# Vaseline glass?  A.G. Smalley & Co.



## ROBBYBOBBY64 (Jan 13, 2021)

I purchased an A.G. Smalley pat. April 5, 1898 milk bottle that I now realize that under U.V. light it is fluorescent yellow/green. The bottle is clear (colorless) in natural light. Is this common or is it the type of glass, Vaseline glass? I put a ring which I made the cabochon out of depression glass green. It is in the last picture. What do you all think? Not depression glass but still fluorescent.
ROBBYBOBBY64.


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## RelicRaker (Jan 14, 2021)

How cool is that!


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## ROBBYBOBBY64 (Jan 14, 2021)

RelicRaker said:


> How cool is that!


I had it almost 2 years and had no idea it was fluorescent or that they made the smalleys in Vaseline glass.  Was this common? Was Vaseline glass clear in natural light or green?
ROBBYBOBBY64.


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## logan.the.collector (Jan 14, 2021)

ROBBYBOBBY64 said:


> I had it almost 2 years and had no idea it was fluorescent or that they made the smalleys in Vaseline glass.  Was this common? Was Vaseline glass clear in natural light or green?
> ROBBYBOBBY64.


I don't really know the background to that company but it makes me wonder if any seemingly normal bottles in my own collection could be like this haha! Really cool!


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## UncleBruce (Jan 14, 2021)

It makes me think that you would probably want to keep it away from the "family jewels"... just sayin'.


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## PlaneDiggerCam (Jan 20, 2021)

That is odd! I have a BIM perfume like this too (not as strong of a glow but it still does). It is definitely 1880s glass and only glows under UV!


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## nhpharm (Jan 20, 2021)

I have some clear bottles that do that but upon closer inspection they have all been coated or oiled, which explains it.  It would not be considered Vaseline glass, though...just clear glass that fluoresces.


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## K6TIM (Jan 20, 2021)

ROBBYBOBBY64 said:


> I purchased an A.G. Smalley pat. April 5, 1898 milk bottle that I now realize that under U.V. light it is fluorescent yellow/green. The bottle is clear (colorless) in natural light. Is this common or is it the type of glass, Vaseline glass? I put a ring which I made the cabochon out of depression glass green. It is in the last picture. What do you all think? Not depression glass but still fluorescent.
> ROBBYBOBBY64.


You have a vary old milk bottle.Since it's clear it isn't vaseline glass,but it does have uranium used in the bottle making which makes it glow under a black light.Vaseline glass  normal color is a lite to medium green color.(vaseline color)


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## ROBBYBOBBY64 (Jan 21, 2021)

K6TIM said:


> You have a vary old milk bottle.Since it's clear it isn't vaseline glass,but it does have uranium used in the bottle making which makes it glow under a black light.Vaseline glass  normal color is a lite to medium green color.(vaseline color)


That's what my research of it discovered. Yellow/green color for Vaseline glass. Uranium in the glass. No other glass i have does this. Odd because it is crystal clear in natural light. I thought re-used depression glass but that is wrong chronologically speaking. Thanks for the information.
ROBBYBOBBY64.


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## K6TIM (Jan 21, 2021)

ROBBYBOBBY64 said:


> That's what my research of it discovered. Yellow/green color for Vaseline glass. Uranium in the glass. No other glass i have does this. Odd because it is crystal clear in natural light. I thought re-used depression glass but that is wrong chronologically speaking. Thanks for the information.
> ROBBYBOBBY64.


Yes you have a nice find for sure.One it's a rare steel handle 1600's milk bottle.Why the bottle glows under a black lite is rare too!I It might  be the uranium added to the glass.personally I never seen clear glass piece glow?? No it's isn't depression glass! that glass wasn't made until the early 30's.Yours is a late 1800's bottle! 
You might go to a web site called historic bottle web site.This is real great page about old glass!
K6TIM/TIM


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## ROBBYBOBBY64 (Jan 21, 2021)

1898- 1910. 1912 when they were phased out in favor of machine made milk bottles more accurate contents.
ROBBYBOBBY64.


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## ROBBYBOBBY64 (Jan 21, 2021)

K6TIM said:


> New term needed? Not depression or Vaseline. Still fluorescent.  Uranium glass is used already. I wish I had more to know if this is common or uncommon occurrence. I used a 365 nm Uv light if interested in duplicating.
> ROBBYBOBBY64.


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## Jamdam (Jan 21, 2021)

I collect teakettle inks and there is a large group of them in “uranium” glass as described by Joe Mathews in his teakettle inkwell price bible. Attached is an example from my collection. I understand there was a lot of plate ware made from similar material.


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## Jamdam (Jan 21, 2021)

This is from Joe’s book.


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## Nickneff (Jan 21, 2021)

Jamdam said:


> I collect teakettle inks and there is a large group of them in “uranium” glass as described by Joe Mathews in his teakettle inkwell price bible. Attached is an example from my collection. I understand there was a lot of plate ware made from similar material. View attachment 217530View attachment 217531


 very nice looking tea kettles I really like them they're very cool I dug a really nice ink a couple of years ago it was a ponil umbrella ink JW seating Louisville Kentucky 3 years before that I done got another beautiful umbrella ink pontil the color was puce extremely rare mint condition both bottles


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## macjxl (Jan 21, 2021)

ROBBYBOBBY64 said:


> I purchased an A.G. Smalley pat. April 5, 1898 milk bottle that I now realize that under U.V. light it is fluorescent yellow/green. The bottle is clear (colorless) in natural light. Is this common or is it the type of glass, Vaseline glass? I put a ring which I made the cabochon out of depression glass green. It is in the last picture. What do you all think? Not depression glass but still fluorescent.
> ROBBYBOBBY64.


May I please share your photos with a milk bottle collectors facebook group?


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## ROBBYBOBBY64 (Jan 21, 2021)

macjxl said:


> May I please share your photos with a milk bottle collectors facebook group?


Sure.
ROBBYBOBBY64.


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## Jamdam (Jan 21, 2021)

macjxl said:


> May I please share your photos with a milk bottle collectors facebook group?


Sure.


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## Jamdam (Jan 21, 2021)

Lol


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## macjxl (Jan 21, 2021)

Pre 1915 clear glass used manganese as a bleaching agent. Without it, glass had a green tinge. Manganese & uranium both glow green under UV light. If exposed to large amounts of UV or nuclear radiation, glass containing manganese turns purple. In this instance, I'd say your "jewels" are safe.


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## K6TIM (Jan 21, 2021)

I don't know of any other glass that glows other than vaseline glass? That is always up to question?? I love the turtle inks those a pretty!---Tim


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