“Robin in Tree” Glass Children’s Mug
The “Robin in Tree” mug is one of the more commonly seen pattern glass children’s mugs to be found on the resale market. The original pressed glass mugs were produced by Bryce Brothers of Pittsburgh, PA (1882-1891) and were also sold for an unknown length of time by U.S. Glass Company after 1891. (Bryce joined U.S. Glass Company, a combine of 18 glass companies, in 1891). The original Bryce pattern designation was “No. 1203” as the mug did not carry an assigned descriptive name in catalogs. Whether U.S. Glass made these mugs after 1891 is open to question. It’s possible, but not certain, that U.S. Glass Company merely sold any remaining back stock of mugs that had been made by Bryce before the merger.
The mugs were also made in many colors by Mosser Glass Company of Cambridge, Ohio, in business beginning in 1971. They were sold by Mosser and described (in a 1975 Mosser catalog) as their “# 102 – Bird Mug”.
Mosser is still manufacturing handmade pressed glassware as of the year 2023. Here is a link to their company website:
https://www.mosserglass.com/about-us/
Here is a brief article on Mosser Glass Company posted on the National Depression Glass Association website (an article written by Jabe Tarter in 1975). On that page is a photo showing an example of this mug along with other Mosser glass products. http://www.ndga.net/rainbow/1975/75rrg02e.php
According to PATTERN GLASS MUGS (John B. Mordock & Walter L. Adams, 1995), the original Bryce mugs were made in amber, clear, blue, canary (“vaseline” or yellow with a faint greenish tint), and light amethyst. Those colors (excepting amethyst) are fairly typical of much of EAPG (Early American Pattern Glass) of the mid-1880s period.
Although this mug is usually called “Robin in Tree” or “Robin in a Tree”, it is sometimes called “Bird in Tree” or “Bird in a Tree”. Sometimes the mug is called “Bird on Branch” or “Bird on a Branch” (not to be confused with another well-known mug of the EAPG era, also made by Bryce Brothers, that usually goes by that name.)
The design is very well executed, showing nice detail and painstaking work by the mold engraver. Looking closely at the design, two birds are perched on what appears to be rose branches. The side of the mug with the handle oriented to the left shows a bird looking backward, with head facing toward the left. On the other side (handle pointing right), a bird is perched on a twig while leaning downward, almost upside down. The mug is about 3 and 3/4ths inches in height, and the base measures 2 & 7/8ths inches across.
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The original Bryce Bros. mug was the largest size (No. 1203) of a four-mug set in graduated sizes. The other mugs in the set (in descending order of size) are known as “Grape Bunch”, “Feeding Deer & Dog” and “Pugs & Chicks”(or “Chicks & Pugs”).
SIDE NOTE: A fifth mug (with a similar profile and handle), measuring 3 and 3/8ths inches tall, is called “Strawberry & Pear” and shown in the pattern glass mugs book by Mordock & Adams (mug #111, shown on page 26). They wrote that it was “probably” also a product of Bryce Brothers and from the 1880s era. However, more recent research by glass historian James Measell indicates that that mug, which is more correctly called “Strawberry & Currant” is shown in an L.G. Wright Glass Company catalog, in amethyst, blue and amber, and was likely made circa 1961-1962. (Since L.G. Wright only sold glassware and had a large number of glass companies make it for them over the years, the actual glass manufacturer of the Strawberry & Currant mug is currently uncertain).
As far as is known, the “Robin in Tree” mug is the only one in this set of four mugs that has been reproduced.
Mosser Glass Company, of Cambridge, Ohio, reproduced this mug in a wide range of colors between 1973 and 1993. The mold used for the Mosser pieces is very, very close in appearance to the original mold(s), but there are a few very slight differences in the design details when compared closely side by side.
In my opinion, the easiest way to tell if a mug is from an older mold (Bryce Bros) is this: Holding the mug with the handle facing you, to the immediate lower left of the handle is the representation of a flower (possibly the bracts or petals of a “spent bloom” as it certainly doesn’t look like a typical rose). That bloom has eleven (11) distinct “petals” on the older version of the mug made by Bryce. (Note: there was also a 2nd mold used to produce some of the original mugs, although I have seen only one example so far (in clear) from that other mold – on which there are 10 (ten) petals or bracts on that spent bloom. Mugs made from that second original mold seems to be much less common than examples made from the mold that bears 11 petals on the spent bloom).
On the newer mold made by Mosser, that same flower has only nine (9) petals and they are somewhat more crudely engraved. This can be seen in my photo of the amber Mosser mug, above, and the blue carnival mug photo below. On most Mosser examples there is a very, very faint rendition of another petal, pointing directly at the handle, for a total of 10 petals.
Mosser Glass CO. MarkS
Some Mosser Glass Co. “Robin in a Tree” mugs are reported to be unmarked (although I have not seen any that I am sure are Mosser mugs that are definitely unmarked. I suspect that they are ALL actually marked on the base and the viewer missed the tiny “M”).
A few have an “M inside an outline of the state of Ohio” on the INSIDE of the base. On others (probably the great majority of these mugs made by Mosser) the only mark that can be found is a VERY, VERY tiny engraved “M” on the base (explained below). The examples with the “M inside of Ohio” maker’s mark are known in opaque custard (off-white or very light yellowish beige), cobalt blue, and iridescent cobalt blue (blue carnival glass) and possibly other colors.
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At least one example of this mug in blue carnival glass (iridescent cobalt blue) is marked with what appears to be an “M with a line underneath” (shown above) on the inside surface of the base. The “M” has angled legs and can also be interpreted as a “W” with a line above it.
NOTE: The examples marked with the “M inside Ohio” AS WELL AS the variant with the “Underlined M” have identical details of the design, and also have that tiny “M” mark on the base (mark discussed below). This indicates to me that there was really only one individual mold for this mug used by Mosser during the entire time of production, and that mold had undergone minor retooling. Which pieces are older (in other words, was the “M in an outline of Ohio” and “Underlined M” marked examples made before, or after, the examples only marked on the base with the small M?) seems unclear at present. Doubtless, the mold was slightly retooled at least two times during its production run of about two decades.
TINY “M” marked on base – VERY HARD TO SEE!
Several years ago (2010), when looking very closely at the base of both an ice blue and an amber mug, I discovered a tiny, faint “M” on the base which is not noticeable except under close scrutiny. Holding the mug upside down, with the handle oriented in a “southwesterly” direction, on the “point” of the star which points directly at the stem of the handle, on the “south” facing facet of that point (which is really a square or a “cube” with four sides) there IS A VERY FAINT, RAISED letter “M”. (A loupe or magnifying glass may be necessary to see it clearly).
I find this of interest and importance, because it seems that because of the listing in PATTERN GLASS MUGS, Mordock & Adams (mug #84, shown on page 22) and the accompanying description (and a repeat of that same information in at least one other book on pressed glass), glass collectors may mistakenly assume that ALL of those mugs WITHOUT an “M within Ohio” mark will, by default, be one of the originals by Bryce Bros, which would be an incorrect assumption. This is already definitely happening, as evidenced by the descriptions in a number of online auctions posted over the last few years.
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In 2010, I wrote to the Mosser Glass Company website asking about these mugs, and the answer sent to me by the company representative was very brief and somewhat vague. They wrote (and this is an exact quote) “Our records show it is a copy of an old piece of glass. We produced it from 1973 thru 1993.” So here we have a full 20-year period, with (I would assume) repeated occasional or sporadic pourings in a range of colors.
COLORS SEEN IN THE MOSSER MUGS
I have seen the Mosser version mugs, either in person or in online auction listings, in at least a dozen colors. They include: amber, olive green, emerald green, ice blue, turquoise blue (some collectors might call it teal blue), opaque custard (off-white or very light yellowish beige), cobalt blue, Amberina, green carnival, cobalt blue carnival, matte (frosted) light aqua, and light to medium amethyst. I’m sure there are other colors out there that I don’t have listed!
If you have one of the Robin in Tree mugs in a color not listed here, please write so I can add it to the list of confirmed colors!
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Uranium Glass / Vaseline Glass
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