I started collecting Imperial glass almost at the same time I started collecting Czech. My first couple of pieces were bought as "Loetz," but I soon learned to distinguish them. The Imperial Glass Company, of Bellaire, Ohio, was founded in 1901 and lasted until 1984. Mostly known for Carnival and utilitarian glassware, it did produce four distinct art glass lines. The entire Imperial production has been exhaustively examined in the three-volume Imperial Glass Encyclopedia, edited by James Measell for the National Imperial Glass Collector's Society. I am sure Imperial is quite unknown outside the USA and would like this page to serve as an introduction to it , since more than once I have bought it as "Loetz" or "Czech." On the other hand, I have bought Czech glass being sold as Imperial! YOU CAN READ MY OTHER ARTICLE ON AMERICAN GLASS, DUGAN, AT WWW.LOETZ.COM Imperial Art Glass (1916) Quite thick purple, green or clear glass blown in a mold, and iridized in 5 distinct colors: Pearl Ruby, Pearl Amethyst, Pearl Green, Pearl White and Pearl Silver. Most appear with the distinctive Imperial crossmark at the bottom. Smaller sizes predominate. Large vases are rare. Pieces have consecutive numbers identifying them by shape.  1. Pearl Silver, Green and Amethyst. It is at times quite difficult to distinguish between them.  2. Pearl Ruby over purple glass 40
 3. Pearl Green over purple glass 20
 4. Pearl Silver over purple glass 1  5. Pearl White 1 6"  6. Rare Pearl Ruby over opal glass, 6"  9. Pearl Ruby 21, 4"  10. Ruby over clear group  11. Ruby over clear set  NUART (Late Twenties) Historically NUART refers to a very successful line of shades Imperial launched even before its first art glass. But it also refers to a line of vases which marked the end of its art glass production, in the late 20's. I have decided to place it second because of its similarity to the Art glass lines except it was porduced only in iridized green glass and it was marked NUART on the bottom rim.
 13. Nuart mark  14. NUART group. The middle one is considered rare  14. Flared shape  15. Rare Bronze over clear, unmarked, but the shape is unmistakable. FREEHAND (EARLY 20'S) FreeHand appeared on the market as the result of the arrival at Imperial of a shop of Swedish glass makers who then dispersed and went to work for Durand and Fenton. Thus, it is not uncommon to find similar shapes by the three manufacturers. It was meant to be expensive, retailing at $25 per piece. Some carried paper labels, but most have lost them. Today it is the most expensive Imperial art glass on the market.
This was my very first piece:  16. Clear with blue looping.    19. Leaf and vine decor  20. Rare 13" threaded vase |  21. FH 236 and 243. The one on the left has a paper label:
 22. Free Hand label
 23. Iridized FH examples. 12" . The green is my latest. Both were bought as "Czech " glass, and are quite rare.
LEAD LUSTRE (MIDDLE 20'S) Lead Lustre followed Free Hand as a cheaper alternative. Vases were formed in white paste molds, so no seams were visible. Every shape and decor was numbered:
 24. Decor 10  25. Decor 20: Shapes 619; Unk; 319; unk The most easily scratched.  26. Decor 20: Shapes 623,618, 319  27. Decor 30, Shapes 319, 418  \28. 618-22   30. 655: ruby over opal, 12  31. Unidentified shape: Decors 20, 10    34. 413, yellow loops: 12"   36. 418-20 Cut 94, 12" UPDATE I agonized before buying this vase. The shape, the pontil, said Imperial, but not the decor. So I consulted Ernie Albanese, a so-called Imperial expert,who told me this was an experimental piece. He was wrong. It is Kralik!   |