Old Madrid or New Recollection?

Original Madrid pattern depression glass was made by Federal Glass Company and produced from 1932 to 1939. In 1976 Federal changed the pattern name to Recollection and began making new pieces from new molds. The first new pieces of Recollection were easily identified because pieces were dated in the mold with the year "1976". But then Federal went bankrupt and the molds were sold to Indiana Glass who removed the date from the molds. There have been problems separating old from new ever since.

Old Madrid or new Recollection?

All Recollection pieces have been made in new molds; no old molds are used. In most cases there are important, although sometimes small, details of construction and color which separate old from new. New pieces have been made in five colors: 1.) amber, 2.) blue, 3.) clear, 4.) pink and 5.), teal. Teal, a greenish-blue almost aqua color, is the only color not originally made. The other four colors--amber, pink, blue and clear--were all used for the 1930s Madrid.

Many experienced dealers and collectors claim to be able to detect most new Recollection by color alone. Beginners and those who only occasionally handle depression glass, however, would be better off relying on a combination of factors--mold detail, shape and color--to make an accurate judgement of age.

Many of the new Recollection shapes--like the cake stand, goblet, etc.--were never made in original 1930s Madrid. Don't mistake these items for rare or unlisted pieces just because you can't find them in a book.

The known shapes which have been reproduced include: dinner plate, grill plate, luncheon plate, creamer, open sugar, shaker, cup, saucer, goblet*, vase*, "hurricane lamp*", footed covered candy dish*, footed cake stand*, footed fruit stand/dish*, 9½" bowl, 10" oval vegetable bowl, 7″ soup/cereal bowl and candle-holder. Items marked with an asterisk* are shapes never made in original 1930s Madrid.

This article features the most obvious, easy to remember features that distinguish old from new but there are others. Apply the guidelines given only to the specific piece being discussed. Don't depend on any one test to base your determination of age; use several factors. Additional hints and tips in separating old from new and information on any new pieces not listed are always welcome.

Fig. 1 (New) Knob on lid of new butter-dish has vertical mold seam

Fig. 2 New Recollection butter-dish in original box. Shape and appearance virtually identical to original 1930s Madrid.

Fig. 3 (Old) Mold seam on old butter-dish knob runs horizontally.

Fig. 4 (New) BUTTER-DISH BOTTOM Top view. Tips of the decorative scroll stop short of the rim for the lid.

Fig. 5 (Old) BUTTER-DISH BOTTOM Top view. Tips of decorative scroll pass under the rim for the lid.

Fig. 6 (New) At first, new Recollection by Federal was dated in the mold 1976 (arrow). The molds were later sold to Indiana Glass which removed the date.

Fig. 7 CUP Old and new cups and sugar bowls can be identified by the way the handles join the body. See Figs. 8- 9 and Figs 11-12.

Fig. 8

Fig. 9

Figs. 8-9 How handles join the body of the cup viewed from inside. Old handles form a pointed teardrop; new are rounded.

Fig. 10 Sugar and creamer

Fig. 11 (New) Rounded

Fig. 12 (Old) Teardrop

Figs. 11 & 12 How handles join sugar bowls as seen from inside. Old handles form a pointed teardrop, new are rounded.

Fig. 13 (New) Spouts on new creamers rise above the top rim.

Fig. 14 (Old) Spouts on old creamers dip below the top rim.

Fig. 15 Candle-holder

Fig. 16 (New) There are vertical ridges around the socket.

Fig. 17 (Old) Sockets in old candleholders are smooth.

Fig. 18 GRILL PLATE New grill plates only have two sections; old grill plates have three sections;.

Fig. 19 SHAKERS The new shaker is a squat barrel shape. There are two styles of old shakers. Both old shakers are slender vertical shapes, one footed, the other with a flat bottom.

Fig. 20 (New) 7″ SOUP/CEREAL BOWL Decorative scroll in corner stops almost ¼" away from edge of bowl.

Fig. 21 (Old) Decorative scroll meets edge of bowl.

Fig. 22 (New) DINNER PLATE Beaded swag has 1/2″″ gap under scroll in corner.

Fig. 23 (Old) Virtually no gap, only normal spacing in beaded swag on old dinner plate.

Fig. 24 (New) New covered candy dish, left; footed goblet, right. Neither shape made in original 1930s Madrid.

Fig. 25 (New) New shapes not made in original 1930s Madrid: A. "hurricane lamp" made by attaching candle-holder to tumbler; B. tumbler; C. cake stand; candle-holder joined to dinner plate with edges turned up; D. same as C. but with flat edges.