- Most people think of the Victorian era when they ponder antique cranberry glass, but it actually dates back much farther in history.

- The process for producing cranberry glass is painstaking and difficult, requiring precise mixing of the glass formula and many skilled craftsmen to produce one piece.

- Victorian cranberry glass is very expensive to procure nowadays, but newer glass can be purchased fairly affordably.

- Newer cranberry glass isn’t technically considered to be reproduction glass, although some of the shapes and styles are similar to old pieces. It’s wise to study up before making a costly purchase if you’re not sure about the age of a piece.

The Victorian Love Affair with Cranberry

It almost seems natural to focus on the Victorian age when cranberry glass comes to mind. During mid-1800s through the end of the 19th century, glassblowers refined the art of making cranberry glass to create everything from vases and pitchers to decanters with matching tumblers. Some of the most rare and expensive items found from this era take the shape of beautiful lamps and other lighting fixtures.

Although it's fairly common to see these types of decorative items in stage and screen depictions mimicking this bygone era, the formula used to develop the deep pink glassware dates back much farther.

Looking Farther Back in Cranberry Glass History

Adding a bit of gold to a batch of molten glass in 1612, Italian glassmaker Antonio Neri discovered the secret required to produce "wondrous red glass that shimmered with the natural beauty of rubies," according to the Cranberry Glass World website.

The online Glass Encyclopedia offers a conflicting explanation on the origin, noting the "recipe" for red glass had been lost for centuries and then rediscovered in Bohemia during the 17th century. They go on to say that Venetian glass crafters had tried to make red glass unsuccessfully for years.

These types of contradictions often come into play in the world of collecting. Since we're looking back through centuries of information, researchers often have a hard time pinpointing exact dates and origins of some of today's most popular antiques.

Regardless of the true origin of rediscovery, there are a couple of facts everyone seems to agree upon. Cranberry glass does indeed use gold chloride in its manufacturing process and the Romans made the famous Lycurgus cup of red glass, cranberry's cousin, way back in the fourth century. The amount of gold chloride used intensifies the red color, but it's basically the same process.

Collecting Newer Cranberry Glass

While Victorian cranberry glass still graces the shelves of antique shows and shops in limited quantities, it's much easier to find newer items these days. Both Fenton and Pilgrim produce beautiful cranberry glass items sold in department stores and gift shops around the country.

Adding opalescent decoration featuring coin dots, daisy patterns and numerous other styles attracts even more collectors to this artistic glassware. Even folks who don't "collect" enjoy owning some of these colorful pieces when they compliment a decorating scheme.

While the newer glass pieces aren’t technically reproductions, they can be confused with older glass by collectors and novice dealers. This is especially true with Fenton pieces made during made during the 1940s and ‘50s prior to when the company began marking its glass.

Investing in a good book like Fenton Art Glass Patterns 1939-1980 by Margaret and Kenn Whitmyer for Collector Books will help with this task. Not only is this resource a good tool for research, it’s color photos will entertain any glass lover as well.

Cranberry Glass Manufacturing Challenges

Whether old or new, cranberry glass has never been easy to make. A slight mishap in the formulation can muddy a batch of glass and render it useless. "Gold ruby" glass, as these wares are known in Europe, still gets the same hand blown or molded treatment it did 100 years ago.

In fact, Cranberry Glass World indicates as many as 26 skilled artisans being involved in the production of one piece of Fenton glassware today. Whether old or new, the informative site offers some suggestions on determining quality in cranberry glassware.

Recognizing Quality in Cranberry Glass

In the finest glass, no ash, chips or unpolished markings should be visible. This includes the pontil, a rough spot on the bottom of a glass piece that looks broken and chipped when not polished. All blown glass items have a pontil where the finished glass separates from the blowing rod after completion.

Noting some bubbles and striations indicates a mouth blown piece, but they shouldn't be overly large or interfere with the design of the glassware. Pieces that are hand molded should be relatively smooth showing a minimum of mold lines or marks.

And, the points where one piece of glass attaches to another, as in pitcher or basket handles, need to be smoothly polished and clean.

Whether you prefer simple lines or ornate craftsmanship, there's a type of cranberry glass for every collector. And remember, when you notice a piece sparkling exceptionally bright, there's extraordinary history, craftsmanship and a touch of lovely gold behind all that glimmer.