Vintage tinted glassware is the most popular item among collectors; even items you think are average can fetch unbelievable amounts. From blue and green to pink and purple, each color has its own beauty, but amber glassware is peerless for practicality!
So, before you disregard these glass treasures, let me tell you how your amber glassware pieces could be a real collectible!
What Is Amber Glassware & Why Is it Collectible?
You must’ve heard of or seen various types of tinted glassware, like pink, carnival, and cobalt glassware. But why is amber glassware different?
Amber glassware is exclusively known for its warm, distinctive honey-hued coloration, which makers achieve by adding colorants such as iron, sulfur, and carbon to molten glass.
Beyond its aesthetic appeal, Amber glass is popular for its UV protection, which helps preserve the contents inside. That’s why it’s widely used in industries where product integrity is crucial, such as medicine, serum, lab materials, and beer.
This unique coloration, interesting properties, and various designs and patterns of vintage amber glassware highly appeal to glassware collectors.
How to Identify Authentic Vintage Amber Glassware?
With its newfound popularity, several manufacturers produced amber glassware in various patterns from the 30s to the 70s. As a result, many reproductions turned up that were difficult to distinguish.
Here’s how to spot real amber glassware from reproductions.
- Visual Clues: Small air bubbles, swirls, and tiny inclusions embedded within the glass (seediness) are common characteristics of hand-blown or early molded pieces. Similarly, the presence of pontil marks can hint at a pre-1850s make.
- Weight & Feel: Vintage amber glass feels heavier and sturdy, and makes a clear, resonant ring. Also, the edges often have a smooth, slightly irregular grind.
- Color Play: When held up to a bright light, real amber glass should have a warm, honeyed glow. Fakes are flat in tone, without luminescence.
- Maker’s Marks: Some brands that produced amber glassware marked it with their logos or letter stamps. For example, Fenton’s oval mark from the post-70s, the anchor symbol of Anchor Hocking, Federal’s ‘F’ inside a circle, a cursive ‘L’ from Libbey, and more.
Collector’s Tip: Because amber glassware was mass-produced for a specific period, most pieces were unmarked. So, if you come across a piece without a maker’s mark, don’t be surprised.
With the above details, you can now differentiate real amber glassware from fake ones. Now, here’s a list of 12 valuable pieces of amber glassware worth collecting.
11 Highly Collectible Amber Glass Pieces with Rare Patterns
Let’s explore some highly collectible amber glass pieces with popular patterns from renowned makers. Don’t miss any of these!
1. “Moon and Star” Amberina Fairy Lamp by L.E.Smith
- Average Value: $150 to $300
- Item Type/Shape: 3-Piece Fairy Lamp
- Brand: L.E.Smith Glass Company
- Pattern: Moon and Star
- Manufacturing Years: 1960s to 1980s
This magnificent fairy lamp is perfect as a display item or vintage lighting decor! Produced by L.E.Smith, this deep-amber three-piece lamp features the celestial’ moon and star’ embossing all over.
Its unique multi-piece design and amberina make (two-toned glass that transitions from red to amber or yellow) make it a highly coveted piece, especially in mint condition.
2. Amber Mason’t Patent Jar
- Average Value: $200 to $500 (based on condition)
- Item Type/Shape: Mason Jar
- Pattern: Mason’t Patent Nov 30th 1858
- Manufacturing Years: 1858 to Mid-1910s
- Identification Mark: Pat Nov/213 Embossed on the Base
Amber Mason jars are easily some of the most collectible pieces in this category, especially the earliest pieces with the “PAT NOV 30th” embossing and a four-winged motif on the top.
The most valuable jars are those with irregular bubbles, the original zinc lid, and some color variations!
3. “Mount Vernon” Goblets from Indiana Glass Company
- Average Value: $8-$25 (single pieces), $30-$80 (sets)
- Item Type/Shape: Wine Goblets
- Brand: Indiana Glass Company
- Pattern: Mount Vernon, Crisp Geometric Impressions
- Manufacturing Years: 1968 to 1987
Indiana Glass Company made these heavy, pressed-glass goblets in their popular Mount Vernon pattern. You can spot them by the signature bold block-like design with clean, geometric lines. The amber tone makes these glasses perfect for adding a retro touch to any table setting!
4. “Diamond Point” Fairy Lamp by Indiana Glass
- Average Value: $40 to $110
- Item Type/Shape: Two-piece Fairy Lamp
- Brand: Indiana Glass Company
- Pattern: Diamond Point
- Manufacturing Years: 1960s to 1970s
The “Diamond Point” fairy lamp is among the highly coveted pieces of amber glassware from the Indiana Glass Company. Why? Because its diamond-shaped design and the sparkling glow mimic expensive cut crystalware.
This two-piece lamp has a removable base and a cone-shaped dome in rich amber, with a pretty light-catching effect. Usually, these lamps sell for $40 to $100 in good condition.
5. “Fairfield” Salad Bowls by Anchor Hocking
- Average Value: $5-$10 (single bowls), $15-$80 (sets)
- Item Type/Shape: Serving Bowl
- Brand: Anchor Hocking
- Pattern: Fairfield
- Manufacturing Years: 1970s
- Collector’s Note: Larger Bowls and Multi-Piece Sets Fetch Higher Values
This set of 4 amber-brown salad bowls from Anchor Hocking displays its most popular Fairfield pattern – a jewel-like design with a bold, textured exterior. The body shows repeated vertical panels, and the base has a starburst design!
6. “Garden Daisy” Pitcher & Tumbler Set by Libbey
- Average Value: $5-$10 (single items); $15-$80 (large set)
- Item Type/Shape: Pitcher and 6 Tumblers
- Brand: Libbey
- Pattern: Country Garden Daisy
- Manufacturing Years: 1970s
- Identification Mark: Cursive’ L’ On Base in Some Pieces
This is an elegant amber-tone water set from Libbey. It shows beautiful daisy prints in a warm amber hue, a true 70s classic pattern! This may not be rare art glassware from high-end makers, but it can still fetch a moderate value for its color and design.
7. “Sandwich” Coasters by Indiana Glass’s Tiara Exclusives
- Average Value: $40 to $70
- Item Type/Shape: Round Coasters
- Brand: Tiara/Indiana Glass
- Pattern: Sandwich
- Manufacturing Years: 1970s to 1980s
- Collector’s Note: Higher Values When Paired with Matching Snack Sets
Here’s a set of eight coasters from Indiana Glass Company’s Tiara exclusives in the Sandwich pattern. You will notice intricate floral and scrollwork in a stippled texture on the pieces.
Indiana launched the “Sandwich” pattern in the 1920s and 1930s, but Tiara reissued them in the 1970s. So, these coasters were mass-produced by the brand until it closed operations in 1998 and are pretty standard.
8. “American Concord” Glass Set by Brockway
- Average Value: $5-$18 (single piece), $20 to $50 (sets)
- Item Type/Shape: Tumblers
- Brand: Brockway
- Pattern: American Concord
- Manufacturing Years: 1977 to 1978
These regular glasses feature a starburst and scroll motif throughout the body and a tapered shape towards the bottom. It’s Brockway’s “American Concord,” which appears to be inspired by Indiana’s “Sandwich” pattern.
Due to their discontinued, short-run production, these glasses are highly collectible.
9. “Moon and Stars” Salt Dip, Tooth Pick Holder, and Ash Tray By L.E.Smith
- Average Value: $15 to $60
- Item Type/Shape: Smallware
- Brand: L.E.Smith
- Pattern: Moon and Star
- Manufacturing Years: 1970s
This is a unique combo of a salt dip, toothpick holder, and ashtray, from L.E. Smith, all with the Moon and Stars pattern. Although all the pieces are pretty common, finding a collection of such unique pieces in amber and with the same pattern is quite rare!
10. “Honeycomb” Tumblers by Anchor Hocking
- Average Value: $30 to $70
- Item Type/Shape: Tall Tumblers
- Brand: Anchor Hocking
- Pattern: Honeycomb
- Manufacturing Years: 1960s
- Identification Mark: Anchor Hocking’s Marks on Some Pieces
This pressed-glass set looks just like it sounds: a “Honeycomb!” Produced by Anchor Hocking, these glasses feature faceted textures that resemble beehives. The dark amber tone complements the design and the name!
11. “Madrid” Dinner Set by Federal Glass
- Average Value: $80 to $300 (based on pieces)
- Item Type/Shape: Dinner Set (Plates, Bowls, Cups, Saucers)
- Brand: Federal Glass Company
- Pattern: Madrid
- Manufacturing Years: 1932 to 1939
- Identification Mark: ‘F’ Logo on Some Pieces
This extensive yellow-amber dinner set from Federal shows the “Madrid” pattern, one of the maker’s most iconic designs. It includes dessert bowls, a serving bowl, salad plates, dinner plates, a covered bowl, and eight cups with saucers.
All pieces feature intricate scrollwork and geometric patterns that reflect the 30s design sensibility, and the classic depression glass appeal attracts collectors!
Collector’s Note: In 1976, Federal changed the pattern name to ‘Recollection.’ The pieces from this line are identified by the year dated on them.
Do any of these items catch your attention? Keep an eye out for it next time you visit a garage sale or your parents’ home. Some of these amber glass pieces can be more valuable than you think!
Note: This article is intended for informational, educational, and entertainment purposes only. Some images are illustrative and may not represent actual brands, products, or related entities. All trademarks, product names, brand logos, packaging, and other intellectual property referenced remain the exclusive property of their respective owners. Any brand mentions or references are provided solely for descriptive and educational context and do not imply any formal or commercial association.
