Vaseline Glass

The Sterling Hill Mine Museum had a great display of phosphorescent items- including this lovely set of Vaseline glass. It gets its name from having a similar color to the well-known petroleum product but that's not how it gets its luminescent glow. That comes from a radio-active ingredient in the glass! But don't worry, it's so low you'll never be harmed by it (it's far less than an x-ray).

[Taffy]

It looks almost like it was painted with something radioactive! Very intriguing.

[Milanie]

I like Taffy's comment - they do appear that way.

[Marnie]

Oh crikey, very Chernobyl with that evil green glow.

[Dawn]

Wow so cool a colour

[Caterina]

Never heard of it. Interesting

[Rob Z]

Fabulous collection of this amazing glassware. And you have really shown it glowing beautifully.

[Myrna O'Hara]

How interesting and a very cool shot. I'm just glad I don't manufacture it.

[Babs]

My Mum used to have a dressing table set of green glass

[Lou Ann]

Oh my. This is amazing. Is it depression glass? I’ve never seen it in this color.

[katy]

Beautiful glass! Terrific composition for your photo and fascinating information. Thanks , Ann

[mittens (Marilyn)]

They are beautiful.

[Helen Jane]

Sounds like a fascinating and very educational museum you went to. A fine collection photographed here.

[Ann H. LeFevre]

@louannwarren Yes, it could be considered Depression Glass in the generic sense but I think they started manufacturing it well before- I'd have to double check on that with my antique glass collecting friend who's more of an expert than I.

@taffy @milaniet @golftragic @robz @sailingmusic The glow is produced by putting the glass under black light. Without the light it has a very ordinary color that is similar to Vaseline gel. The element that makes the glass glow is extremely minimal in the glass- WAY less than what you get exposed to when someone takes your x-ray- like your dentist. But it does sound funny to say the glass is radioactive, doesn't it?

@taffy @milaniet @golftragic @Dawn @caterina @robz @sailingmusic @onewing @louannwarren @grammyn @mittens @helenhall

Thank you Taffy, Milanie, Marnie, Dawn, Caterina, Rob, Myrna, Babs, Lou Ann, Katy, Marilyn, and Helen!

@onewing I'm sure it was quite pretty!

[Pyrrhula]

Stunting green color and a great capture of those nice glasses.

[Ann H. LeFevre]

@pyrrhula Thank you very much Ferry!

[Sally Ings]

Suck a vibrant colour! At first I wondered whether you had given it some "Ann treatment"!

[Ann H. LeFevre]

@salza Thank you Sally! No, I didn't have to on this one- but I can see why you thought that. Actually this building had four rooms all lit up in black light to display these rocks and items made from the phosphorescent minerals in them. It really glowed!