Heisey Glass Museum

10/15/2026

The mini sale has something for everyone. Stop by the museum Friday 10/16, 12-3pm to grab your treasure!

10/15/2026

10/03/2026

The following is an abbreviated version of a featured article from the October issue of Heisey News. If you’d like to see the full article along with many other educational articles about Heisey glassware, please consider becoming a Heisey member today! Learn how to become an HCA member here: https://heiseymuseum.org/join-heisey-collectors-of-america/

“No. 1183 Manicure Finger Rest” by Caitlyn Rainey

The manicure finger rest was first offered by Heisey in 1915, two years after the 1183 pattern number debuted, and was included in Catalogue No. 76, Supplement to Catalogue No. 75, and Price List No. 176, Supplement to Price List No. 175. In these documents, No. 1183 products were listed by type first, then by pattern number, and therefore the finger rest was placed on the Miscellaneous pages with candlesticks and bedroom sets.

In Price List No. 179, published January 1917, the 1183 items were now grouped together, with the manicure finger rest printed between a condiment set and a cigarette ash tray. In July of the same year, the rest was again offered in Price List No. 200. Both lists referenced Catalogue No. 77, Supplement to Catalogue No. 75, where the finger rest was illustrated amongst lemon dishes, marmalades, and mustards. This repeated positioning of the rest with unrelated goods suggests a struggle by Heisey to categorize it. Perhaps contributing to this uncertainty was the company having very few grooming or hygiene accessories for sale at the time.

The rest was no longer presented for purchase sometime after June 1919, when Price List No. 205 was released, due to its presumed unpopularity. There are no known advertisements featuring the rest, and therefore only a couple of company sourced images of it exist. Because of its rarity, the No. 1183 manicure finger rest is not yet in the museum’s collection. It is believed to be unmarked due to its size. While there are no published measurements for the rest, the base is estimated to be 1" in length, 1¼" in width, and 1" in height.

09/26/2026

Attention potential dealers! Do you need more funds to purchase Heisey? Do you have extra pieces in your collection gathering dust? Don't miss the opportunity to offer your treasures for sale at the Percy and Vivian Moore Weekend Mini Show on Thursday, Oct. 15, and Friday, Oct. 16, from 12 to 3 p.m. Bring your collection of stunning Heisey and other fine glassware. Spaces are only $25 for an 8-foot table. Act fast—limited spots available on a first-come, first-served basis. Contact the museum today to reserve your place! Call the museum at (740) 345-2932 or email at [email protected].

09/25/2026

Thanks to a generous donation the shop shelves are full of beautiful glass. See a piece that must be added to your collection? Call the museum at (740)345-2932 and we will ship it to you! The museum is open Tuesday - Saturday 10am - 4pm.

09/16/2026

🗓️Tomorrow, Wednesday, September 16, 2026 is member glass day!
⏰Sales will begin in person and by phone at 11:00am.
🛑No early sales, no holding in the phone lines. PLEASE DO NOT leave a voicemail for a call back.
Unfortunately, we do not have the manpower to check voicemails between orders.
Keep calling📱: 740-345-2932
You can still become a member: https://heiseymuseum.org/join-heisey-collectors-of-america/
Review the price list in the photos!

09/11/2026

The Heisey Glass Museum is happy to be taking part in the annual Ohio Open Doors event promoting bringing visitors into museums. This year staff is available 10am to 7pm to help find an awe-inspiring piece for every visitor. In the evening from 5 to 7 enjoy all that Veterans Park has to offer with The Heisey Glass Museum and Sherwood-Davidson remaining open for visitors and the night being capped off by a special ceremony honoring Revolutionary War Soldiers buried on the park grounds. It is sure to be an evening of interest and delight. We hope to see you there!

09/05/2026

In celebration of Labor Day on Monday we’re taking the opportunity to share a little Heisey labor history. The Heisey Glass Company was well known for its kind treatment of employees and support for their participation in unions. Many Heisey workers belonged to the American Flint Glass Workers Union (AFGWU) which was founded in Pittsburgh on July 1, 1878, and represented tens of thousands of skilled glass makers in the United States and Canada until its merger with the United Steelworkers Union (USW) in 2003.

Heisey records and local newspaper articles show that the company experienced very few labor struggles over its 62 years of operation. Only two strikes took place, in 1936 and 1950 primarily, over wage disputes and both tied to broader economic difficulties rather than poor company policies. Additionally, Heisey’s presidents were known to support union workers when possible. A.H. Heisey donated to the local unions on several occasions and both E. Wilson. and T. Clarence Heisey (A.H. Heisey’s sons) spoke at the welcome address for the AFGWU national conference held in Newark in 1936. It was not uncommon for Heisey employees to state that they felt like family and to express pride in their work for the company which may in part explain why Heisey glass maintains a reputation for its high quality.

Learn more about the history of the Heisey Glass Company at the Heisey Glass Museum open Tuesdays-Saturdays from 10am-4pm.

See what else the Heisey Glass Museum has to offer at our website here: https://heiseymuseum.org/

Research assistance for this post provided by the Licking County Historical Society

09/03/2026

It’s time for some more Heisey science! Did you know that pressed Heisey Crystal and some blown Heisey Crystal pieces glow yellow under a 365nm black light? This glow may make one wonder if Heisey Crystal is radioactive like uranium glass. It’s not. The glow is caused by an element called manganese which is a non-radioactive element often used by glassmakers as a clarifying agent. The sand used to make glass naturally contains iron which can give glass a green or aqua tint. Heisey added manganese to counteract this discoloration and create the high quality crystal we know today. But, be careful leaving Heisey crystal in the sun for too long. Manganese is also why prolonged exposure to sunlight can give Heisey Crystal a lavender or “sun purpled” tint. Additionally, collectors should be wary of glass that glows blue instead of yellow. Later clear glass reproductions of Heisey made by the Imperial Glass Corporation often glow blue because of their use of different clarifying agents.