Monongah Glass - Beautiful in Obscurity Quick. What glass company made the etch that later became Hocking’s Cameo? Yes, Monongah Glass. Monongah produced beautiful plate etched stemware patterns including Bo Peep, Roseland and Springtime
News-Antique.com - Nov 28,2010 - In the 1920s Monongah Glass made several etched glass patterns that are sought after yet today. The Bo-Peep etch is just what it sounds like. A shepardess with a large bonnet and poofy skirt is in a center oval surrounded by scrolls and swags. Monongah used this etch on green, pink and amber, and green or pink combinations with crystal. It is exceptionally pretty and highly collectible. The shepardess motif makes it easy to identify.
Roseland came out in the mid-1920s and is the sherbet on the left side of the photo. It is easy to recognize with a arching band of flowers that circles the stem and double wreaths. There are four ribbon streamers that flow down into the wreaths that look like arrows. This art deco touch makes Roseland a superb design that looks great on goblets, sherbets and tumblers. We have sherbets, champagne sherbets and tumblers in our store, Cat Lady Kate’s Elegant and Depression Glass.
Monongah is remembered for their Springtime etch, with center motif of Isidora Duncan dancing with scarves surrounded by swags. After Hocking Glass purchased Monongah, Hocking converted Springtime to the mass-produced Cameo depression glass. Hocking adapted the intricate etching which required artisan hand work, into a mold etch. After the mold designer finished making the molds Hocking could make thousands of pieces by machine.
Hocking bought Monongah in the early 1930s. One reason Monongah's glass is less well-known is there have not been books about Monongah as there have about Fostoria, Heisey or Cambridge. John P. Zastowey produced a good reference on Lancaster Glass that included sections on Standard Glass and Monongah. (Hocking bought Lancaster and Standard.) Perhaps Mr. Zastowney’s book will increase the appeal of Monongah glass.
Here's a mystery for you. Why would a glass company call a pattern "Secretaries Primrose"? This etched goblet is line 850 from Monongah Glass, and yes, the pattern name is Secretaries Primrose. This is another etch that is easy to recognize it – once you have seen the picture. Secretaries Primrose has big five-petaled flowers with solid petals grouped into bouquets.
I've no idea why the name. Monongah is long out of business so this will remain a mystery. Mr. Zastowney purchased several stems from us to use in his next edition. We can hope this will make Monongah Glass better known. The etched patterns are gorgeous and the glass is well made and artistically finished. This is one glass maker we’d like to see come out of obscurity.
We carry Monongah Glass in our store Cat Lady Kate’s Elegant and Depression Glass at www.CatladykatesGlass.com; in fact we have a whole category devoted to Monongah. Shopping with us is like antiquing with your best friend.
If you would like to read more about glass then see our blog at www.DepressionElegantGlass.com, and if you would like a free Depression Glass Pattern Identification Guide then subscribe to our newsletter at www.DepressionGlassNews.com.
