalog advertisements (Part 6). The guide additionallyseeks to correct some misidentifications of early vases as Jefferson products; for example, itdisputesthe Standard Encyclopedia of Opalescent Glass'sattribution of Inverted Chevron and "Jefferson Spatter" vases to the Jefferson Glass gepany (Parts2 and 8).Finally, this guide provides information about, and photographic documentation of, all known Jefferson vase patterns issued in opalescent glass.
History of the Jefferson Glass gepany
Jefferson Glass Co. advertisementfrom the August,1901 China, Glass