What Is Goofus Glass?

Goofus Glass Lines

• Collectors of Goofus glass have a difficult time tracing their collectibles back to a specific line because names of lines changed from original manufacture to wholesaler to retailer. The reason is that manufacturers made a lot of cheap, bare inventory that changed hands a lot before final retail sale. The manufacturers sold to wholesalers, who then painted, marketed and sold it as their own with secondary glass line names. The original glass maker's names for pieces may not have stayed with the items as they passed through the economic process from manufacture to finishing to wholesale to marketing and retail sale.

Patterns and Decorations

• Many different types of patterns were used to create Goofus glass, including fruit; flowers; plant items like pine cones; and civic, holiday and religious scenes. Because of the inexpensive manufacturing practices, most of the patterns are considered more decorative than authentic representations of actual flowers and botanical items.

Shapes

• Goofus glass was made in a multitude of shapes and sets for marketing and retail. Berry sets had a large bowl and six small bowls; punch bowl sets had cups and underplates; table sets had four pieces, including a covered butter dish, covered sugar bowl, creamer and spoon holder; and water sets had a water pitcher and six matching glasses. Individual items included cruets, decanters, carafes, compotes, jam jars, sandwich trays with handles, bread plates, pickle dishes and candy dishes.

Intaglio

• Intaglio is a slightly higher quality pressed glass that was made briefly before glass manufacturers began making opalescent glass. It is sought after by glass collectors as more rare than other pressed glass items. It often had fruit motifs and does not have raised patterns. It is believed that intaglio was made only by Dugan Diamond Glass and Northwood Glass for a limited time between 1905 and 1909.