From Adam to Windsor

Florentine (Poppy) No. 2, 10" dinner plate

Roger was on call today, so I spent the day with a new friend, Janeece, who moved here from Cleveland with her husband, Dan, a neurology resident at DHMC. Janeece teaches French at Hartford High School, and was actually at Michigan getting her MEd the same time I was getting my MFA (1999-2001).

Janeece wanted to go antique shopping, something I had only done seriously once before, with my roommate Allison in Boston's North End. I had also known a bunch of people at Michigan who were into antiques, but never got around to going with them. It was cool shopping with Janeece because she collected a specific kind of antique: Depression-era glass, and, in particular, a green glass produced by Anchor Hocking in a pattern called Cameo which features a ballerina in the design. And she was willing to teach me a little about Depression glass, e.g., the history, the different patterns, how to tell a reproduction from an original.


Closeup of Cameo pattern, from Anchor Hocking

Depression glass was mass-produced machine-pressed and tinted glassware that was of relatively low quality, yet came in beautiful colors and patterns to suit every taste. Made from the mid-1920s into the 1940s, the glassware was popular and affordable. Different patterns were available at the the local dime store, and sometimes were handed out at movie theatres or department stores as a bonus for purchasing something else.

In Depression glass parlance "from Adam to Windsor" refers to the alphabetical order in which collectors' guides list all the patterns of the seven largest glass companies that produced this collectible glassware: Hazel-Atlas, Hocking, Indiana, Federal, U.S. Glass, MacBeth-Evans, and Jeanette. Here is a chart outlining all 92 patterns.

Janeece took me to the Antiques Mall in the Quechee Gorge Village. To get me into browsing, Janeece helped me pick a pattern and color that I could start to collect. I decided on Hazel Atlas' Florentine pattern, a lace-like poppy-filled pattern, in yellow. For some reason, this year "yellow" is my new "orange" (I was really into orange last year, orange raincoats, sneakers, etc.).


Closeup of Florence (Poppy) No. 2 pattern, Hazel Atlas

The Antiques Mall is quite big, with several booths and several rooms. Some booths have the glassware prominently displayed. and in complete sets. Some booths have single pieces mixed in with other kinds of antiques, making it more of a "find" if you do find something. At first, I was intrigued by a pair of cool-looking candlestick holders in the pattern I chose, but they were $30 each, and I wanted to start with a smaller purchase. I almost bought a cute sugar bowl, but was a little disappointed when I found out it was missing a lid (lids are often missing from sets) - I wanted my first piece to be a complete thing. Here is a picture of what a complete set, bowl and lid, would look like.

I settled on a dinner plate (see photo above), which was fairly scratch free and, at $7, Janeece proclaimed a great bargain. I certainly was happy with the price and the functionality of the piece. Janeece herself found a great Cameo vegetable dish for $25.

It was a great day ... I came away with good conversation, a little history lesson, and a keepsake!