Stretch Glass Companies

H. Northwood & Company

Wheeling, West Virginia (1888-1925)

Stretch Glass Dates: 1916-1925

Stretch Glass Line Name: Rainbow Line

Colors:

Blue - the common Celeste-type blue

dark blue - a darker shade of Blue

light blue-green - mainly Tree-of-life forms, a light, almost aquamarine, shade

dark green - a dark, emerald green color

Ivory - opaque yellow-white or custard color

Jade Blue - an opaque to translucent blue to blue-green glass

marigold - crystal glass with orange-gold iridescence

opaque white - opaque white glass, like milk glass

Pearl - crystal glass with white iridescence

Royal Purple - uncommon light violet colored glass

Russet - a unique green-brown-yellow or olive-amber glass

Sateena - a dark amber glass

Topaz - yellow-green glass, commonly called vaseline

H. Northwood & Company made a great amount of stretch glass and produced several unique colors - an emerald green, Jade Blue, custard (Ivory), opaque white, Russet and a dark amber. The Jade Blue and Russet colors have made attribution of bowls and plates relatively easy.

Most of Northwood's pieces have standard "snapped-up" bases, but some "stuck-up" pieces with ground bases are known. Northwood also made a couple of bowls and plates using the "ground marie" technique. These "ground maries" are often confused with ground pontils of true art glass.

Our collection has centered on Russet and Jade Blue pieces, but we really like the emerald green, custard, and Royal Purple pieces. Of course, the opaque white pieces are outstanding but very subtle in their stretch effect!

What is called the "Tree-of-Life" forms are highly prized by carnival as well as stretch glass collectors. An entire collection of these pieces would be very difficult to achieve - every color and form - but certainly a worthwhile endeavor. These, and a panelled sherbet, are the only stretch pieces that have the N-in-a-circle mark.