Indiana Glass Company
Dunkirk, Indiana (1907-2002)
Indiana Glass Company of Dunkirk produced huge quantities of pressed pattern glass tableware, blown glass items, glass novelties, and other products including lamps and vases. They were in business for nearly a century. Some glass patterns that would now fall under the general term EAPG (Early American Pattern Glass) were made by Indiana Glass during the first few years of their operation. They also made glassware classed as Depression Glass, as well as Carnival Glass. They produced “soda fountain” glassware, including many of the iconic, heavy clear glass root beer mugs specially made for the A & W Root Beer chain of restaurants, reportedly from around 1920 to 1979.
“HEN-ON-NEST” dishes. The Indiana Glass Company produced a Hen-on-Nest covered dish that retained the same basic appearance throughout many years of production. Only one size was made, which measures about 7 inches in total length. The years of production are believed to extend all the way from about 1935 to the very late 1990s, possibly 1998 or 1999.
(SIDE NOTE): A smaller hen that closely approximates the appearance of the typical Indiana Glass Company hen was originally believed to also be a product of Indiana (and I had posted information on this webpage for years indicating I agreed with that theory), but from recent information (published by author Craig Schenning with photos and assistance from Michael Pazarena in their .pdf article and booklet, titled “THE HEAVENLY HON OF INDIANA GLASS“, 2021) , that smaller size hen with crosshatch base, as well as a larger size with a similar crosshatch base which is almost identical in size to the Indiana hen, was actually made by HOCKING GLASS COMPANY, NOT Indiana Glass. This is indicated by the fact that illustrations of that type of hen (discovered by Schenning) have been found in Butler Bros. wholesale catalogs (catalogs primarily distributed to retailers who ordered stock for their stores) and are shown alongside other items that are definitely known to be products of Hocking Glass.
That smaller version (commonly known by hen-on-nest collectors as the “MYSTERY HEN”), was for years considered as a “probable” product of Hazel-Atlas Glass Company by author Shirley Smith in her authoritative 2007 reference book on hen dishes. We now know that this is not correct.
This smaller version has a base with a cross-hatched or basket-weave style pattern on the sides, and was made in clear and milk glass. Diagonal oriented lines cross each other at right angles to form, more or less, a pattern of interconnected diamonds. A larger version with this base type also exists, but they are much, much scarcer, and are known only in clear glass. Both of these hens, as mentioned above, have been found to be products of Hocking Glass Company, that from recent research by author and Indiana Glass collector Craig Schenning.
INDIANA GLASS HEN-ON-NEST DISH
The standard type of Indiana Glass Company hen on nest dish was evidently introduced in about 1935 (according to price list information uncovered by collector and researcher Craig Schenning) and measures about 7 inches in total length from end to end.
The base has either a very finely stippled surface (on earlier examples) or a “pebbly” or “ripply” abstract pattern that is supposed to represent a straw nest (this is called a “striated base” by Shirley Smith in her book on hens). From recent research by Craig Schenning, the striated base type hens were probably introduced in the 1972-1973 period.
An example of one of the earlier hens in clear glass is shown below. The bottom (basket or bowl) measures about 2 inches in height, and when both pieces are in place, the total height is typically about 5 and 3/8 inches.
These hens are NEVER marked with an actual trademark or logo representing the company. However, the Indiana Glass hen can easily be recognized at a glance from it’s characteristic form. The tail is narrow and “flat”, pointing straight back from the head, and is never “split” or “divided” as is common on many, many hens made by other glass manufacturers. The cover (“back”) of the dish has a mold “circle” about one and 1/4 inches in diameter in the center, which can basically be considered a diagnostic feature of all Indiana hens. This circle is actually called a “valve mark”— please see the post submitted by Bob Rawlings, former plant manager at Indiana Glass, in the Comments section of this page.
Posted here are various pictures of these hens so you will soon be able to recognize them easily!
The oldest version of the Indiana Glass hen has a smooth rim on the base, and later versions (probably introduced in the mid-to-late 1950s or very early 1960s) have a “beaded” edge, somewhat similar to the beaded Candlewick pattern made by Imperial Glass.
In the earlier years all of the hens were made in clear (colorless) glass. According to research by Craig Schenning, the first “colored” hens were in white milk glass and those were most likely introduced in the 1956 to 1959 time period.
A very rare “mulberry” colored hen (clear with mulberry stain) with a smooth upper base rim is also known and is assumed to be from the early period. (NOTE, added 10/5/2021): the “mulberry stain” examples are now believed to be aftermarket stained pieces, and not an authentic color produced by Indiana, from information published by Craig Schenning).
Many of the early clear and milk glass hens originally came with the combs painted with red cold paint which, in many cases, has partially or wholly worn off.
Some of the white milk glass, amber and olive green hens have an “open beaded” rim, with small gaps in between each bead. These may be a transition type, made after the early “smooth rim base” version but before the last and most common beaded version.
The era of the “colored” hens (colors other than clear and white) seems to have phased in sometime during the mid to late 1960s, with possibly the amber and the green hens coming into production first (circa 1965), followed by many other colors throughout the 1970s, ’80s and 1990s.
Indiana Glass hen dishes show up for sale on ebay and other online venues frequently, and the names by which they are called range widely…….. HON (Hen-on-nest) dish, nut dish, candy dish, trinket dish, relish dish, hen dish, chicken dish, rooster dish and other names.
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I’m trying to assemble a list of all of the colors found in these hens. As with any field of collecting glass, there is confusion on color NAMES, thus one specific, distinct color might be called a particular name by one collector, yet the same exact color may be referred to by an entirely different name by another collector, thus creating confusion and making the total number of distinct colors recorded as higher than in reality.
From what I’ve read, so far, it seems the total number of distinct colors range anywhere from 20 to 30 or so. (Author Craig Schenning lists 22 distinct colors in his booklet). There are also slight color shade differences, and grades of depth of a certain color — for instance, amber may be seen in a lighter, almost yellowish-amber shade, occasionally leaning toward a slightly darker orange-amber or medium “brown amber”. (NOTE, added 10/6/2021: in this article I have previously made references to a “beer bottle brown” color. In retrospect I don’t believe any Indiana Glass HONs were made in an amber shade dark enough to approximate the color of a typical beer bottle).
The slight variations in shade or tint of a particular color most likely occurred if a particular batch didn’t come out exactly as intended (for a number of technical reasons), although normally Indiana Glass products are very consistent as to the exact color shade they were working to achieve. But, over a period of many years, it would have have been extremely difficult for the factory to make sure that every single glass batch always came out in exactly the “right” color they were striving for.
It appears quite a number of different, yet basically identical molds (to the casual onlooker) were used over many years, as close examination of the fine details of the design show small variations, such as the exact shape and placement of the “feathers”. Also I believe that many, if not most, of the molds were re-cut and/or repaired sometime during their production life.
In order of commonness, (just my own thoughts here…….some of these colors are not that easy to find, and it’s hard to know how “scarce” they really are) : White milk glass, sometimes called “opal”, “opaque white” or “milk white”, is probably #1 in abundance, followed by clear (colorless, “crystal” or “flint”), amber (all shades), olive or “avocado” green, shades of light blue (including cornflower), blue carnival glass, marigold carnival glass, green carnival glass, pink, very pale pink, midnight blue or “smoky” blue, “Horizon” blue, rich medium emerald green or lime green, teal (evergreen), aqua carnival, peach, ruby red (stained over amber glass), cranberry (stained/flashed over clear), matte or frosted satin green, very light green or “pastel green” and yellow (“topaz”).
There are also examples of these hens known in rich cobalt blue glass, but these are from slightly different molds and are more than likely imports that were made in China or some other Asian country. The cobalt examples may date from sometime in the 1990s or early 2000s (?)
Trivia: Sharp-eyed classic TV show watchers might notice that in some episodes of The Mary Tyler Moore Show (as early as 1970), an Indiana Glass Company hen can be seen under the counter which separates the kitchen area from the split-level living room. This prop was in the studio set of the apartment that Mary supposedly lived in (the show was set in Minneapolis). The hen appears to be avocado green (or possibly emerald green) in color. This serves to date the first avocado green hens to at least 1970, and probably from the late 1960s.
For more information on Indiana Glass Company and the many other products they made over the years, check out this site at: Indianaglass.carnivalheaven.com .
Indiana Glass Company was acquired by Lancaster Glass Corporation in 1957, and, along with several other glass manufacturers, became part of the Lancaster Colony Corporation in 1961.
The Dunkirk, Indiana facility ceased producing glass in 2002. Glass sold under the name “Indiana Glass” was also produced for a while at their “sister plant” located in Sapulpa, Oklahoma (the former Bartlett-Collins Glass Company plant).
That plant was also shut down (shortly after being purchased by Anchor Hocking Company) in the summer of 2008. I’ve been told that most of the glass molds have since been sold as scrap.
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The very last Indiana hen-on-nest dishes were apparently produced in 1998 or 1999. If anyone has better information on the exact year they were last manufactured, please contact me!
“Hen on Nest” dishes, using the term in a general sense, of many different designs, types and colors, have been made by many, many glass companies in the United States since at least the 1870s, if not earlier. Early producers of the hens include Atterbury & Company and Challinor, Taylor & Company, both of Pittsburgh, in the 1880s and 1890s. Later on, other companies included Westmoreland Glass Company, Imperial Glass Company, L.E. Smith Glass Company, Fenton Art Glass Company, and many others. Covered hen dishes were also made in porcelain and pottery.
Here is a webpage article that discusses the general subject of “Hen-on-nest” dishes, written by glass researcher and hen-on-nest collector Shirley Smith: https://www.nmgcs.org/hen-on-a-nest-studying-a-glass-collection/
This page (on the fentonaddict.com site) discusses the finer details in distinguishing Fenton Art Glass Company hens: Features and Characteristics of Fenton Glass Hens.
Please click here to go to my website Home Page.
Please click here to go to the GLASS BOTTLE MARKS pages, an extensive alphabetical list of glass manufacturers’ marks seen on bottles, jars, insulators and tableware.
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Click here to check out Wikipedia’s detailed article which has some good background information on the founding and operation of Indiana Glass Company: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indiana_Glass_Company
COLLECTORS WEEKLY summary on Indiana Glass, as well as pages of current glass listings from the ebay site: https://www.collectorsweekly.com/glassware/indiana
The Glass Lovers Glass Database article on Indiana Glass Company: http://glassloversglassdatabase.com/companies/IndianaGlass.html
New article: (in hardcopy booklet and .pdf file form) entitled “THE HEAVENLY HON OF INDIANA GLASS“, published by Craig Schenning, 2021. Photos and other information by Michael Pazarena. Craig goes into lots of great background detail on the Indiana hens, their colors and approximate timelines of production. For more in-depth information I recommend this to anyone seriously interested in collecting Indiana Glass hens!!
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Happy New Years, Hen collectors! First of all, this article is what got me first into collecting Indiana Glass Hens, so thank you! After I had seen them at antique stores, and searched out “what are these,” it led me here.
Now, I was hoping I could get some help to ID a specific color Hen on Nest that was found at an antique mall. It is golden/orange with faint but unmistakable iridescent (Carnival) sheen. My first thoughts were that it is the standard Marigold Carnival that is commonly found. However it is a brighter orange color. When placed next to the Marigold Carnival, it really stands out as being noticeably lighter. Also, the iridescent sheen is much less pronounced, though you can see it when you turn it a certain way in the light. I’ve taken to calling it “golden metallic” as it has a bit of a sparkle to it.
Here is an Image Link to the Hen in question. I included it placed next to a “standard” Marigold Carnival, to show the difference in variation between the two. What do you think? Is this just a variation of the Marigold Carnival, or is it a unique?
https://imgur.com/a/1TElIeA
Hi Mike,
My info is from “Glass Hen on Nest Covered Dishes, Vol II”, by Shirley Smith. It is known as: “Marigold Carnival, Iridescent Marigold, or Carnival Marigold. It is iridescence over a clear hen, lighter than #1260” She doesn’t list a #, says N/A. The darker one is known as Gold Carnival or Iridescent Gold, which is the iridescent spray over #1829 Amber.
Lucky you! I’ve been looking for one of those, but it is super hard figuring them out online with the different lighting, monitor colors and such. I wish someone has a photo of all three peach/pinks side by side, because I have two, but I am not quite sure if I have the two darker ones and need the light one, or if I need the peach one. The book says peach is also known as
“rose”, I have seen photos of one that does make it look actually peach and not the reddish color. I am 99.5 % sure I need the lightest pink. Again I have trouble with online photos of ones for sale. Same with the ambers, I am trying to find the beer bottle amber.
It is a fun, if sometimes frustrating, hunt. 🙂
Cheers!
Check out the new e booklet by Craig Schenning (I found it on Etsy) it shows the 3 pinks… still not 100% sure but I think I now know which one I need.
I came across a Evergreen one in the box and I can’t find anything on it can someone help me
I know this is a rather old article, but I recently came into possession of an Indiana Glass Hen on a Nest in the original box.
It is labeled as 1829 Golden Amber so that seems to be one of the official color names.
Hi Joe,
Thanks for the information and for your post!
David
I read somewhere a few years ago that they came with condiments in them. I am not sure if these is true. I love them.
Hello Ann,
I think that WAS true for some of the earlier (and/or smaller) hen-on-nest dishes, such as those made by Westmoreland Glass Company, Hazel-Atlas Glass Company, and probably other glass makers, but I don’t know if this was true of any of the glass hens made by Indiana Glass Company. As far as I know, they were always sold empty. Perhaps someone might have better info on this. I understand that many types of glass containers (small mugs, hens, bowls, “jelly glasses”, etc) were originally sold with food items such as prepared mustard in them. It served as an added incentive for the consumer to buy the product, and the glassware was frequently saved and reused for many years. Often, now, the original purpose of some of these old containers is not realized by the current owners of the glassware!
Best regards, David
I bought a slotted bead Indiana glass hen yesterday. Besides the valve mark there are this dots on the bottom, is that a mark or imperfection
Sharon, I don’t know. Maybe one of the Indiana Glass workers or longtime collectors that come to the site occasionally, will see your post and comment further!
Thanks, David
It would be an imperfection. The only thing IG used to purposely identify their products was a sticker on the bottom.
Sharon, I would have to see a picture to be able to answer your question. Send to: bob.rawlings@aol.com. I’ll try and answer your question.
Bob Rawlings
Curator the Glass Museum
Retired Vice President Indiana Glass Company
Bob, thank you so much, I just sent you an email. I am “imgrouchy”
This is just my personal opinion. I don’t think mulberry is a color made by Indiana glass company. If they did, I think there would be more than one or two out there. They probably would have made hundreds if not thousands. I have twenty colors and haven’t been able to find any more.
Hi Larry,
I honestly don’t know. Perhaps it is one of the unusual colors reported to be the product of “after market” alteration, by someone in Arkansas? If anyone has more definite information on this, please let us know!
Thanks,
David
As for the mulberry color debate. My bf said that there were some colors made but never sold. He and his grandfather both worked there and he has see such colors. They were made then for whatever reason they decided not to add them to the collection sold to customers.
Hi Yogi,
You have found a piece of one of the older/earliest types of American white milkglass “hen on nest” dishes; that one was made by either Atterbury & Company (see my page on that company) or Challinor, Taylor & Company, both glass makers located in Pittsburgh, PA. The Challinor Taylor version is listed as “circa 1891-1905” according to Shirley Smith in her book about hen-on-nest dishes. See this picture from ebay auction seller “Estateline”:
Challinor & Taylor white milkglass hen.
Hope this helps!
~David
Thank you very much!! 🙂
to 1910.
Sorry.
David, Your first answer is so correct. This is the valve and it gets cleaned whenever the mold is taken off the machine. A machine holds 16 molds, and during a long run the molds get dirty and require cleaning. A set of molds normally consists of 24 or 36 molds. These are changed whenever they get dirty or start causing a defect. After many cleanings the metal starts to wear away. When it gets too bad, the mold is refurbished by cutting the design back into the mold. The edges of the valve are subject to more wear than the center. So this area disappears sooner than the rest of the mold.
Bob Rawlings
Bob, thanks a lot for your information! I really appreciate it!
David
Sorry, when I said, “The circle on the back of the large HONs has nothing to do with the mould or mould marks. At this point in the process the mould is one piece. The circle was intentional.” I misunderstood your comment -This ‘circle’ is not intended as an “Identification mark” per se, but is caused by the way the mold parts are constructed and come together. – thinking you meant the gathering (pouring) of the melted glass into the mould. I since read the reason it was put there to facilitate the automated pickup of the item. It is, in any event, an extra method on ID’ing the hen.
You are doing a terrific job of helping with the fantastic output of Indiana Glass hens. There are so many of them out there and only one published book that gives them decent coverage. Are you familiar with the book – Glass Hen on Nest Covered Dishes by Shirley Smith. Shirley is, without doubt the, most recognized expert on the subject. JUST hens/roosters without giving valuable space to the hundreds of other Animal Covered Dishes. She is a real stickler on correcting previous errors and making certain any future ones don’t occur. There are eight pages devoted to Indiana colors, color differentials and advice and history of values. I’d be happy to spend a half hour or so in naming the thirty two plus colors but you need the book to realize the slight differences on many of them. If you don’t need to buy one for yourself your local library should be able to find a loaner for you.
Thanks again for offering help to so many who can’t find it elsewhere.
Hi Dick,
I don’t have a copy of her book yet but I do intend to get one soon. I remember when Shirley was discussing glass hens on a yahoo online glass-related forum over ten years ago, and I know from her posts at that time that she is very, very thorough and wanted to do the very best research possible! ~David
Hi, I have a few Indiana HON, Im curious as to why the feathers in the circle on the hens back on 2 of my HON (the ruby red one and carnival marigold) are not as defined, almost smooth?
Hi Gayla,
There are a number of knowledgeable collectors of these hens, as well as former employees at the factory who frequent my site and who may see your query, and I invite them to come forward with their comments and more authoritative information.
In the meantime, my own ideas: 1) a particular hen may show less pronounced delineation of the design because that part of the mold (the “circle”) is more worn (getting close to the end of it’s usable “life”) after many thousands of pressings, or (2) that particular mold part was not as intricately or deeply engraved/tooled to begin with, thus the design on the surface of the glass is not quite as sharp and clear. Please keep in mind that those are just my own ideas/suggestions. Any experts out there, please add to this conversation!!
~David
thank you, that was my thought as well after reading about the molds.
My comment on the wear of the molds. Most molds are made out of cast Iron. When we put a mold into production, we amortized the life of the mold at 500,000. Some lasted longer and some shorter, but that was an average. A block mold (hen cover) would last much longer that a joint mold. If a heavy patterned mold would loose it’s sharpness it was taken to the mold shop and retooled. When we ran the hens, they were put on the machine for a 100,000 piece run. These were sold as a hash item, meaning they went out at cost for weight of a shipment with other items of value. This would get the buyer a break on freight cost due to the weight.
Bob Rawlings
Curator of the Glass Museum
David, We have 15 different colors here at the Museum. I can count several we don’t have so I’m pretty sure we didn’t make more than 24. I think some of our customers bought the plain crystal and painted them different colors. This may be where the confusion comes in.
Bob
Thanks Bob!
~David
Sorry, you are so wrong about the mold mark. This is a valve mark. The valve is used to raise the glass out of the mold. This mold is a machine mold. The machine has twelve molds on it and runs about 18 pcs a minute. I’m very familiar with this as I was the plant manager for Indiana Glass and we made thousands of these in different colors.
When these were made by hand, the mold was turned upside down to release the glass therefore not needing a valve.
Bob Rawlings
Curator The glass Museum, Dunkirk, Indiana
Hi Bob, thank you very much for your knowledgeable input. I really appreciate it!! Also, would you be able to hazard a guess on how many different colors were actually made over the years?
Best regards,
David
Sorry, just found your site and had fun skimming though quickly. Now have to leave. So, have you resolved the Indiana ID part? How about the circle you are going to find on the middle of its back? Right now, that is the only “other” way to verify IG. Maybe already mentioned and I missed it. CYL
Hello Dick, I’m not positive what you mean exactly, but all of the Indiana Glass Company hens can be easily identified by comparing them to the pics on my webpage, and noting the appearance of the tail (flat, pointing straight backward, not split). All of the Indiana hens, as explained in my text, and as far as I’m aware, do have the round “circle” in the center of the top/back, located immediately behind the “neck” of the hen. However on some of the smaller size hens, the “circle”, which is covered with embossed “feathers”, blends in VERY well with the rest of the surface of the glass so it is hard to make out. But it is there nevertheless. Just to be clear, this ‘circle’ is not intended as an “Identification mark” per se, but is caused by the way the mold parts are constructed and come together. Best regards, David
Once again, only a few minutes until I must leave for an appointment. Speaking of just the large HONs, there are some 40 verified colors plus the after market ones that have been well accepted – called Ozark Creations, They do a great job coloring the original.
The circle on the back of the large HONs has nothing to do with the mould or mould marks. At this point in the process the mould is one piece. The circle was intentional. It’s natural for the mould to wear down after 3,000 or so gathers and the definition to fade. CYL
Hi Dick,
First of all, can you please send me your list of the 40 verified colors that you are aware of? I have the feeling that the total number of individually distinct colors is closer to 20 or 25, not 40, and I also have the general idea that there are several different color NAMES applied to the SAME color by different collectors, increasing the “perceived” number of different colors. However, I MAY BE WRONG, which is why I am interested in compiling a complete list of known colors of these Indiana hens. Also, your statement about the circle seems to be in disagreement with a post on this webpage submitted by Bob Rawlings, a plant manager at Indiana Glass for 30 years; please scroll down farther on this page to see his comments which were posted on March 12, 2014. He stated that the circle is a “valve mark” and is associated with the removal of the hen from the mold. Take care and I appreciate your comments,
~David
Hi, Just wanted to add something…My 80 year old mother has the small 4-1/2 hen that belonged to my grandmother who was born in 1910. The base basket is a sky blue shade of milk glass with a basket texture and the hen is a fairly dark shade of blue that is a clear type glass.
Hi Dawn,
I’m not sure you are describing a hen made by Indiana Glass Company. The color doesn’t sound like any I have seen in the Indiana hens. Can you please email me a pic of that hen, sent to the email address listed at the bottom right-hand corner of any page on this site. Thanks and best regards,
David
Can these still be purchased (in large quantities)? Our restaurant chain wants to use these to serve our specialty chicken appetizers in. Thanks, Ray
Hello Ray,
As far as the Indiana Glass Company glass hen dishes are concerned, it is my understanding that they were discontinued around the year 2000 (15 years ago as of this writing). There are other glass hens imported from outside the US and available through import companies, through online auction sites, etc, but I have no idea how many could be purchased at one time. Also, these types of colored glass “hens on nest” dishes, in general, are primarily intended for individual / home decorative use, NOT for hard, constant, repeated use in a restaurant or other foodservice/institutional environment. As far as I am aware, there are no other American glass companies that produce a similar hen (in large quantities, by machine, as Indiana Glass did). Sorry, but I have no authoritative information to answer your question adequately. You might try contacting some of the import companies/distributors who do business buying large quantities of glass products from companies in Asia or elsewhere. Best regards, David
How were these dishes typically used? Were they used to serve food items like chicken soup, or to hold non edibles?
Hi Howard,
Hen-on-nest dishes were (and still are) used for anything and everything, only limited by the owner’s imagination. Just a few popular uses: “Knick-knick dish” to hold coins, keys, buttons, marbles, paper clips or other miscellaneous small items; dish for mere decorative use (because of glass color or form) thus fitting into a particular color scheme / as a focal point in a shelf grouping of various items; egg salad, potato salad or chicken salad serving dish; nut dish; candy dish; dish to serve boiled eggs or deviled eggs; soap-holding dish in a bathroom. The list is almost unlimited.
~David
I have a black chicken in a imperial dish (yellow) don’t know if it is a real “set” can u tell me anything? Curlenm
Just guessing, I assume it’s a “marriage” of two unrelated items, but I could be wrong; you might try contacting someone at the National Imperial Glass Collectors’ Society website. http://www.imperialglass.org/
Very interesting page. So much to learn! Would you mind elaborating on what you mean by split or solid tail? Thank you.
Michael, here is a pic of a small milkglass Imperial Glass Company hen, compared to an Indiana Glass Company hen. ALL Indiana Glass Company hens have a “flattened” or “flat tail”, as shown in the picture. Also if you scroll down to near the bottom of my article, there is a picture of the rear (tail) area of an amber Indiana Glass hen. Any glass hen that does NOT have this “flattened” tail is NOT a product of Indiana Glass. Hope this helps,
David
http://www.glassbottlemarks.com/?attachment_id=2898
David,
Indiana Glass to my knowledge never made a Hen in Black. They made just about every other color but black was not one. Several European and Asian companies did, but it would be impossible to tell which one with out a picture.
Bob Rawlings
Curator Glass museum
Dunkirk, Indiana.
Thanks Bob!
Hi David, I have a HON all black with gold trim. This was my grandmother’s. It was given to her in Scotland when she was a little girl by a woman she used to help bake bread. I see no markings on it at all. She passed away at age 83 about 56 years ago. How do I find out any information about this.
Tku
Dayna
Sorry, Dayna, but my page is about Indiana Glass hens, and I don’t know much about other glass hens. It is possible it was made in the US or Europe. A good reference book which describes many hens was written by Shirley Smith…… http://www.amazon.com/Glass-Nest-Covered-Dishes-Identification/dp/157432537X
I don’t have a copy of that book so I don’t know if she would have info that could shed light on your hen. Most of the earlier hens from the late 1800s were made in white milkglass, or occasionally in “slag glass” (“marbled” white and purple milk glass). If the hen was made in Europe, it may be much more difficult to uncover info on actual manufacturer.
Best regards, David
What colors are the most rare? My mother has been collecting hens on a nest for many years. She said the “yellow” was the hardest for her to find. Is yellow the rarest color?
Hi Terri,
I’m assuming you are asking about the Indiana Glass Company hens, and not “hens in general”. If you read all of the text I’ve written on this page, I’ve already included a list of known colors and my own uneducated opinion on their approximate rarity, from most common to least common. I can say that the white milkglass hen is the MOST common, and clear and amber are close runner-ups, but all bets are off with the hens on the rare end of the scale.
I have also asked for input from readers and NO ONE has written to tell me which colors they believe to be the hardest to find. So I assume that no one really knows for sure……or is interested enough in the subject to suggest to other collectors which ones seem to be the scarcest.
Best regards, David
In my personal opinion, “Mullberry” is the rarest color out there. I’ve seen one picture online of one. So, I know it exists. But, I’ve never seen one for sale; neither online or in person.
David,
Would you happen to know if Indiana Glass marked any of their products? I have a fairy lamp allegedly from Indiana Glass, but the only identifying mark is a 1/4″ circle on the base, which seems to be the identifying mark for Indiana Glass. However, I found information that indicated an identifying mark, “LCC” may have been stamped on the glass. Any information would be greatly appreciated.
Lori
Hi Lori,
As I mention on this page: , practically all Indiana Glass Company glassware is unmarked. I’m not aware that Indiana Glass ever used a “circle” as an identifying mark, although their glass hen-on-nest dishes do have a characteristic “circle” mark in the center of the back, (part of the mold structure)…. such a feature is NOT intended as an identifying logo or marking for Indiana Glass. A few items were marked with ‘LCC’ (Lancaster Colony Corporation) after LCC acquired Indiana Glass, but the great majority of Indiana Glass pieces are NOT marked. Just assume your fairy lamp was NOT made by Indiana Glass unless proven otherwise by concrete evidence (catalog listings or advertisements, or an original box showing illustration and description).
~David
Does anyone know the value of a red indiana glass hen on nest?
Hi Nicole, there is no “official” market value for a ruby red colored Indiana Glass hen-on-nest dish. (Keep in mind this is not a true ruby red, but a “flashed” or “stained” red coating on amber glass.)
My advice (for what it’s worth) is to do a “saved search” on ebay, including search terms such as “Indiana Glass red hen dish” (without quotes). You will receive automatic emails from ebay with a list of posted items that include the search terms you have specified. Over a period of several weeks or months you may get a general idea on how much a typical hen of this color sells at auction. Actual ending prices can vary quite a bit from auction to auction. Just a tiny bit of damage (chip or nick) can make a considerable difference in the selling price. And I’m refering to the actual ending/selling prices [by searching ebay’s “completed auctions”] NOT the mininum bid or “buy it now” price which may or may not be highly unrealistic—– since many sellers on ebay have no idea what they have, what it could be worth, and so will put a wildly optimistic (too high) minimum price when first listing an item on ebay.
Hope this helps,
David
I purchased a red Indiana Glass hen a couple of years ago for $25.00. I felt very fortunate to have found it for that price. Usually, they are listed for $100.00.
Tammy, I sent you a reply via email and got a “mailer daemon” indicating your email address as invalid. (Probably a typo in the email you supplied?). In any case, thank you for your comment. Did you find it at a flea market or antique shop, or did you buy it on ebay?
It seems like the price for some of those “harder to find” hens from Indiana is so unpredictable. Especially on ebay, the ending price can vary a lot, and I think it is just a combination of “luck”, how many days an item is listed, the condition of the hen — i.e. if there is any wear, scratching or chipping, the choice of a title and the keywords used in an item description, and exactly how many collectors around the country happen to run across a particular ebay auction and bid on it. If you get two or three bidders that want an item, they can get caught in a “bidding war” and a particular piece can go up and up, and end up selling for a lot more than it is “really” worth.
Also, keep in mind that a lot of sellers (especially on sites such as ebay, etsy, and tias.com) don’t really know what a particular hen is worth and they may put a very high “asking price”, “minimum bid” or “buy it now” price on it that may be totally unrealistic. In many cases, a hen may not actually sell until the price is lowered. On ebay, the only way to get a better idea of “realistic” collectible market values is to search the COMPLETED ITEMS and see what the actual selling prices were, not the asking price or minimum bid.
Take care,
David
You did really good finding one for $25! I hunted for a red one for years, and once I finally found one in an antique mall, the vendor wanted $100. I ended up getting it for $80. So yes, you’re very fortunate.
Hi, I have a almost irridecent HON, that is Indiana glass, at least I believe it is, it has the mold on top and the tail is correct, yet I do not see a red, the one I have is much darker than the cranberrie. is there a red one?
Hi Billi, Yes there is a Ruby Red glass hen made by Indiana Glass. However, it is not a “true” ruby red, meaning that the glass color itself is not a true red throughout the glass. (And it is not really “irridescent”). Indiana’s “Ruby Red” is actually an amber (light straw or yellowish color) glass that has been “flashed” with a red surface color stain. On hens that have been worn or scratched, the color may be starting to come off in places, such as on the very bottom. At the current time I don’t have a pic of a ruby red one on my webpage, but I will try to upload a picture later today. (The pictures on this page show just some of the Indiana hen colors known……….not all of them.). Thanks for writing! David
Thanks David, That was helpful, The color is coming off on a few spots on the bottom, Thank you much for the info. and I would love to see the pic if you upload. Billi
Oh I see the pic. yep that’s my Hen. Did they make miniture HON’s? In black? I have two of them also and besides the red and a cranberrie, which I now know the makers of, I can not find the makers of these. Billi
Hi Billi,
I’m fairly sure that Indiana Glass never made their smaller hens in any colors other than clear and white milkglass. Your black hens would be from a different maker. I’m certainly not an expert on hen-on nest dishes in general, but keep in mind that TONS of different colored hens have been imported from Asia in recent years. ~David
Billi – I was intrigued by your mention of a black HON and I saw one in the photo gallery/commemorative section of a site that David cited on this page. Here is the link. The National Milk Glass Collectors made a black hen to commemorate their convention one year. Checking it out might give you some more information about your black miniature HONs.
David, I was plant manager at Indiana glass, working at the factory from 1962 to 1992. The red is a plastic paint that was first applied on clear glass, but due to the paint coming off (because it was not fired into the glass), the color of glass was changed to amber which was not as noticeable when the paint came off. The small circle on the back of the cover is a valve mark. The valve raises up raising the glass out of the mold allowing a automatic takeout to get the glass piece.
Bob Rawlings
Hello Bob, and THANK YOU very much for your information! I will make a slight edit to the text (including mention of the “circle” being a valve mark) and pointing toward your post on this webpage.
~David
what are they worth?
Hi Tammy,
The purpose of my site is not really to appraise items, but just give some basic info on history. However, to get a rough idea on value of the different colors, I would suggest that you study online auctions (ebay) over a period of time. See what prices they actually sell for (by checking COMPLETED AUCTIONS), not what the seller is asking as a minimum bid or as a “Buy it Now” price. Many of these hens are listed with a very high starting bid that is unrealistic, and so the piece doesn’t actually sell until the minimum bid or asking price is lowered. Of course, the more common colors will sell for less than the scarcer colors. Hope this helps,
David