Yes, vintage uranium glass can be valuable, but prices swing a lot. You can find small and common single pieces for $10 to $50 (like a Hazel-Atlas Florentine pitcher and a single Northwood custard punch cup), while rare pieces like Fenton topaz opalescent hobnail epergne can reach up to over $960.
Maker, color, form, and condition decide where yours lands. But since uranium glass is still being made, spotting genuine vintage pieces can be tricky.
In this guide, you’ll learn easy tips to identify uranium glass, whether it’s safe, what sets its value, and which pieces should be collected.
A Brief History
The making of uranium glass started in Bohemia in the 1830s. Bohemian glassmaker Franz Xaver Riedel is usually credited with adding uranium oxide to the batch, and the result was the yellow-green glass that glows.
Early Bohemian pieces are still called Annagelb (yellow) and Annagrün (green). American makers picked it up by the 1880s. But the real boom came during the Depression, when Anchor Hocking and Hazel-Atlas made a lot of cheap tableware.
Then, in 1942, the government restricted the use of uranium for the war. Production stopped for about fifteen years and resumed in 1959, now with depleted uranium, according to the ORAU Health Physics Museum.
Even today, smaller companies are making uranium glass. But it is quite difficult to recognize authentic vintage pieces.
Uranium Glass vs. Vaseline Glass vs. Depression Glass
Uranium glass is the umbrella term for any glass containing uranium oxide, usually 0.1% to 2% by weight. It almost always glows green under UV light because of fluorescence.
- Vaseline glass is the transparent, pale yellow-green glass named for its likeness to petroleum jelly. The ORAU museum says the name probably only dates from the 1950s; the older name was canary glass. So all vaseline glass is uranium glass, but not all uranium glass is vaseline.
- Custard and Burmese glass are uranium glass too, but opaque: custard is ivory-cream, and Burmese shades from pink to yellow. They glow under UV, but they are not vaseline glass, which is transparent.
- Depression glass is named by when and how it was made. It’s the machine-pressed, cheap tableware from roughly 1929 to 1939. A lot of green Depression glass happens to contain uranium, but plenty of pink, blue, or amber Depression glass doesn’t.
Types of Uranium Glass by Color: Green, Canary, Custard and Burmese
Most people think of uranium glass as classic transparent yellow-green. But it actually shows up in several shades because makers combined uranium with other minerals.
Not every old green glass contains uranium, though; the plain green kinds are covered in our guide to collectible vintage green glass.
Green is the most common. After that, you’ll see canary yellow (also called topaz), the opaque ivory of custard glass, and the pink-to-yellow shading of Burmese. Blue, pink, red, and purple uranium pieces are the rarest because most of these were made without uranium.
But almost all of it glows green under UV light, no matter what color it looks in daylight. That’s the giveaway.
Is Vintage Uranium Glass Safe?
Generally yes, as long as it is kept for display. The EPA says radioactive antiques such as vaseline glass are usually not a health risk while they are intact and in good condition.
Uranium glass only has small amounts of uranium, usually 0.1% to 2% by weight. Even for modeled glass with 10% uranium, well above the usual 2% or so, the NRC estimated a gamma dose rate one foot away that is well below the normal background rate.
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission exempts glassware with up to 10% uranium by weight from licensing, so owning it needs no license. Its 2001 study of exempt products (NUREG-1717) found the highest yearly dose linked to uranium glassware went to the workers who transport it, at about 4 mrem, roughly 1 to 2% of an average American’s yearly radiation exposure, as the ORAU museum page sums it up.
The uranium is not completely locked in, though: in a leaching test, tiny amounts moved into water and more into acetic acid, the acid in vinegar.
That said, most collectors avoid drinking or eating from uranium pieces, and the EPA advises against using vaseline glass to hold food or drink, because it can chip and you could swallow particles. And never use a piece with chips or cracked rims near food.
10 Valuable Vintage Uranium Glassware Pieces Worth Collecting
Below are some of the most collectible uranium glass pieces from top makers, each with its real price.
1. Fenton Hobnail Topaz Opalescent Epergne
Fenton’s Hobnail pattern has those little raised bumps all over the surface, kind of like tiny dew drops. The Topaz Opalescent hobnail color is what serious collectors chase.
It’s a canary yellow uranium glass with milky white opalescent edges. The first run lasted only about four years because the war shut down uranium access, so surviving pieces like the cookie jar and three-horn epergne are super rare.
- Estimated Value: $150 to $2,500+
- Production Years: 1940 to 1944 (reissued 1959 to 1962 and in 1980)
- What to Check: Raised bumps, opalescent white edges
- Quick Notes: Pre-1970 pieces are unmarked; verify with UV
2. Fenton Persian Medallion Burmese Fairy Lamp
The Persian Medallion pattern shows an intricate medallion design molded into the glass. In Fenton’s Burmese satin, a pink-to-yellow uranium glass, the three-piece fairy lamp is the piece to watch for. All three parts glow green under UV.
Complete sets with all three pieces in mint condition are what drive the value; missing shades or replaced parts drop the value fast.
- Estimated Value: $75 to $300 (the lamp above was listed at $950, sold via best offer)
- Production Years: 1970s onward
- What to Check: Three-piece complete set, medallion pattern
3. Mosser Uranium Hen on Nest
The Hen on Nest is a classic novelty covered dish that goes back to Victorian times. Mosser, in business since the early 1970s, has made them in Vaseline uranium glass. So these aren’t antique, but the vintage 70s and 80s pieces are quite collectible now.
Watch for the “M” mark under the tail to spot genuine examples.
- Estimated Value: $40 to $200 for common colors; more for rare colors
- Production Years: 1970s to present (Mosser)
- What to Check: “M” mark under tail
4. Mount Washington Burmese Footed Vase
Burmese sits at the top end of the uranium glass value. Mount Washington patented it in 1885, and the color shades naturally from salmon pink at the top to lemon yellow at the base, thanks to uranium and gold in the batch.
Every genuine piece glows green under UV. Fairy lamps and small footed vases are the most collected forms. However, reproductions are common, so check the marks.
- Estimated Value: $300 to $1,500+
- Production Years: 1885 to c. 1900
- What to Check: Pink-to-yellow shading, satin finish
- Quick Notes: Both American and Webb versions glow green
5. Cambridge #3011 Statuesque Nude Stem
The Statuesque line, often just called “Nude Stems,” has a figural stem shaped like a nude female figure supporting a clear or colored bowl. Cambridge made it in cobalt, amethyst, amber, crystal, and a rare vaseline uranium version.
The vaseline color is among the most valuable, so a single vaseline goblet pulls high prices.
The pair shown is in Cambridge’s paler green Pistachio color, sold as uranium glass, and went for $170 for both.
- Estimated Value: $85 to $800 (rare pieces on top end)
- Production Years: 1931 to 1958
- What to Check: Figural nude stem, three sizes
6. Anchor Hocking Cameo Ballerina Decanter and Tumbler Set
Cameo, nicknamed “Ballerina,” features a small dancing figure etched into the glass, surrounded by scrolls and floral swags. The pattern ran for only about four years (1930 to 1934). Most of it was made in green, with limited runs in yellow, pink, and crystal.
Green Cameo is often uranium glass and glows under UV, but test each piece, since not every green Depression piece contains uranium. Covered candy jars, footed vases, and salt-and-pepper shakers are the desirable forms.
- Estimated Value: $50 to $400+ per piece
- Production Years: 1930 to 1934
- What to Check: Etched dancing girl, floral swags
7. Anchor Hocking Princess Uranium Pitcher
Anchor Hocking’s “Princess” features ornate scrolls around the rim and floral swags around the body, with sharp corners on the lidded pieces. It was made in green, pink, topaz, and apricot yellow.
The pitcher is the most desirable form because fewer survived than plates and cups. Covered butter dishes and cookie jars run even higher. But make sure to confirm it’s uranium glass.
- Estimated Value: $100 to $500+ (green forms)
- Production Years: 1931 to 1935
- What to Check: Mold-etched scrolls, pointed finials
8. Victorian Bohemian Hand-Painted Satin Uranium Vase
The vase shown is a Victorian Bohemian satin vase from the 1890s, hand-painted with a bird in tall grasses, and its body glows green under UV. Later, European makers produced some of the most inventive uranium glass of the Art Deco era.
Walther & Söhne, Stölzle, and Jobling all made pressed pieces, many with bold geometric styling. These pieces are usually unsigned but identifiable by catalog patterns.
Jobling marked some with a raised registration number, which helps date them to the 1930s.
- Estimated Value: $100 to $700+
- Production Years: 1890s (vase shown); c. 1920 to 1940 (Art Deco pieces)
- What to Check: Hand-painted satin finish (Victorian); stepped geometric shapes, frosted finish (Art Deco)
9. Hazel-Atlas Florentine “Poppy No. 1” Pitcher
Florentine No. 1, also called “Poppy No. 1,” has embossed poppy flowers and a distinctive, scalloped, hexagonal base. Among green, pink, yellow, and cobalt pieces that Hazel-Atlas made, uranium examples are the most collectible.
Full luncheon sets and pitchers are desirable shapes. To identify genuine pieces, watch for the “H over A” mark on the base.
- Estimated Value: $30 to $300+ per piece
- Production Years: 1932 to 1935
- What to Check: Poppy flowers, scalloped hex base
10. Northwood Custard Grape and Cable Punch Cups
Grape and Cable is one of the most iconic American pattern glass designs ever made. It shows heavy grape clusters and vines wrapped with a cable border, all molded in high relief. In custard, the ivory-cream color glows a soft mossy green under UV.
Look for the “N” underlined in a circle on the base. Fruit bowls and covered butter dishes are the sought-after forms.
- Estimated Value: $35 per punch cup; $75 to $500 for bowls and butter dishes
- Production Years: c. 1909 to the late 1910s
- What to Check: Grape clusters, cable border, “N in circle” mark
How to Identify Real Uranium Glass: 4 Easy Steps
Identifying uranium glass isn’t hard once you know its key features. But telling the vintage stuff from modern reproductions takes a little more work. Use the following tests:
Step 1: The Blacklight Test
Grab a 365nm UV flashlight. This is the wavelength that makes uranium glass glow brightest. Longer wavelengths like 395nm work too, just not as dramatically. Take the piece into a dark room and shine the light directly at the glass.
Real uranium glass glows a bright, almost electric green. Not a dim shimmer, not a subtle tint. Also, it should look like the piece is lit from inside.
Modern non-uranium glass might reflect a little UV but won’t fluoresce.
How to Spot Uranium Glass Without a Blacklight
No UV light? There are still clues. In natural daylight, vaseline-type uranium glass often has a slightly oily look, like petroleum jelly, which is how it got its name. The color also shifts depending on the light, looking more yellow under incandescent bulbs and greener outdoors, where daylight’s UV sets off a faint glow.
And check the base. Hand-finished pieces from the 1800s show a pontil mark, which is the rough spot where the piece was broken off the blowpipe. Machine-made Depression pieces have smooth bases but often show mold seams running up the sides.
Step 2: The Geiger Counter Method
Uranium glass is technically radioactive, so a Geiger counter will pick it up when held close (the EPA notes that radiation from antiques like this can register on a hand-held counter). A basic handheld counter runs about $150 and confirms what your UV light already told you.
Most collectors don’t bother, but it’s useful for verifying rare or expensive pieces before you drop real money.
Step 3: Check Common Makers & Marks
Marks are useful, but most vintage uranium glass is unmarked. Depression era factories used pattern names in their catalogs, not stamps in the glass. But certain makers did leave marks, and knowing them helps.
Cross-reference the marks below against the pattern you’re looking at:
- Fenton – Pre-1970 pieces are unmarked. From 1970 onward, they carry a raised oval “Fenton” mark. An “8” under the “n” means 1980s, “9” means 1990s.
- Anchor Hocking – An anchor over a capital “H”. First used in 1938, according to Glass Bottle Marks, so the green Cameo and Princess pieces above (1930 to 1935) predate it. Early Depression pieces are often unmarked.
- Hazel-Atlas – An “H” over an “A” on the base. Used from 1923 into the 1960s.
- Northwood – An “N” underlined and enclosed in a circle. Used from about 1905 to 1915.
- Cambridge – A “C” inside a triangle, introduced in the 1920s. Pre-1920 pieces are usually unmarked.
- Mosser – A large “M” with a line under it. This is a modern maker, so seeing this mark means the piece is newer.
Step 4: Colors, Patterns, and Design Clues
Beyond marks, the construction itself tells you a lot. Pressed patterns with sharp, machine-made edges and visible mold seams running up the sides point to Depression era pieces from the 1920s and 30s.
Blown glass with irregularities, thin walls, and hand-worked rims points to Victorian pieces from before 1915.
Finish also matters. Custard glass has an opaque ivory-cream look and glows a softer, mossier green. Burmese shades range from pink at the top to yellow at the base, and they’re some of the most valuable uranium glass out there.
What Makes Vintage Uranium Glass Valuable?
Almost all uranium glass glows, but not every piece is worth chasing. Most common pieces sell for $15 to $50, but certain pieces go much higher: in the sales above, a Mosser hen on nest made $618 and a Fenton topaz opalescent hobnail epergne $967.85. The difference in values comes down to six factors:
- Rarity is the biggest driver. Short production runs, wartime discontinuations, and limited color runs all push prices up.
- Maker matters too. A signed Fenton, Cambridge, or Northwood piece usually outsells an unmarked one of the same form.
- Color is another value driver. Standard transparent green is common, so it stays cheap. Cobalt blue, aqua, and pink uranium pieces command a premium because they were made in much smaller quantities.
- Condition matters a lot. A chip on the rim of a vase can cut its value sharply. Even faint dishwasher haze can take a piece down to a fraction of its price.
- Form matters as well. Common tumblers and small plates stay affordable. But large centerpieces, epergnes, lidded candy dishes, pitchers, and figurals command real money because fewer survived.
- Provenance adds more value. Original boxes, documented estate history, or signed artist pieces can add noticeably to the price, especially for rare pieces.
Vintage uranium glass rewards the collectors who slow down and check. A UV flashlight in your pocket at the next estate sale tells you in seconds whether a piece is likely uranium glass. Then check the marks, base, and form to judge its actual age.
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