Vaseline Opalescent Slipper by Mosser #052
The Mosser Glass Company was started in 1959 by Tom Mosser who had worked extensively with the Cambridge Glass Company when it was in operation. The Mosser brand is well known for their authentic reproductions of early American slippers and boots using moulds perfected in the 1900s and others designed by Mosser.
Mosser Vaseline Glass Slipper #037
This is a Vaseline Opalescent slipper from the Mosser Art Glass Company located in Cambridge, Ohio. It is one of a dozen pieces of Vaseline Glass that are in the Lillian P Wood Memorial Collection. Some of the other Vaseline shoes in the collection are catalogued #007 through #013.
This shoe pattern was introduced in 1973 and listed in the Mosser line as “Rose Slipper #117″. It is still in production, and is made in several colors including, frost, pink and blue. The shoe measures 5 3/4″ long and 3″ high. This shoe has no cracks, chips or crazing.
The shoe was purchased at auction for $15.oo in December, 2007. Its current estimated collector’s value is $30.00 to $35.00. It is featured on pages 158-9 in the book Collectible Glass Shoes by Earlene Wheatley, published by Schroeder Publishing, 2001.
Fenton Cat Slipper in Vaseline #012
This shoe was manufactured by Fenton Glass Company. The slipper is a familiar design of this company called the ‘cat slipper.’ This specific shoe’s manufacturing number is TO #3995, the TO for Topaz Opalescent, the color’s name designated by Fenton. The shoe is a Vaseline glass piece and fluoresces distinctly under a U-V light. It was made from 1939 until 1948 and re-issued in 1962. For an in-depth explanation of Vaseline glass, see
http://theshoecabinet.com/2007/12/12/vaseline-glass-the-magic-glass/
The shoe features a cat on the front, it’s head curled over it’s front paws. It is very difficult to see the features of the cat in this photo due to the hobnail pattern, but a different cat shoe with a good close-up view will be posted soon.
The hobnail pattern refers to the distinctive raised, white ‘bumps,’ reminiscent of a type of nail head called the hobnail. This is a common style in Fenton glassware.
This shoe was an acquisition of the collection of Lillian P. Wood, and purchased at Ramblin’ Rose Antique Mall in Oshkosh, WI in March of 2001 for $24.
The first issue of this shoe is valued at $35.00 to $50.00. The re-issue’s estimated value is $30 to $35. An identical shoe of the collection is currently in storage. Its history is unknown.
Sources of the above information are Yellow Green Vaseline: A Guide to the Magic Glass, Revised Edition by Jay L. Glickman and Terry Fedosky, published by The Glass Press Inc, 1998 and Collectible Glass Shoes by Earlene Wheatley, published by Schroeder Publishing, 2001.
Vaseline Glass – Comparison of Original vs. Reproduction
These shoes are #010 and # 011. Their full write-ups for each shoe are at the following posts. http://theshoecabinet.com/2007/12/12/vaseline-glass-slipper-miniature-011/ and http://theshoecabinet.com/2007/12/12/vaseline-glass-slipper-miniature-010/ on the left in the first photograph, is the original dating pre-1900. #011, on the right, is a re-production dating from the 1960s.
The differences are visibly apparent in all the photos. Above, the original has a clearer, less gaudy color and finer features when compared to the re-production.
This difference in detail and clarity of the glass is obvious. #010 on the right, #011 on the left.
This is a highly detailed and crisp rendition of a daisy and square pattern. Again the original shoe.
This shoe has less depth and sharpness in detail and the glass is thicker. This pattern is daisy and button. This shoe is the re-production.
Information was gathered from personal records, Collectible Glass Shoes by Earlene Wheatley, published by Schroeder Publishing, 2001 and Shoes of Glass 2 by Libby Yalom, published by The Glass Press, 1998.
Vaseline Glass Slipper – Miniature #011
This is a piece of Vaseline glass, a highly specific type of glass and one that is very collectible. To find out about Vaseline glass check out the post at http://shoeboxes.wordpress.com/2007/12/12/vaseline-glass-the-magic-glass/ This is very similar to the slipper #010, but it is a re-production. The details are not as defined and clear, and the shoe is heavier and slightly larger than the original. The color is also a bit deeper than the original shoe.
This shoe features a daisy and button pattern, the buttons being the circles between the flowers. This can easily be seen in the detailed photo below.
This shoe is probably from the 1960s. Manufacturer is unknown. Value is estimated at $20.00. This was an aquisition to the Lillian P Wood Memorial Collection purchased in the late 1990s, unknown purchase price.
For a comparison of the original and re-production shoes, see http://shoeboxes.wordpress.com/2007/12/12/vaseline-glass-comparison-of-original-vs-reproduction/
Information was gathered from personal records, Collectible Glass Shoes by Earlene Wheatley, published by Schroeder Publishing, 2001 and Shoes of Glass 2 by Libby Yalom, published by The Glass Press, 1998.
Vaseline Glass Slipper – Miniature #010
This miniature Vaseline glass slipper measures 3 1/4″ long x 1 3/4″ high. The explanation about Vaseline glass and what it is can be found in the post http://shoeboxes.wordpress.com/2007/12/12/vaseline-glass-the-magic-glass/
This shoe, a typical yellowish-green color, fluoresces brightly under a ultra-violet light (U-V light) confirming that it is indeed Vaseline glass.
It has a solid heel and a solid toe, and is considered a salt cellar by salt collectors. They are often collected in sets of 6 or 8, each cellar a different color.
The shoe is pressed in the daisy and square pattern (most of this style shoe have a daisy and button pattern) and was made circa 1880s by George Duncan & Sons. It is easy to see the daisy shaped flowers and the small raised squares. The other pattern has very distinguishable buttons (circles) instead of the squares. They were originally made in blue, vaseline, crystal and some were ruby stained.
Although some of these shoes have a patent mark on the sole, this one does not. The earliest record of patent registration was October 19, 1886. Shoes made earlier than this have no mark. This particular style of shoe was listed for purchase in trade circulars and catalogs as early as 1884.
The sole is finely hatch marked and there is no overhang over the sole.
This shoe was an acquisition of the Lillian P. Wood Memorial Collection purchased at auction in November, 2007 for $40.00.
There is a second shoe in the collection that is a re-production, # 111, and a post comparing the two shoes is found at http://shoeboxes.wordpress.com/2007/12/12/vaseline-glass-comparison-of-original-vs-reproduction/
Information was gathered from personal records, Collectible Glass Shoes by Earlene Wheatley, published by Schroeder Publishing, 2001 and Shoes of Glass 2 by Libby Yalom, published by The Glass Press, 1998.
Vaseline Glass Baby Bootie #008
This baby bootie is made of Vaseline glass which was discussed in length in the following post. http://shoeboxes.wordpress.com/2007/12/12/vaseline-glass-the-magic-glass/
This shoe is an acquisition of the Lillian P. Wood Memorial Collection. It is 4 1/8″ x 2 1/2″, has a ribbed vamp (upper) and two flowers at the front opening. The rest of the shoe is in a very small, finely cut diamond pattern and their is ribbing on the back.
There are three varieties of this shoe known today. The above shoe, maker unknown, has a very wide round toe and the overall opening is the largest of the three. The original shoe was made circa 1886 by the Duncan Company. It has a point at the toe and the opening is the widest of the three known types of shoes. Some Duncan booties are marked PAT’D. OCT. 19/86 on the sole. This bootie was made in crystal, amber, blue and Vaseline. The second manufacturer known was the Fenton Glass Co. of Williamstown, WV. They made the booties in 1938-39 in several colors including Vaseline. The bootie was made again in the 1950 through 1970s, but not in the Vaseline color.
Detail of the two flowers at the front opening of the shoe. Ribbed back with detailed diamond pattern on the back of the sides. The sole of the shoe has a large open toe with solid closed heel.
Estimated date of manufacture is circa 1930s. This shoe was purchased at Bloomington Antique Mall in Bloomington, IL in July of 2001 for $55. Estimated collector value is $70.
Information from Shoes of Glass and Shoes of Glass, 2 by Libby Yalom, published by The Glass Press, 1989. This book has a very clear description of the three manufacturers of this shoe and a photograph showing the varieties and specifications of the different soles. A photograph of this shoe is on page 74 of Wheatley’s first book.
Vaseline Glass ~ The Magic Glass (shoe #007)
Yes, Vaseline glass really does exist, though it wasn’t referred to by that name until the early 1950s. The earliest pieces of Vaseline were manufactured in the 1880s and the styles and color continued to be blown or pressed until the bombing of Pearl Harbor during WW II. These pieces were called canary glass in the United States and “uranium glass” in England. (I’ll explain THAT name soon.)
As you can see, Vaseline glass is a yellow-green color, reminiscent of the color of the lubricant product, trademark for white petroleum jelly, by the same name. In 1951, when the embargo against the public sector using uranium was lifted, manufacturers were looking for a name to call their uranium glass, since the word uranium had become a household name and wasn’t especially seen in a positive light. And why was it referred to as Uranium glass in England? Vaseline glass has a tiny, tiny, tiny amount of uranium oxide (less than 2%) mixed in its formula, but it has been repeatedly tested, both in the US and in the UK, and there is absolutely no indication of a radiation problem by touching the glass. Some people who have concerns simply choose not to collect this type of glass, though the Vaseline pieces in the Collection are kept in an enclosed glass case without concern.
Vaseline glass is extremely easy to identify. Due to the presence of the uranium, the glass will fluoresce under ultra-violet light, illuminating in a very vivid yellow-green color and making a really cool effect. It is rather like the glow-in-the-dark clothing one can easily purchase now, but quite a bit more surprising.
This above shoe is the same style of shoe as the Blue Slag Hobo Shoe # 006 and much about the general information of that type of shoe can be found on that post.
http://theshoecabinet.com/2007/12/10/blue-hobo-shoe/
It was purchased at Main Street Antiques in Mount Horeb, WI in August, 2000. Purchase price was $10. At that time it was identified as a product from the Boyd Glass Co by the owner/dealer, but there is no specific mark on the shoe. There are no ‘age marks’ so this is a newer re=production. When compared to shoe #006, it appears to be of the same mould. Boyd did not mark their shoes after 1978, so this shoe could be a newer Boyd or a Degenhart Glass Company shoe without a trademark stamp. Either is possible. The estimated value of this shoe, in excellent condition, is $25 to $40.
There are currently seven pieces of Vaseline glass in the collection and it is a very popular item to collect. It’s value has been steadily climbing, and it is difficult to find first quality Vaseline glass shoes, although there are usually pieces of other Vaseline products found in reputable antique stores.
The main source of the above information was found in Yellow Green Vaseline: A Guide to the Magic Glass, Revised Edition by Jay L. Glickman and Terry Fedosky, published by The Glass Press Inc, 1998. Information was also gathered from personal records, Collectible Glass Shoes by Earlene Wheatley, published by Schroeder Publishing, 2001 and Shoes of Glass 2 , page 145, by Libby Yalom, published by The Glass Press, 1998.
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