First let me tell you about my Depression Glass initation. I've been collecting and coveting depression glass since 1975. Right before my wedding, I saw a set of Green Cherry Blossom at an auction (be sure to see my other blog, Antique Daze). The green glass just called my name. However, it forgot to call my bank and arrange a loan. I brought $90 to the auction, a lot of money for me then. Hell, it's a lot of money for me now!
90 pieces of Green Cherry- including plates, butterdish, bowls, tumblers, pitcher, cups, saucers. Silly girl that I was, I thought $90 would do it. It went for several hundred. Some time later the next year, we started collecting blue Royal Lace (well I also collected Green Royal Lace when I could find it which wasn't very often).
Now, over the next week, we'll be liquidating my current collection of blue Royal Lace. So I thought I'd tell you about the pattern and the company and then as I list pieces, I can use the photos here to show you. (getting my money's worth out that digital camera, ya know?)
So, Hazel Atlas made Royal Lace from 1934 to 1941. It was made in Green, Cobalt Blue, Crystal, Pink and a few pieces in Amethyst. There are reproductions and I'll talk about them later.
The blue is far and away the favorite of most collectors but green is more popular all the time. The crystal suffers from looking "dirty" after time and the pink is a very pale pink with a tendency to look orangey.
Hazel Atlas was the child of a merger in 1902. By 1928 it was known as the "World's Largest Tumbler Factory" as they churned out machine made drinking glasses. They were one of the most modern, mechanized glass factories. In 1929, they added Green tumblers to their line and in 1933 Green, pink and topaz were added. In 1936, they added Ritz blue.
The pattern Royal Lace was a tip of the hat to the Royal Family of England and many assorted pieces were shipped to England then and are now, via the internet and ebay finding their way back to the State. Cobalt blue was introduced in Royal Lace in 1938, a time when war was looming and shipping glass to England had lost some of its priority so most of what is found there appears to be Green, Pink or Crystal. Which is fine with me since it's hard enough to put to gether a set of blue anyway.
Royal Lace has, give or take, 38 pieces in 4 main colors. This line has 5 sizes of pitchers, 2 kinds of candle stick a number of center or console bowls. There are dinner plates and grill plates. Lots to collect.
So, later this week I'll put in pictures of various pieces as I list them. And you'll see why this is my absolute favorite pattern. (but I'll also talk about all my other sort of favorite patterns later too).
