An Answer

We acquired a cream and sugar set a while back under the impression they were Steuben pieces; Could you please seek an opinion as to their maker?

Thank you,

Jamie S. Reynolds, Davison, MI

David Adams of Las Vegas responds:

“Regarding the cream and sugar – they are most likely Tiffin. I have a similar set with green handles which are definitely Tiffin.”

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Same identification from Michael Krumme of Los Angeles.

“Hi Alan,

Jamie Reynolds’ cream & sugar set was made by the Tiffin division of the United States Glass Company. The pieces are Tiffin’s shape #4, and date roughly to the mid/late 1920s to the mid 1930s. The #4 cream & sugar set is depicted in various reference books on Tiffin glass. I found an identically colored pair on page 105 of Depression Era Stems and Tableware – Tiffin by Goshe, Hemminger and Pin~a. The pair is shown in other colors (solid, crystal plus color, or two colors) on pages 62, 64, and 155. The #4 cream & sugar can be found with copper wheel cuttings like Mr. Reynolds’, as well as with the company’s popular plate etchings such as Fontaine.

It’s easy to see why these might be attributed to Steuben. They are entirely hand-formed, fire polished, and likely have a ground and polished pontil mark on the underside.

Similar handcrafted cream & sugar sets were also made by the Morgantown Glass Works of Morgantown, West Virginia during the same time frame. I feel that collectors of Carder-era Steuben glass should devote some study this company, because Morgantown produced some very nice hand-formed pieces in color combinations that resemble Steuben colors. For example, their Nanking Blue resembles Celeste Blue, and their 14K Topaz resembles Topaz. One can find comports, covered jars, pitchers, candleholders, and cream & sugar sets in two-color combinations utilizing crystal, green, amber, blue, and black.

Neither Tiffin nor Morgantown glass of this era and type will be marked, but pieces may be found with paper labels. I don’t believe that glass of either of these companies will be quite Steuben quality, despite any shape resemblance.

In summary, if you find a bi-color piece that looks like Steuben, but the shape is not depicted in the shape index on our website, you might want to explore reference works on Morgantown glass, and in some cases, Tiffin glass.”