ORIGINAL PUBLICATION DATE: FRIDAY MARCH 12, 2010

“Ask Joe” - Uncovering The Value Of Your Antiques & Collectibles

Dear Joe

I purchased a pink “Sharon” or “Cabbage Rose” cheese dish at an auction in Pennsylvania this fall - at least I believe it is a cheese dish. We are unsure if this is an original or a reproduction. Let us know what you think.

Sincerely,

J.L.H.

Dear J.L.H.:

“Sharon” or “Cabbage Rose” is a Depression Glass pattern that was made by the Federal Glass Company of Columbus, Ohio, between 1935 and 1939. It was produced in shades of pink, amber, green and there were a few pieces made in clear colorless.

Pieces found in colors other than these are definitely products of the 1970’s that were made - for the most part - in Taiwan. It should be mentioned that the “Sharon” reproductions in pink tend to be a lighter shade of this hue than the originals and comparison with a known original piece can provide an important clue.

Unfortunately, the reproducers targeted the color pink because it was the most popular of the “Sharon” hues, and when these pieces came on the market, the price of this pattern plummeted and is only now beginning to recover. It is hard to tell from electronic pictures if this is the dish in today’s question is in the correct shade of pink, but to my eyes the color does look a little pale.

“Sharon” or “Cabbage Rose” was made in a number of shapes including various sizes of bowls, two varieties of pitchers, plates in assorted sizes, tumblers in three sizes, salt and pepper shakers, cream pitcher and sugar bowl, a cake plate, a covered candy jar, a jam dish, a butter dish and the very rare cheese dish among other things.

Reportedly, the cheese dish was made as a promotional item for a cheese company, and they can be found in amber and pink but never (to the best of my knowledge) in the original green. Ones found in amber are much less valuable than the pink examples.

The Federal Glass Company made a great deal of Depression in a variety of patterns which include “Madrid,” “Georgian,” “Sylvan,” “Diana,” and “Patrician” to name just a few. Many of these are very popular with current collectors.

It should be understood that the cheese dish and the butter dish used the same top - but they had different bases. The butter dish is a 1-1/2-inch deep shallow “bowl” with an indented flange or circular ledge where the top was supposed to fit snugly.

The cheese dish bottom is basically a salad plate. There is a raised band of glass around the outside edge and the top fits inside this band. What all this means is that if J.L.H.’s piece has a base that is approximately 1/2-inches deep - the item is probably a butter dish, but if the base is essentially a flat salad plate, it is a cheese dish.

One of the pictures enclosed suggests to me that more depth than it should and I believe I see the flange that would make this a butter dish rather than a cheese dish. However - and this is critical, this piece does need an in person inspection by a Depression Glass specialist to make sure of exactly what it is.

This piece gives me some “hinky” feelings, and this sort of evaluation will be necessary to be absolutely sure. After all, a “Sharon” cheese dish sold recently on eBay for close to a thousand dollars (I believe it was actually $995), but a butter dish brings far, far less.

In the butter dish category the green ones are the most valuable, and the pink ones sell for around $100 or a little less.

Have an antique or collectible you would like to know more about? E-mail your questions and high resolution images to: dmsater@engleonline.com.