Goofus glass

Goofus glass is basically pressed glass which was cold (un-fired) paint decorated in the early 20th century in America by several prominent glass factories. It was made in considerable quantities and sold originally for very little. It was given as premiums for buying things, awarded as prizes at Fairs, and actually was the first "carnival glass" preceding the iridized product we refer to as carnival glass today. Articles included but weren't limited to plates, bowls, vases, oil lamps, dresser sets, salt and pepper shakers and candle holders. The most common colors used were gold, red, and green with gold usually being the predominant color. Indiana Glass Compamy in Dunkirk, Indiana was possibly the most prolific producer of this inexpensive decorated ware. It was not known by that name initially, but gained the name possibly because the painted decoration wasn't very durable and people felt perhaps that it was "goofy" or that someone had tried to "goof - us".

More attractive pieces preceding Indiana's offerings existed as turned out by the Dugan Diamond Company and H. Northwood. These consisted of lines of pressed glass known as "Intaglio" and paint decorated opalescent glass. These pieces are the most highly valued items collectors seek today.There are also decorated milk glass objects to be found, a number of which were produced by the Westmorland Specialty Company. While some collectors incorrectly refer to paint decorated opalescent items and milk glass items as "Goofus glass", it is more correct to say that they are "Goofus decorated" opalescent and milk glass, thus the term "Goofus" has come to refer more to the use of un-fired enamel decoration to a piece of pressed glass than to the glass itself.

Paint decorated jewelry existed prior to and still exists long after Goofus was made and was never thought to be "Goofus Glass", but it shows up on EBay incorrectly labeled as such. Much of it is from foreign sources, not American, and never was known to be made by Indiana, Dugan or Northwood.

It is extremely difficult to pinpoint the exact time of start and finish of this exclusively American glass making phenomena (different Mfg.s, different times). It has been thought to have started "around" 1900 perhaps and surely was all but effectively ended by 1930, although many feel it really ended for all practical purposes as a staple item of the glass factories as soon as the process for iridized glass was discovered and started being produced. There was so much of it made that it continued to turn up for years and is still to be found on EBay. There is no contemporary reference book in print and but one web site which provides the most information available on it.

External links

* [http://www.goofus.org/index.html The Goofus Glass Museum and Information Center]
* http://www.glass.co.nz/goofus.htm

References

*Attribution (Source) for this information is: www.goofus.org The contributor is George D. Ballentine, Author/webmaster of same.
*Attribution (Source): "Goofus Glass" - an Illustrated Value Guide by Carolyn McKinley, Collector Books 1984