Imperial Glass Values: Iron Cross Mark and Carnival Pieces
Imperial Glass Company of Bellaire, Ohio operated from 1901 until 1984 and left behind one of the most varied production histories in American pressed glass. Early Imperial carnival glass from 1909-1930 is actively collected; the Candlewick pattern, produced 1936-1984, has its own devoted following; and Imperial's later reproductions of Heisey and Cambridge molds represent a third collecting category. The Iron Cross mark (used 1914-1920s) and the IG mark (used 1950s onward) help date pieces and separate original production from mold-acquired reproductions.
Imperial Carnival Glass Values
Imperial produced carnival glass from approximately 1909-1930 in patterns including Windmill, Pansy, Double Dutch, Rays and Ribbons, and Lustre Rose. Common marigold pieces sell for $20-$80; purple and green carnival in desirable patterns run $50-$250. Electric blue and helios green (a lime-olive iridescent) are rarer and command $80-$400 for standard forms. Aqua opalescent in Imperial patterns is extremely scarce and can reach $500-$2,000. Imperial carnival is generally slightly less valued than Fenton or Northwood carnival of similar rarity because the collector base is smaller.
Candlewick — Imperial's Most Popular Line
Candlewick, introduced in 1936, is Imperial's most recognizable and most collected pattern — a clear pressed glass line with ball-and-bead borders used across hundreds of forms over nearly 50 years of production. Basic serving pieces (salad plates, cups, saucers) sell for $5-$20 each. Large serving pieces — punch bowls, torte plates, epergnes — run $40-$200. Candlewick in color is rare and extremely desirable: ruby red Candlewick sells for 4-6x clear prices. Partial sets are common at estate sales; complete 8-person sets in crystal sell for $200-$600 depending on piece count.
Imperial Mold Acquisitions — Heisey and Cambridge Pieces
Imperial purchased Heisey molds in 1958 and Cambridge molds in 1960, producing pieces from original molds for decades. These pieces are legitimate collectibles but valued at 20-50% of original Heisey or Cambridge equivalents. Imperial's IG mark (often accompanied by Heisey by Imperial paper labels) distinguishes acquired-mold production. Imperial Heisey animal figurines in slag glass — caramel, milk white, and green slag — are collected in their own right, with prices ranging $30-$200 for common animals and $200-$600 for rarer forms in unusual colors.
Free-Hand and Lead Glass Lines
Imperial's Free-Hand art glass (1922-1928) is among its most valuable production — hand-blown iridescent pieces with trailed decoration, produced in small quantities and unsigned. Free-Hand vases and bowls sell for $200-$1,500 depending on complexity and color. Imperial also produced lead glass under the Nucut trademark (1914-1930s) — pressed glass with deep geometric cutting that resembles cut crystal. Nucut pieces sell for $15-$80 for standard forms; large Nucut punch bowls reach $80-$200. Both lines appear occasionally at estate sales mislabeled as generic glassware.
The Iron Cross Mark and Dating
Imperial's Iron Cross mark — a cross with flanged ends — was used from approximately 1914 until the mid-1920s when it fell out of favor during post-WWI anti-German sentiment. The mark is molded into the glass base and appears primarily on pressed pattern glass and some early carnival. Iron Cross marked pieces command a small premium (10-20%) over unmarked Imperial equivalents as a reliable dating indicator. The later IG mark was registered in 1951 and appears on post-1950 production; its presence confirms the piece is not early carnival or pre-Depression production.
Imperial glass at estate sales, flea markets, and garage sales is often priced as generic glassware. List it correctly on FindA.Sale with a photo of the base mark — collectors searching for Candlewick or Imperial carnival will find it.