In the March, 1999 issue of The WayBack Times, a monthly newspaper in Ontario highlighting antiques, Walter T. Lemiski, M.A. wrote a wonderful article entitled “Colours in the Depression Glass Kitchen” about the various colours of Depression Glass that are available. I would like to point out that not each style or design of depression glass comes in each colour. I have seen Corn Flower in many colours, but not all of the ones listed below.

With Walter’s permission, here is the list of colours:

AMBER – transparent colouring only, much of this produced by the Federal Glass Company
BLACK – an opaque colour, McKee, Fenton, and L.E. Smith were the main producers
CHALAINE BLUE – opaque light blue, “robins egg” blue, a scarce colour
CLAMBROTH GREEN – translucent, light green shade
CLAMBROTH WHITE – translucent, milky white colour
COBALT BLUE – dark, rich transparent blue, most produced by Hazel Atlas Glass Company
CRYSTAL – the depression glass collector’s name for clear glass dishes, creamer, pitcher, reamers, refrigerator jars, sugar, and tumblers found in pink, crystal, and ultramarine.
DELPHITE – another opaque blue, darker than Chalame, produced by Jeannette and McKee Glass Companies
FOREST GREEN – transparent dark green
GREEN – transparent, produced by most depression glass companies
PINK – transparent, another widely produced shade
RED – transparent, few items produced
SEVILLE – McKee’s opaque yellow shade
SKOKIE – McKee Glass Company opaque, light jade green colour
VITROCK – Hocking’s opaque, pristine white glass
WHITE – opaque white, like milk glass, McKee Glass Company and others.
YELLOW – transparent colour, few items manufacture

Walter Lemiski is an avid collector of Depression Glass, Carnival Glass and Victorian Art Glass. He has been a frequent contributor to the Toronto Symphony, the Ford Centre for the Performing Art’s, and numerous other arts and antique publications. He is the current director of the Canadian Depression Glass Association, established in 1976. The CDGA produces a bimonthly newsletter providing information about Depression Glass and related topics to fellow “Preservationists of Depression Era Glassware”.