How to Identify and Value Milk Glass

Last Updated: October 29, 2022 References Approved

Milk glass is valued among collectors and prized for its delicate beauty, but what exactly is it? Originally created as an alternative to pricey porcelain, milk glass is opaque glass in a smooth, creamy color pressed into ornate designs and patterns. This beautiful glass is most frequently used for decorative pieces, such as vases, candle holders, and candy dishes.^{[1]
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Research source} Read on to learn how to identify real milk glass and figure out how much it might be worth.

Things You Should Know

Real milk glass is opaque with a smooth creamy color and ornate designs. It's usually white, but can also be a creamy light pink, green, blue, or even black.
Mold lines or "seams" can indicate the piece is older and more valuable.
Look on the base for a maker's mark or patent number that might identify a valuable original piece.
Compare an unknown piece to pieces in collector's guides and manufacturer catalogs to help identify it.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Milk Glass Characteristics

1
Look for an opaque, creamy color. This is perhaps the easiest way to distinguish milk glass—and also where it gets its name. With true milk glass, the color is a part of the glass itself, not painted on. It's usually white, but it might also be a creamy light pink, green, or blue color. There's even black milk glass (it's called chocolate). The color is still milky or creamy, though, as if you stirred flavored syrup into a glass of milk.^{[2]
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- Color is a very difficult way to figure out how valuable a particular piece is, or even its approximate age, but it can help you determine if the piece you're looking at is real milk glass.
2
Hold older milk glass up in the sun to see the "ring of fire." Milk glass produced before the 1960s will produce a halo of iridescent colors in natural light. This is the best way to know for sure if the milk glass you have is a real antique.^{[3]
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- This doesn't mean that your milk glass is worthless if it doesn't have the ring of fire. Plenty of collectible pieces were produced later, but these tend to be the most popular among antique collectors.
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3
Feel the raised pattern on the outside of the piece. Most milk glass was pressed into molds that gave the outside an ornate pattern with lots of texture and detail. There usually aren't sharp edges, though—the pattern has a smooth, rounded feel.^{[4]
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- If you've got a flat piece, such as a dish or platter, the pattern is typically around the edge. Lace and basketweave were popular designs for milk glass platters in the mid-19th through early 20th centuries.
- Some older milk glass was also painted. There's disagreement among collectors about whether to remove this old paint, especially if it's chipping. Generally, it doesn't seem to have much of an effect on the value of the piece either way.^{[5]
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4
Check for mold lines or "seams" along the piece. Sharp mold lines tend to indicate that you're looking at older milk glass, produced from the mid-19th through early 20th century. This era of milk glass is the most sought-after and typically the most valuable.^{[6]
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- Mold lines are never in the middle of a pattern—they'll be on a smooth part of the exterior of the piece.
- If you have a flat piece, such as a dish or platter, any seam would be along the edge, so it's unlikely you'll be able to see or feel it.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Milk Glass Manufacturer Hallmarks

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Note a hobnail pattern, which is a signature milk glass pattern. Hobnails are raised dots or points that cover the outside surface of the piece. On flatter pieces, the hobnails will typically be uniform, while rounded or curved pieces are more likely to feature graduated hobnails.^{[7]
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- If you have an opaque, creamy-colored piece with a hobnail pattern, that's practically a guarantee that it's real milk glass.
- This pattern is most commonly associated with the Fenton glass company, although other glass companies also produced milk glass pieces with hobnail patterns.^{[8]
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2
Check the base of the piece for a signature or patent number. Famous glass makers sometimes pressed their "maker's mark" onto the base of a piece to indicate their original work. But many older glassmakers didn't mark their work, so just because you don't see a mark doesn't mean a piece isn't valuable.^{[9]
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Research source} Some of the more common marks include:
- Westmoreland: a keystone with the letter "W" inside (pre-1920); unmarked (1920-1950); a "W" superimposed over a "G" (1950-1980); "Westmoreland" spelled out in a circle with 3 parallel lines (1980-present)
- McKee: script signature inside the base of a piece, typically an animal covered dish
- Kemple: circle with a "K" in the center
- Fenton: "Fenton" script in an oval or scripted "F" in an oval; beginning in 1980, a single number to indicate the decade of production ("8" for 1980s, "9" for 1990s, "0" for 2000s).^{[10]
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- Vallerystahl: "Vallerystahl" in script or all-cap print letters; "Vallerystahl" script inside a 5-petal flower^{[11]
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3
Recognize signature patterns associated with specific manufacturers. Over the years, particularly in the mid-19th and early 20th century, major milk glass makers created and patented particular patterns. Even though other makers used similar patterns, especially after the patent expired, these patterns are most commonly associated with the following manufacturers:^{[12]
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- Grape motifs and beaded edges: Westmoreland
- Hobnails combined with a crimped or ruffled edge: Fenton
- Animal designs: Atterbury & Company

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Milk Glass Manuals and Appraisals

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Compare your piece to exemplars in milk glass catalogs. Catalogs showcase images of original pieces, often from multiple angles. Antique collector's guides can also give you an idea of the general age and value of your piece.^{[13]
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- Many of these guides and catalogs are available at your local library.
- Specific milk glass manufacturers often have a lot of images and information available on their website if you happen to know which company made your piece.
- The National Milk Glass Collectors Society has photo galleries dedicated to specific manufacturers as well as rare and collectible pieces.
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Get the piece appraised by a professional who specializes in milk glass. Talk to someone who works at a local antique store or auction house—they'll usually give you a good recommendation of someone local who can appraise your piece.^{[14]
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Trustworthy Source
Consumer Reports
Nonprofit organization dedicated to consumer advocacy and product testing
Go to source} You could also try searching online for an appraiser who would be willing to look at your piece over a video call or based on photos.^{[15]
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- Expect to pay anywhere from $100-400 for a professional appraisal. The price typically varies depending on the expertise, skill, and reputation of the appraiser. But be forewarned—the appraisal might end up costing you a lot more than your piece is actually worth.
- Keep in mind that regardless of an appraisal, there's never any guarantee as to what your milk glass is worth. Like any collectible, its value depends on what the right buyer is willing to pay for it.^{[16]
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Look for specific items that are highly sought-after. Pedestal planters, embossed pitchers with fruit, hen game dishes, chalice goblets, and tapered bud vases are all on the "must have" list.^{[17]
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Research source} Because collectors want these pieces, they tend to attract higher prices, which can make them a real find if you're looking to start a collection.
- Typically, older pieces will be rarer and therefore more valuable, especially if they're in great condition with no chips or scratches.
- Original or first-run pieces also tend to attract higher prices. For example, a piece stamped with a patent number would indicate that it was one of the original pieces made by the manufacturer who patented that pattern.

Community Q&A
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Question

What white glass predates milk glass? My son bought me a rosary in an antique shop in London and was told the beads were not milk glass but predates it and it was very old. What could it be?

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If it predates milk glass, it's likely porcelain. Milk glass was originally created as a more affordable alternative to porcelain.
Question

How do you know if milk glass is worth anything if there is no brand? I have a set of dishes with grape clusters and leaves.

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Milk glass was never used to make sets of dishes, it was only used for more decorative pieces and serving pieces. So if you have a set of dishes, it's not milk glass—it's simply white opaque glass. As for whether it's worth anything, you might take it to an appraiser and find out.
Question

If milk glass doesn’t have a name or symbol on it, is it fake?

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No, lots of milk glass doesn't have any maker's mark on it. In fact, you'll actually see fakes produced that do have a signature or maker's mark on them where that particular manufacturer normally wouldn't have included one. The people who produce these are trying to pass them off as originals from famous makers when they really aren't.