“Peachblow” glass seems to have caught, the fancy of the public in 1886 as the result of an auction of a collection of Japanese and Chinese porcelains belonging to Mary J. Morgan. At this auction a vase of “peachbloom” color set collectors to raving and triggered bidding to the tune of $18,000 for one single vase. It is easy to understand that for months people talked of little else. Contrary to stories circulated that peachblow glass in America was the result of this sale, patent dates prove that the New England Glass Company had patented their “Wild Rose” on March 2, 1886, six days prior to this well-publicized sale. And Frederick Shirley of the Mt. Washington Glass Company had been issued patents for the trademarks “Peach Blow” and “Peach Skin” in 1885. So apparently “peachblow” had attained a degree of fame before the Morgan auction but doubtless the publicity was like “manna from Heaven” to the struggling glass industry. Both the New England Company and Hobbs Brockunier Company made copies of the Morgan vase complete to an amber glass stand of griffin motif. Once in a great while one of these may be seen at a quality antiques show.

Some “peachblow” may have been made at the Sandwich Glass factory; however, this company closed its doors in 1888, two years after the sale of the Morgan vase, and no one has been able to attribute this product definitely to that company.

This photo is a Wheeling PeachBlo vase in the Wheeling Drape pattern. The drapes are in vertical rows and are hard to see. The color shades from amber at the base to light amber to a dark ruby with white lining and amber applied rim, c. 1890.

Fine quality peachblow glass was made in England by Thomas Webb and Sons and Stevens and Williams. Later, around the turn of the century, the New Martinsville Glass Company in New Martinsville, West Virginia made a single layered ribbed glass that was called New Martinsville Peachblow. Usually this glass is gold on the inside and pink on the outside very unlike any of the other peachblows.

In 1952 the Gunderson-Pairpoint Glass Works of New Bedford, Massachusetts, successor to Mt. Washington Glass Company, produced a peachblow very similar to New England's "Wild Rose”, known today as Gunderson Peachblow. These pieces were fine quality and are very collectable today. The name “peachblow" seems to maintain an ongoing magic appeal.

In December of 1885, over one hundred years ago, Frederick Shirley was granted a patent for making Burmese glass. He had combined the amberina idea with the opaque white glass for which his Mt. Washington Company was so well known. By adding uranium to the formula he was able to obtain a soft, yellow shading to a delicate salmon pink at the top. It is a single-layered glass made from the opaque white glass formula with gold added to allow for the salmon pink shading when reheated. Burmese was an instant, success, so much so, that when seen by Queen Victoria, she exclaimed that it reminded her of a Burmese sunset, prompting the name. The Queen ordered a quantity of it with a special decoration of daisies done in raised enamel dots and gold, now known as “Queen's Burmese”.

Thomas Webb and Sons of England was licensed by Mt. Washington to produce Burmese glass in 1886 and these two companies' wares are very much alike.

Currently, Burmese glass is being produced in Murano, Italy and by the Fenton Art Glass Company of Williamstown, West Virginia. That made in Italy is usually quite heavy, lacking the translucence and delicacy of the earlier wares. Although some pieces are made well enough to fool the inexperienced collector.  

The Fenton Burmese is a fine quality molded ware, usually hand-decorated and signed by the artist. Fenton started making Burmese glass in 1969 when company chemist, Charles Goe, was able to recreate this remarkable formula. Since 1970 all Fenton Burmese has the Fenton logo molded into the bottom of each piece. Before then they were marked with paper labels; so it is wise to learn to recognize Fenton shapes and decorations.

To celebrate the 100th Anniversary of this lovely glass creation, the Fenton Company in 1985 offered several outstanding pieces, all shaped by hand and mouth-blown, then artist decorated, signed and dated, as limited editions. These gorgeous creations will doubtless be among top-ranking collectables of the future. Considering what has happened, price wise and in collector appeal of the original Burmese, it seems that it might be wise to invest in a piece or two of the Fenton Burmese.