Tag Archives: covered animal dishes

Mosser Glass

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Mosser Glass Company is a current manufacturer of hand-made glass using molds and the pride in workmanship that has been part of glass manufacturing in the US for hundreds of years. Using molds from the Cambridge Glass Company, the founder, Thomas Mosser, formerly employed by the Cambridge Glass Company, decided to start his own glass company in 1954. He has retained the age-old hand finishing techniques and the Mosser family produces fine glass figurines and dishes to this day.

My favorite of the Mosser figurines is the pony. These graceful equines have a proudly arched neck so that the pony’s chin rests on its chest. The pony is standing on a base, and the legs are paired in the mold. The area between the legs is open, unlike some glass horses of this form. The ponies are made in nine colors currently, and many have additional hand-painted decorations.

Other animals the Mosser Glass Company makes include a covered dish with a turkey forming the lid, small cats, rabbits, and regular and mini hens on baskets, cats, dogs and Scotties, two forms of rabbits and a butterfly as stand alone figures. These all come in four to sixteen colors, depending on the animal, and there are also decorated instances of these animals as well.

For use, the Mosser Glass Company creates glass baskets, mixing bowls sets and cake plates in four sizes. The mixing bowls come in sets of three, and in four colors: white, pink, green (jadeite) and blue. The cake plates vary from six to twelve inches in diameter and come in seven colors. There are fewer baskets, but the are three different patterns, and two matching bonbon bowls for the Drape pattern.

Candle holders are a favorite form of glass and the Mosser Company has its share of these as well. Called “Glimmer Lights” and made like the two-piece fairy lights made by other companies, this candle holder comes in 28 varieties as of now, all in nice colors with matching hand-painted decorations. There is also a two-piece Sweet Heat candle holder, and two-piece Holly fairy lamps. Single candlesticks come in nine different, and in some cases strong, colors.

Mosser makes special figurines and ornaments for Christmas. These include Santas, Santa in a sleigh, snowmen, angels, trees and covered candy dishes. They have a Twelve Days of Christmas ornament set, and over a dozen other Christmas ornaments with appropriate food or winter motifs.

The Mosser catalog includes electrified lamps, a number of which are based on the form of the old oil lamps with an oil reservoir as the bottom of the lamp. There is also a whole series of glass shaded lamps where the base is made from brass. In all cases, the lamps’ glass bodies and shades are decorated with floral motifs or dragonflies. Mosser also makes real oil lamps for those who like the old fashioned look for their den or kitchen.

Mosser makes beverage sets in two sizes, one for household use and miniature sets for those who play house. The miniature sets include table sets, console sets, punch sets, the beverage set mentioned, and other miniatures. Useable beverage sets come in a number of patterns and colors, two punch sets, and some additional small pitchers and salt and pepper shakers. The company makes three open salts, a turkey toothpick holder and a spooner. These last come in many beautiful colors.

The Mosser glass tableware comes in a number of carnival and pressed glass patterns, and both plain and decorated. Available in these patterns are: a platter, an open bowl, spooner, sugar and creamer, covered butter, two covered dishes, salt and pepper, a pitcher, goblet and tumbler. One of the colors available is Vaseline Opal, which is also available in a decorated form. These are all made from beautiful glass and look very handsome. Some colors/patterns have additional pieces as well.

If you are looking for new glassware made in the best traditions of US glass making, you should check out the products of the Mosser Glass Company. You can get a catalog for $5.00, which shows all the currently made glassware. This is fine glass that would be beautiful in your home or make wonderful gifts.

See real Mosser glass.

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Vallerysthal Milk Glass

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Vallerysthal, also known as Vallerysthal & Portieux, was located in an area that passed between France and Germany in the Nineteenth Century. It started production in 1838, and continued production until 1977, although the Portieux portion of the company in France still produced glass as of 1995. With this long a history, an article on the milk glass produced by the company should be a long list of the better production models. Some of the more well known items are included here, but this list is by no means inclusive.

Some of the Vallerysthal glass patterns are based on geometric shapes, such as are used by many glass houses, and include Rib & Scroll, of which the covered dish is a good example, and Ribs & Scallops, which can be found in a sugar and creamer set. Vallerysthal also produced items in a Swirled Split Rib pattern, including a nice compote. Another compote is found in a Zipper & Rib pattern.

More easier imagined and identifies are Vallerysthal kitchen items and covered dishes modeled on man-made motifs, like the Beehive with Vines honey dish and the Beehive sugar with lid. Vallerysthal also made a nice covered dish with the illustrative name of Hinged Basket with two handles and braided finial.

Vallerysthal made many milk glass dishes and food holders in the form of animals. One of the most recognized is the Robin on Pedestal Nest, which the company made before WWI and which can be separated from the Westmoreland version by the solid head on the dove. (The Westmoreland dove has a small hollow in its head.) Another covered dish which is now made by Westmoreland in the Dolphin & Shell, called Seashell & Dolphin in its Westmoreland iteration.

Other animal themed covered dishes by Vallerysthal include the Pig on Drum, Cats on Drums (from Portieux), the Rabbit on Egg, the Snail on Strawberry, the Squirrel atop Fancy Dish, Dogs on Steamer Rugs with floral bases, the Turtle with Snail Finial, Swimming Duck, the Setter Dog covered dish, the Squirrel on Acorn, the Standing Rooster and the Portieux turtle salt. For breakfast, Vallerysthal produced a Breakfast Set with hen on scalloped basket base, six chick-shaped egg cups and round covered basket for salt on a basket-weave tray.

Not to neglect the vegetable and plant world, Vallerysthal made Large Grape Leaf compotes in several colors, a Grape and Leaf footed, covered jar, a Pineapple covered dish, and a Cabbage covered dish, among others. The human factor provided by the company included a Boy with Basket toothpick, a Beggar’s Hand toothpick, and the Mephistopheles vase. Vallerysthal is also well known for a number of footed or toed bowls in blue milk glass.

No doubt there are many other opaque and transparent glass products by this company. Identification will probably take an expert or a clear photograph in a good identification guide, but having a piece by this venerable company’s production would be worth the hunt and the price.

Much of this information comes from Collector’s Encyclopedia of Milk Glass Identification & Value Guide, Betty & Bill Newbound, Collector’s Books, 1995.

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