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dlm2000

Heisey - Crystal or Glass?

DLM2000-GW
14 years ago

A friend suggested I come here to ask my million questions and this is my first Antique forum post - be gentle with me, please ;-)

I have my mother's vintage water/wine, champagne/sherbet and cordials in the Candlelight pattern from the 30's. Does anyone know if these are crystal or glass? I always thought they were crystal but was told by someone who is pretty knowledgable (I think!) that Heisey is not crystal. I also can't find the mark on them (doesn't mean it's not there, but I don't know where to look) but was always told they are Heisey Candlelight.

Comments (23)

  • lindac
    14 years ago

    Heisey is glass is crystal...
    Crystal is a term for finely made glass. Heisey is beautifully made. It's a pressed glass finished by hand and always marked. I learned that people who say "it's un marked Heisey" are mistaken and calling something else Heisey.
    Heisey is marked with an "H" in a diamond shape and mostly always in the center bottom of the piece.
    But...I thought Candlelight was made by Cambridge?
    Does the link show what you have?
    Linda c

    Here is a link that might be useful: candlelight

  • calliope
    14 years ago

    You see a lot of Heisy and Cambridge around here, because the old Heisey was located about twenty minutes from here in one direction, and the old Cambridge twenty minutes in the other. Both produced beautiful glassware. My MIL had two Heisey figurines she guarded with her life and never went anywhere without, even to packing them in her suitcases. LOL. One day she decided to part with them, and got enough from them to buy a beautiful new television. sigh.

    It's true Heisey always marked their glass, but you can come upon unmarked pieces, because some were marked with paper labels.

    Linda is right, candlelight was made by Cambridge glass and is exquisite. You can find unmarked Cambridge too. I'm not a 'glass' collector, although I love it. I pick up pieces if I come across unusual ones, or depression glass, or any I find in yard sales/charity shops I suspect might be valuable.....but there is so much of it out there, one can be burnt easily if they don't know what they're doing.

  • DLM2000-GW
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Well, now I'm really confused!

    Linda that link does not show what I have - I'll have to get a picture for you, but in the meantime, this is the picture from Replacements.com. It's really far prettier in person.

    {{gwi:1395980}}
    Pattern: CANDLELIGHT by HEISEY [HEICAN] Pattern #: 3408

    calliope that's a cute story about your MIL - sounds like you'd rather have the figurines!

    I'm going to unpack a piece and look for a mark again.

  • lindac
    14 years ago

    I am confused too!! Nothing I know or can find mentions "heican" nor any candlelight pattern. The only place I can find it mentioned is Replacements.
    It's perfectly gorgeous! is it lead crystal? Does it ring when flicked with a finger?
    I am guessing it's not Heisey and Replacements has some sort of a glitch....but that's just a wild guess!
    Have you looked at any of the other fill in places? Like patterns of the past, tabletops and a few others?
    Maybe post a picture and send it to some of them.
    I love a mystery!
    Linda C

    Here is a link that might be useful: heisey history

  • lindac
    14 years ago

    Could it be barcelona??
    If the number 3408 means anything...that's it...
    Anyhow...please post a picture....that could raise another view entirely! LOL!
    Linda C

    Here is a link that might be useful: barcelona

  • DLM2000-GW
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Linda I'll get a picture of it tomorrow - I need good light to get a clear picture and not bounce flash off it. I had great pictures but can't find them on my computer right now - of course. It's not Barcelona - that looks to have some sort of swirl pattern and mine has the dots shown in the pic above. It is a mystery.

    Well, I just looked at the Patters of the Past website and nothing comes up for Heisey. But they're located in Princeton, IL which is about an hour from me so I could certainly make a trip there - Princeton is supposed to be a cute little town! Sounds like a field trip is in order.

    Just googling Heisey Candlelight gets a few hits including ebay and Worthpoint. Curiouser and curiouser!! Thanks for your help - I'll be back tomorrow with pics.

  • calliope
    14 years ago

    Look in unexpected places for the Heisey mark. Their mark isn't always on the center bottom of the piece. Most of Heisey's stemware have blown bowls which were attached to pressed stems. Their trademark is pressed molded, so it has to be applied to the molded part of the stemware and that would be the stem itself. Poke around and use a magnifying glass if you have to before you discount your glasses as not being marked.

  • justlinda
    14 years ago

    Found this reference to Heisey "Candlelight"

    Here is a link that might be useful: Heisey Candlelight Picture / Pattern 3408

  • lindac
    14 years ago

    Ding Ding ding!
    the number refers to the design of the stem....and it looks like that stem could have any number of different tops attached.
    Sort of like the blank name or number in china.

  • DLM2000-GW
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Whoa - you gals are GOOD!!! It's still dark and I'm still waking up but will unpack s few pieces and look for the mark a bit later. More questions to follow, I'm sure - thank you!!!

  • DLM2000-GW
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    I've looked with a magnifying glass and if these pieces are marked, I'm not finding it. They match the Candlelight pattern in the link above, however so I'm confident about what they are.

    These are the 3 pieces: water/wine, champagne/sherbet and cordial.
    {{gwi:1395981}}

    And this is a close look at the pattern
    {{gwi:1395982}}

    Here you can see a chip in the rim of a cordial
    {{gwi:1395983}}

    Now to the big question - are they collectible? saleable? and if so, how do I determine a reasonable price and the best sales venue? Unfortunately there is one piece missing, 12 cordials, 12 champagnes but 11 waters. I'm hoping Ebay is not the best option - we have bought/sold some things there over the years but it's changed and I'll avoid it if I can.

    Thanks so much for your help and input.

    Deb

  • calliope
    14 years ago

    Collectible,saleable? Does a bear poo in the woods? I wouldn't part with a collection that size. They were considered elegant dinnerware and cherished when they were new. It's a family heirloom.

  • DLM2000-GW
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    calliope I'm drowning in family heirlooms. My brother has all that he wants, his daughters have all they want and are giving things back to me that they chose from their grandparents and have since changed their minds about. My sons have no interest and even though they could conceivably have wives one day that would be interested, there are many other things that have more sentimental meaning to them and in the meantime I have to store it all!

    The things I treasure are the things I have memories of my parents and grandparents actually using. Although this glass/crystal was used on occasion it involved fancy business dinners not family holiday meals.

    So..... I do want to sell them, even though that makes me a horrible person ;-)

  • lindac
    14 years ago

    LOL! Me neither! But then if some people didn't sell stuff, I wouldn't have a lot of the stuff I do have.
    I am guessing that if you had to buy it you would pay well more than $2000 for it....but you might only get $700 or $800 to sell it....and of course the person who bought it wouldn't have their mother's set, just a set of lovely old glasses.

  • calliope
    14 years ago

    If it's Heisey, and I do believe it is now.........I think Linda's estimate is pretty much on the money. No, it doesn't make you a horrible person and I understand about keeping things you link to good memories about the people you loved actually using it. I recently executed my parent's estate. A good deal of it was mine to keep, but I have found homes in the family for most of it and saved for myself things I would have never guessed I'd chosen when my parents were alive. Most of the really choice pieces I parted with, and kept things with memories. And I haven't regretted my choices.

    There are Heisey collector's clubs. People who know and appreciate their wares. Serious collectors are good candidates because if you collect something, and are knowledgeable about it, are you ever really satisfied with the size of your cache? If they don't want a particular item, they usually know somebody who does.

  • DLM2000-GW
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Thanks for the tip, calliope - I googled a bit and found a number of Heisey groups so at least I have a place to start.

    It's not easy for me to part with things and I want to keep them simply because they belonged to my parents or grandparents. But that's not realistic or practical and will be even less so if we ever downsize.

  • gracie01 zone5 SW of Chicago
    14 years ago

    I was told that Heisey will glow yellow? or green? (I can't remember which) under a black light; anyone know if that's true?

  • lindac
    14 years ago

    Not true....Heisey did make some "vasoline glass" made with uranium ore that would glow....but that's only a very very small part of their output.
    Linda C

  • hixone
    8 years ago

    Not all Heisey glass was marked. Please go to Wikipedia and see the listing. It is also stated on the HCA (Heisey collectors association) website. Heisey glass made in the last few years of production by Heisey(not Imperial) were rarely marked. This was after the father died and one of the sons was running the business. I believe it was the 2nd son to operate the business who did not "ALWAYS" mark the product Heisey. I know this for a fact as my Grandmother had 140+ pieces of the "Orchid" pattern and not all of it was signed because she bought it around 1955 ! Hope that helps.


  • hixone
    8 years ago

    The majority of the pieces are impressed with the company logo, a raised
    capital letter "H" inscribed in a diamond of approximately 1/4 inch
    (6 mm) in length. This mark is found on the bottom of most large pieces
    and on the base or stem of drinking glasses and compotes


  • hixone
    8 years ago

    In late 1900, the trademark was designed by one of Augustus’ sons,
    George Duncan Heisey, and the famous “H within a diamond” was registered
    in late 1901. The registration papers noted that the mark had been in
    use since November, 1900. Heisey was proud of it and insisted that all
    of the glass be marked. In the late years, less of the glass was marked
    than formerly, but today’s collectors are fortunate that so much of it
    bears the Diamond H. This info is taken from the Heisey HCA website.


  • DLM2000-GW
    Original Author
    8 years ago

    hixone I was surprised to see this 2009 post surface in my in box! Thank you for all the excellent information - hopefully someone else who is need will find it when they google or search GW/Houzz. We moved last Nov. from our large home where we lived and raised our family and moved out of state to build a small home so there was a LOT of downsizing in that process. The crystal was part of that downsizing but again, thank you for your input.