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Slag glass, also known as marble glass or malachite, is a type of opaque, streaked pressed glass. Production of slag glass originated in late-19th-century England, where glass manufacturers are thought to have added slag from iron-smelting works to molten glass to create a range of effects—from tortoiseshell to marbling. Among other uses, slag glass was a popular material for lampshades.

One of the first glass foundries to produce slag glass (although it was not called that at...

Since the process of making slag glass was shrouded in a certain amount of mystery, stories sprang up to try and account for the process behind the effects. For example, it was a good bet that Sowerby’s Blue Nugget color of 1883 was the result of adding cadmium to molten glass, but how to explain Gold Nugget? Stories soon spread that John George Sowerby, son of the company’s founder, was tossing gold sovereigns into batches of amber glass to create this dramatic hue.

In the United States, manufacturers such as Westmoreland and Akro Agate picked up on the techniques developed in England and produced their own versions of slag glass. As in England, one of the most popular applications for their pressed opaque glass was in lampshades. Wide bands of creamy colors allowed the light source in a lamp to fill a room with a soft ivory glow, while the purples and greens and reds pieced together in detailed leaded shades resulted in multi-colored illumination.

Just about anyone who was making lamps during the Art Nouveau period, from Tiffany to Roycroft to Steuben, might have used slag glass in their shades. But whether they did or not in a particular lamp is another matter. The problem is that today, "slag glass" is used rather casually by dealers and collectors alike to refer to almost any type of pressed opaque glass containing colored swirls or streaks. The key to determining if a piece of glass is "true" slag or just a handsome example of pressed glass is to look for glass that is obviously and richly marbled rather than simply colored or streaked.

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Recent News: Slag Glass Lamps

Source: Google News

“AMERICANA” ESTATE AUCTION
Maine Antique Digest, February 7th

LAMPS: Caramel slag glass tbl. lamp by Morgan & Hastings, Ant. bl./wh. Canton ginger jar lamp, Pr. blue font milk glass base lamps, Wh. opalescent swirl oil lamp, Mini. wh. opal. & cranberry coin spot lamp w/matching shade, Pink satin glass hang. lamp,...Read more

'Smalls' are big values at upcoming sales
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, January 29th

In the glass and ceramic categories, the selections include pieces of Roseville, Lladro, Waterford and RS Prussia, plus a couple slag-glass lamps. Bidders will want to stand up and salute a collection of military ephemera that belonged to former...Read more

DOUBLE SHOT OF DECOR at GARTH'S DUO of FEBRUARY AUCTIONS
ArtfixDaily (blog), January 19th

A Revere, green and white slag glass floor lamp will light up the podium thanks to the six sockets under the shade, four in the column and one in the base. Although unsigned, the 71” tall lamp with the 25” wide shade is expected to reach $700-$1000...Read more

Joe Rosson: Chances are dim for learning chandelier's origins
Knoxville News Sentinel, January 18th

By Joe Rosson A crack in one of this chandelier's slag glass panels does little to diminish its value. This antique slag glass chandelier was in a farmhouse we bought years ago. We like it a lot, but unfortunately, there is a crack in one of the...Read more

Bidders Favor Tiffany At Skinner's Twentieth Century Design Auction
Antiques and the Arts Online, January 17th

A mosaic glass Snowball table lamp with an irregular border was not marked, but stood on a bronze verdigris base marked "Tiffany Studios, New York 351," and sold for $11850. A Tiffany Studios bronze and art glass lamp cap with a gold Favrile glass...Read more

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Independent Online, January 17th

I'm not going to slag off Toyota and when I say its cars have been just a bit boring over the years, I mean it in the best possible way. In fact, I have reason to believe that dogs don't chase Toyotas because there's no excitement in it...Read more

William Smith, Inc.
Antiques and the Arts Online, January 15th

hanging slag glass panel lamp; country double wheel coffee mill; dresser top shaving mirror; mechanical clown bank; wind-up cat toy; Steiff teddy bear; several Chinese and cloisonné decorative lamps; alabaster sculpture; decorative Tremeau mirror;...Read more

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