Federal Glass from the
Glass Encyclopedia

Federal Glass was established in Columbus Ohio in 1900 by George and Robert J. Beatty, from the successful Beatty glass manufacturing family. In 1901 they advertised only tumblers, and in 1906 they were listed as manufacturers of bottles and jars (see Bottle Makers and their marks, by Toulouse).

By 1914 the Federal Glass catalog included a full range of pressed glass in imitation cut glass patterns and other fashionable designs of that period (see Tom Klopp's article in The Glass Collector for pictures from this catalog) They appear to have made only clear flint glass at this time, no colored glass.

By comparing the Federal Glass catalog with U.S. Glass catalogs and other publications, Klopp concludes that some 75% of the patterns Federal produced during this period were made from molds they had acquired from other manufacturers, especially US Glass. These included "Peacock Feather", "Caledonia", and some from the "Kansas" pattern.

There were other glass manufacturers making some of the same patterns as Federal, both before and after 1914, including Kokomo Glass (which became Jenkins Glass) and the Co-operative Flint Glass Company of Beaver Falls.

In addition to pressed glass tableware, Federal Glass produced a range of glass specifically intended to be used as packaging for grocery items.

A catalog of Federal Glass packaging items from around 1913 includes salt, pepper and spice shakers, goblets, measuring jugs, and jars shaped like tumblers. Even at this early date, the company had its own mold-making department; and they were still making hand-blown and decorated tumblers.

By the 1920s Federal Glass were making full sets of tableware and their patterns from the 20s and 30s are typical Depression Glass sets, collected enthusiastically by many people today. They include "Colonial Fluted" or "Rope" (1929-33); "Raindrops" or "Optic Design" (1929-33); "Parrot" (1931-32); "Georgian" or "Lovebirds" (1931-36); "Patrician" or "Spoke" (1933-37); "Normandie" or "Bouquet and Lattice" (1933-40); "Mayfair" 1934; and "Diana" (1937-41). Many of these Depression Glass pieces carry the Federal Glass trademark of an F in a shield.