L. G. Wright is known for re-using old molds to produce new glassware. Quite often, in the past, when a glass company ceased production, the molds then owned by the company were sold to other glass houses or individuals, who then re-used them to produce similar to (or exactly like) items of the first glass house’s production. L. G. Wright was one such glass maker, taking old US or French molds to currently producing glass houses to have the item remade. To his credit, Mr. Wright frequently made changes to the items so that his products could be readily differentiated from the original production by the knowledgeable.
Many of the reproduced items in the L. G. Wright line are covered animal dishes. He produced a number of different animals, usually on a base unlike the original base. For this reason, it is important to keep bases and tops together as much as possible. The animals Mr. Wright produced include the Atterbury full-bodied duck, but without the patent information from the original mold. Mr. Wright also reproduced the Atterbury bull’s head mustard jar, with the protruding tongue ladel, although this is often missing. This piece also does not have the patent information that the original had, distinguishing it from the original in that and the colors in which it is available.
Many of the Wright covered animals dishes come in slag colorings, white with a dark purple, blue, or red, or amber glass swirled together. Those in transparent or translucent colors will also be available in colors not originally found in the original production of the mold. Wright has thirteen different 5 1/2 inch covered animal dishes, as well as a number of the more common, larger 7 inch size. The Wright turkey covered dish can be found in both a 6 inch versions and a 9 inch version. These are reproductions of the US Glass or Cambridge glass turkey covered dishes, but the “ground” on which the turkey stands is smooth, as is the underside of the base, unlike the original ones by Cambridge and US Glass.
Another area where L. G. Wright resurrected old molds is in the font and shade of oil lamps, although his were modified for electricity rather than being true oil lamps. The electric lamps were made from light-colored translucent glass and had various flowers or fruits molded into the glass parts. The glass was then painted appropriately to highlight the molded glass flowers (or fruit). The Glass Review issue for May, 1983 (vol. 13, no. 4), has several pages of these lamps. And I must say I find them appalling. Too fussy and floral for my taste, I guess. Better an old, honest oil lamp, for looks, or a regular glass lamp for light.
To see the L. G. Wright animal covered dishes, try to get access to Glass Collector’s Digest, vol. 5, no. 3, October/November 1991. The turkeys are covered in some detail in Glass Review, vol. 16, no. 11, November 1986.
For covered animal dishes. L. G. Wright or not, the word is probably “caveat.” Only buy what you like for the price at hand until you learn for yourself the in and outs of reproductions and originals. Or work with someone who will refund your money is something they sold you turns out to be something else. “Caveat.”
See L. G. Wright glass.
Go to the Table of Contents to see all topics covered so far.
Click glass collectibles to go to the most recent entry on this site.