Our favorite Finds : Uranium Glass

While Depression glass will forever be wildly popular among glass collectors, other types of glass have also held their high demand through the years. Uranium glass, especially, has held its “hot commodity” status especially among newer collectors.

Typically seen in the form of Victorian-style candlesticks, plates, pitchers, and bowls, Uranium glass is distinguished by its radiant green or yellow-green hue.

To new glassware collectors, uranium glass is a mystery that has to be solved. They want to understand the history of uranium glass, its safety, how to identify the it, and more.

Uranium glass is a type of glass that contains uranium dioxide in it. During the manufacturing of uranium glass, uranium dioxide is added to the glass mixture right before melting.

The proportion in which the uranium dioxide is added to the glass mix sits between trace levels and 2% uranium by weight. Uranium dioxide gives the glass a color that ranges from yellow to green.

Several subtypes of uranium glass exist depending on the color:

• Vaseline glass– This subtype is yellowish-green. The yellowish-green color led to the nickname “Vaseline glass” in the 1930s because it resembled the petroleum jelly produced by the Vaseline brand.

• Custard glass– This subtype is semi-opaque or opaque pale yellow.

• Jadite glass– This glass is semi-opaque or opaque pale green. Originally trademarked as Jadite, this subtype was later corrected to “Jadeite.”

Uranium was first identified by Martin Klaproth in 1789. Soon after, uranium found its way to glass manufacture because of its decorative and fluorescent effect.

The addition of uranium dioxide to glass became popular in the 1830s with the interest in uranium glass booming around the 1880s. The London-based Whitefriars Glass Company was one of the first companies to market uranium glass.

In the early days, uranium glass was used as a raw material in the manufacture of household items and tableware. However, its use dropped when uranium's availability was limited by the Cold War in the years running from the 1940s to the 1990s.

The Environmental Protection Agency reports that uranium glass is one of the few antiques considered radioactive. While the uranium dioxide used in the glass is vital for the color and appearance, it also makes the uranium glass slightly radioactive.

It is, however, worth noting that the level of radioactivity in uranium glass is very low. This means that it does not have negative health impacts when handled correctly.

According to a report from 2001 by the U.S. Nuclear Regulation Commission, uranium glass was considered to be safer than everyday electronic items. The report indicated that you are likely to be exposed to higher levels of radiation from household electronics than from uranium glass.

Here are some additional tips you can use to identify true uranium glass:

• Glow– When placed under fluorescent or ultraviolet light, uranium glass should display a bright green glow.

• Color– The color of uranium glass ranges from greenish-yellow to bright yellow.

• Texture– Uranium glass features a translucent and oily appearance.

• Type– Uranium glass was largely used in the manufacture of specific types of items. These included antique bottles, figurines, jewelry, chandeliers, vases, mugs, pitchers, and dishware.

• Year of manufacture– Traditional uranium glass manufacture started in the 1800s and reached its peak in the 1880s. For this reason, antique glassware with a date stamped on them – that is, between 1850 and 1880 – are generally genuine uranium glass pieces.