Milk Glass King's Crown

I wish I had a dollar for every time someone said to me "Man is that ugly" while looking at milk glass King's Crown. I'd probably have enough money to buy....well....ahh.... at least another piece or 2 of King's Crown. I guess I'm facinated by it, because it is so strange looking. While reading an issue of Tiffin Glassmasters - Tiffin Glass Collectors Club Newsletter, I noticed a blurb about the white King's Crown. In Ed Goshe's article it said "Records are sketchy, but the first reference for King's Crown occurs in a 1952 price listing. A full line was produced in Milk Glass at Factory G. The pattern line number is 4016." Also this picture was in the newsletter. I saw and read that about the Milk Glass and I envisioned another collection taking place.

What exactly is Milk Glass you ask. I wondered that myself. I wrote to Rev. Marvin LeMaster, who was listed as a Milk Glass expert on the ASK THE EXPERTS, FREE! web site. He said some interesting things and cleared up my confusion about Milk Glass items. He said, "If you have a piece of white glass and are curious as to whether it is Milk Glass, normally you can apply the following rules and if you can answer yes to them, more likely than not the piece you have is Milk Glass.

1) The piece was not bought new in the last 10 to 20 years, refering to buying the piece in a store (pieces bought at either an Antique Store or Flea Market do not count, as both of these places specialize in the resale of objects).
2) When you try to look through the piece, it appears solid and can not be looked through.
3) The piece is White, Pink, Green, or Blue in color (Yes, Milk Glass is in different colors, However, even though all of the above colors are called "Milk Glass" the origional pieces that were named "Milk Glass" was White in color."

I was told a few years ago by a Milk Glass collector that I should hold a piece of Milk Glass up to the light and I should see a fire in it. My piece looked greenish held up to the light , which seemed quite cold to me. So, I asked Rev. LeMaster about this too. He said, "The note that you made about the piece that you have having a greenish tint to it when you look at it when you hold it up to the light is a good indication that the piece that you have is an older piece, many of the older Fostoria pieces have a slight greenish tint to them when held up to the light (note that I am not talking about the piece changing color, just a tint to the white)." So, according to what he said white King's Crown is indeed Milk Glass.

As to my collecting of the Milk Glass King's Crown...to date that collection is moving VERY slowly. When they said a full line of Milk Glass King's Crown was made, what did they do just make one of each piece?! I have a 5X5 inch compote, 6X5 inch stretched compote, the above pictured ashtray, 2 different sizes of tumblers and 1 size of goblet. I'm drooling to have the candy box.

So, I ask, when you are out hunting for King's Crown don't fixate on just looking for ruby or cranberry.... keep and eye out for the Milk Glass too and let me know where you find it. I know someone who collects it. wink wink