How much is my Depression glass worth?

Depression glass is the colored, mass-produced glassware made in the United States roughly from the late 1920s through the 1930s, often sold cheaply or given away as premiums. Because so much of it was made, most common pieces in common colors sell for modest amounts today, even when they are genuinely old.

What separates ordinary pieces from valuable ones is the pattern, the color and the form. Some patterns were produced in small numbers, and some colors, such as certain shades of red, cobalt blue or tangerine, are scarcer than the green, pink and amber that turn up everywhere. Unusual shapes like pitchers, butter dishes, cookie jars and large platters usually bring more than plates and cups. Chips, cracks, scratches and cloudiness from dishwashers cut value sharply.

Start by identifying the pattern using a Depression glass reference book or a pattern identification website, then search sold listings, not asking prices, for that exact pattern, color and piece. If you have a large set or unusual colors, an auction company or antique dealer who handles glassware can tell you whether it is worth selling individually or as one lot.