Uranium Glass

Have you ever seen vintage glass that glows?

It’s always Good to Know more about the vintage and antiques we love.

What makes it glow?

One of the most recognizable types of glowing vintage glass is uranium glass. Beginning in the 1800s, small amounts of uranium were added during glassmaking to create beautiful shades of yellow and green. Under ultraviolet light, also called UV light or black light, the uranium causes the glass to fluoresce an incredible bright green.

You may also hear the names Vaseline glass and Canary glass. Vaseline glass traditionally refers to transparent yellow or yellow green uranium glass and gets its name from its resemblance to petroleum jelly. Canary glass is an older name you may come across for yellow uranium glass.

A glow is a clue

Something important to know when you start looking for it is that not every piece of vintage glass that glows is uranium glass. Different ingredients used in glassmaking can fluoresce under UV light too. Manganese, cadmium and selenium are a few other names you may come across when learning about glowing vintage glass. A glow can be a great clue, but it doesn’t automatically mean you’ve found uranium.

Good to know about handling

Uranium glass really is radioactive. Most uranium glass will register as radioactive, but the amount of radiation associated with collectible pieces is considered very low, and the Corning Museum of Glass considers it safe to handle.

Bring a collection to life

One of our favorite things about uranium glass is how beautiful it can be on display. We have several pieces in our own kitchen, including a biscuit jar, a swung vase and a Vaseline glass pedestal bowl. Black lights or UV lighting can be added to a cabinet or shelf to illuminate a collection and completely change the way it looks when the lights go down.

A little tool for sourcing

Uranium glass can turn up in all kinds of places, including thrift stores. A few years ago, Jacob and I found a whole cart full of uranium glass! You really never know where a piece might be hiding, so it’s always worth keeping an eye out.

If you’re a vintage seller, a black light flashlight is one of those little tools we consider a must have. We keep ours with us while sourcing so we can check pieces on the spot, and we use it during our Whatnot shows whenever we have glowing glass so our viewers can see the glow for themselves. It’s inexpensive, easy to throw in your bag and one of those tools you’ll be glad you have when you need it.

This is the black light flashlight we use and recommend.

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Inspiration photos are not ours. Images were found through Pinterest and are shared for inspiration. Explore our inspiration board for the original Pins and sources.