Consolidated Lamp and Glass Company

 

Early Years 1893 - 1910 

 Fostoria Shade and Lamp Company and the Wallace and McAfee Company merged to form the Consolidated Lamp and Glass Company in 1893.  A fire in 1895 forced the company to move to a new site in Coraopolis, Pennsylvania. There the production of lamps, globes, and art glass shades made Consolidated a lighting manufacturing giant by 1910 with over 400 employees.

  Although Consolidated Lamp and Glass Company's main product line consisted of lighting and lighting accouterments, the company also produced lovely tableware and other art and pattern glass items.

I. Lighting Examples

Ruby Red Satin Art Glass Lamp, Baby Face or Cherub Pattern

Yellow Glossy Cased Table Lamp Bulging Loops Pattern

Opaque Lamp Base, Cosmos Pattern

Blue Satin Art Glass Parlor Lamp Base, Baby Face or Cherub Pattern

Red Satin Art Glass Parlor Lamp Base, Twisted Column Pattern

Pink Cased Mini Lamp, Cone Pattern

 

II.  Glass Types Examples

A. Opaque Glass

What is opaque glass?  Opaque glass is a solid colored glass that allows little or no light to pass through it. The white opaque glass is often referred to as milk glass.

Colors in Opaque Glass: blue, pink, green, white, and other colors not shown here

Blue Opaque  Glass Salt Shaker, Pineapple Pattern

Pink Opaque Glass Salt Shaker, Cone Pattern

Pink Opaque Glass Toothpick Holder, Pansy Pattern

Green Opaque Glass Salt, Shaker, Palm Leaf Pattern

White Opaque Glass Toothpick , Holder, Seaweed and Shell Pattern

White Opaque Glass Salt Shaker, Leaning Pattern

Variegated Opaque Glass

What is variegated opaque glass? Variegated opaque is a combination of two opaque colors swirled throughout the glass, usually white and another color. Variations in color are achieved by the incomplete mixing of colors.

Colors in Opaque Glass: pink, white, and other colors not shown here

Pink Variegated Opaque Glass Salt Shaker, Squatty Guttate Pattern

Pink Variegated Opaque Glass Salt Shaker, Overlapping Shell Pattern

Pink Variegated Opaque Glass Salt Shaker, Leaning Pattern

B.  Cased Glass

What is cased glass? Cased glass has an inner layer covered by a colored middle layer, covered by a clear outside layer.  

Colors in Cased Glass:  pink, white, yellow, and other colors not shown here

Pink Cased Glass Toothpick Holder, Bulging Petal Pattern

Pink Cased Glass Salt Shaker, Guttate Pattern

Pink Cased Glass Salt Shaker, Quilted Phlox Pattern

White Cased Glass Toothpick, Holder, Bulging Petal Pattern

White Cased Glass Mustard, Bulging Petal Pattern

Yellow Cased Glass Salt Shaker, Cone Pattern

Variegate Cased Glass

What is variegated cased glass? Variegated glass is a combination of two colors swirled throughout the glass, usually white and another color. To make it cased it is then covered by a clear layer of glass on the outside.


Yellow Variegated Cased Glass, Salt Shaker in the Cone Pattern

Yellow Variegated Cased Glass, Mustard in the Cone Pattern

III. Tableware

Consolidated Lamp and Glass Company produced some patterns and glass types in a complete line of tableware, while other patterns and glass types might be limited to a few select items.

Yellow Cased Glass Sugar Bowl, Cone Pattern

Yellow Cased Glass Cruet, Cone Pattern

Yellow Variegated Cased Glass Sugar Shaker,  Cone Pattern

White Opaque Glass with Painted Decoration Syrup Pitcher, Wild Iris Pattern

White Opaque Glass Syrup Pitcher, Guttate Pattern

White Opaque Glass with Painted Decoration Salt Shaker, Wild Iris Pattern



Celebrate Easter With Antique Postcards

   Long before emails and cell phones, people would send Easter greetings on postcards. This was a lovely way to connect with family, loved ones and friends.  Why not use antique postcards to make an interesting display when you are decorating your home for Easter. You can drift back in time when you read the notes and message written on the back.  Enjoy these antique Easter post cards today. Reuzeit Emporium has a large selection. 

Antique Metal Buttons, 1870-1918

  I think antique metal buttons are some of the most beautiful  

buttons in the world.  Many different types of metals were used including silver, gold, steel, brass, copper, aluminum and pewter or several metals were combined on one button. And there are many different types of metal button; stamped. steel cups, twinkle, cut steel,  jewels and many others.  Most military buttons were made out of metal in the eighteen hundreds. 

Stamped Metal Buttons 

  Metal buttons were often made with a cardboard center between the front of the button and the metal back containing the shank.  Giant steam driven presses were used to stamp out thin sheets of metal into varied button designs. The buttons were assembled with a steel back and shank. Sometimes steel cups were used to form the base and other materials were used to fill this cup.  A metal medallion in the shape of  a flower or flower bouquet is often found.

Steel Cup Metal Buttons

  The base of these buttons are cup shaped, to varying degrees. The edge continues to the front of the button to form a rim. The center of the button in the cup can be made of steel, other metals, or something entirely different. The rims are often beautifully formed, and the  centers can have exquisite detail.

 

Twinkle Metal Buttons

  Twinkle buttons are popular with button collectors. These buttons have several layers with a reflective layer of aluminum, silver, or gold on the bottom. The top layer of the button consists of a pierced or filigree metal that allows the 'twinkle' to shine through.  Ladies and gentlemen dining or dancing by candlelight enjoyed the sparkle of these buttons on their elaborate evening attire. 

Metal  and other Material Buttons

   Another type of metal button was the flat steel button.  These buttons were cast as flat disks and later etched and dyed or cast with designs that were later enhanced with gold or paint.  Metal buttons could be adorned with almost any other material.

Jeweled Metal Buttons



  Jewel buttons have a 'stone' in the center that is usually made out of glass.  The glass could be flat, domed, faceted, or cut into many pieces to form a mosaic design.

 

Cut Steel Metal Buttons

 

  Cut steel buttons were popular in the nineteenth century.  They consisted of small cut steel pieces with many facets that were riveted together and used to trim buttons made out of a wide variety of materials, shell, horn and bone.  Originally, steel cut buttons were made to simulate the expensive diamond or marcasite buttons worn by the wealthy but they soon became popular in their own right.  Men often wore large steel cut buttons that flashed in the sunlight as a fashion statement.

  Antique metal buttons can still be found today.  Next time you discover some antique buttons, take a moment to marvel at their workmanship, design, and beauty.

Read about Antique Glass Buttons