Viking Glass Item 1119
This page has been dedicated to a specific set of vintage glassware that we will mostly refer to as bowls or artifacts, based on their shape and age. We know these artifacts were produced as a limited run over three years, from 1962 through 1964, by the Viking Glass Company, as part of their Epic line, in or around New Martinsville, West Virginia, USA.
These were originally advertised as cigar ashtrays or tobacciana. They have since been repurposed as candy dishes, trinket bowls, ceremonial sage holders and, our favorite, palantiri conduits... second favorite, Infinity Bowls. Several similar vintage art glass products made by Viking and others were produced in the same era, but these particular commodities were distinct in their thickness, weight, curvature, symmetry and clearly demarcated hemispherical central concavity. While slight variations exist in size and shape, these bowls are remarkably standardized and symmetrical.
Each bowl is about 23 centimeters (9 inches) tip to tip, depending on how flatly the petals are arranged. While measurements vary slightly between bowls, uniformity and symmetry within each bowl appears to be very consistent. As a result, height ranges from about 5 to 6.5 centimeters (2 to 2.5 inches). Each bowl also weighs between 2 and 2.5 pounds, averaging 1 kilogram (2.2 pounds). When weighed, our current set is as follows:
These were originally advertised as cigar ashtrays or tobacciana. They have since been repurposed as candy dishes, trinket bowls, ceremonial sage holders and, our favorite, palantiri conduits... second favorite, Infinity Bowls. Several similar vintage art glass products made by Viking and others were produced in the same era, but these particular commodities were distinct in their thickness, weight, curvature, symmetry and clearly demarcated hemispherical central concavity. While slight variations exist in size and shape, these bowls are remarkably standardized and symmetrical.
Each bowl is about 23 centimeters (9 inches) tip to tip, depending on how flatly the petals are arranged. While measurements vary slightly between bowls, uniformity and symmetry within each bowl appears to be very consistent. As a result, height ranges from about 5 to 6.5 centimeters (2 to 2.5 inches). Each bowl also weighs between 2 and 2.5 pounds, averaging 1 kilogram (2.2 pounds). When weighed, our current set is as follows:
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Bluenique 1: 912 grams (2.011 pounds)
Bluenique 2: 937 grams (2.066 pounds) Bluenique 3: 958 grams (2.112 pounds) Bluenique 4: 996 grams (2.196 pounds) Lilac (1): 970 grams (2.156 pounds) Honey (1): 978 grams (2.161 pounds) Avocado (1): 982 grams (2.165 pounds) Amberina (1): 1036 grams (2.282 pounds) |
Ruby 1: 1000 grams (2.205 pounds)
Ruby 2: 1026 grams (2.262 pounds) Ruby 3: 1049 grams (2.313 pounds) Ruby 4: 1073 grams (2.366 pounds) Persimmon 1: 996 grams (2.196 pounds) Persimmon 2: 1018 grams (2.244 pounds) Persimmon 3: 1035 grams (2.244 pounds) Persimmon 4: 1098 grams (2.421 pounds) |
The six-petal 1119 design was introduced in 1962. They are documented as having been hand blown in a variety of colors, seven of which are displayed here, but only six official colors were noted. Viking Glass catalogs and price guides referenced this offering as Item 1119. Production variants are noted by color, both confirmed and theoretical.
Viking Glass Item 1119 variations:
1962 - Lilac/Teaberry: A light to medium translucent lavender color, not widely referenced among the known variants. Later referred to as Lilac Teaberry, this 1119 variant was only known to have been produced for one year.
1962, 1963, 1964 - Bluenique/Blue: A distinctive light to medium translucent cobalt-like blue color. Bluenique was offered for all three years of production.
1962, 1963, 1964 - Persimmon/Orange: A vibrant light to medium orange, ranging from fully translucent to slightly frosted in appearance. Persimmon was offered for all three years of production.
1963 (or possibly unique) - Vermillion/Amberina: A distinctive translucent red-orange color, though Viking Glass did not apply the term “amberina” to its products until immediately after the 1119 was discontinued. Whether a style, process, color code, or subgroup, some collectors consider this to be a variation of persimmon, while others consider it a variation of ruby. We collected it as a de facto variant.
What experts do agree upon is that Viking Glass produced 11 variations of orange, but none of them displayed a red hue. Further distinguishing this particular 1119, is that it appears primarily orange under artificial lighting and mostly red in sunlight.
1962, 1963, 1964 - Ruby/Red: A medium to deep translucent red color that remains popular among collectors, particularly since this variant incorporated gold chloride. Ruby was offered for all three years of production.
1964 - Honey/Amber: A light to medium translucent yellow color, or amber hue, resembling honey. This 1119 variant was only known to have been produced for one year.
1964 - Avocado/Green: A light to medium translucent green with slight yellow undertones. This 1119 variant was only known to have been produced for one year.
Theoretically, the following 1119 variants might also exist:
Emerald/Green: A dark translucent green variant reported to have been seen by some collectors. As such, its existence has only been anecdotally supported.
Crystal/Clear: A clear fully translucent variant. This 1119 variant remains unverified.
Early Bluenique/Teal: A translucent greenish-blue color. This 1119 variant remains unverified.
Tawny/Brown: A medium to dark translucent orange-brown color. This 1119 variant remains unverified.
Amethyst/Purple: A dark translucent purple color. This 1119 variant remains unverified.
Colonial Blue/Sky Blue: A light translucent pale blue color. This 1119 variant remains unverified.
Viking Glass Item 1119 variations:
1962 - Lilac/Teaberry: A light to medium translucent lavender color, not widely referenced among the known variants. Later referred to as Lilac Teaberry, this 1119 variant was only known to have been produced for one year.
1962, 1963, 1964 - Bluenique/Blue: A distinctive light to medium translucent cobalt-like blue color. Bluenique was offered for all three years of production.
1962, 1963, 1964 - Persimmon/Orange: A vibrant light to medium orange, ranging from fully translucent to slightly frosted in appearance. Persimmon was offered for all three years of production.
1963 (or possibly unique) - Vermillion/Amberina: A distinctive translucent red-orange color, though Viking Glass did not apply the term “amberina” to its products until immediately after the 1119 was discontinued. Whether a style, process, color code, or subgroup, some collectors consider this to be a variation of persimmon, while others consider it a variation of ruby. We collected it as a de facto variant.
What experts do agree upon is that Viking Glass produced 11 variations of orange, but none of them displayed a red hue. Further distinguishing this particular 1119, is that it appears primarily orange under artificial lighting and mostly red in sunlight.
1962, 1963, 1964 - Ruby/Red: A medium to deep translucent red color that remains popular among collectors, particularly since this variant incorporated gold chloride. Ruby was offered for all three years of production.
1964 - Honey/Amber: A light to medium translucent yellow color, or amber hue, resembling honey. This 1119 variant was only known to have been produced for one year.
1964 - Avocado/Green: A light to medium translucent green with slight yellow undertones. This 1119 variant was only known to have been produced for one year.
Theoretically, the following 1119 variants might also exist:
Emerald/Green: A dark translucent green variant reported to have been seen by some collectors. As such, its existence has only been anecdotally supported.
Crystal/Clear: A clear fully translucent variant. This 1119 variant remains unverified.
Early Bluenique/Teal: A translucent greenish-blue color. This 1119 variant remains unverified.
Tawny/Brown: A medium to dark translucent orange-brown color. This 1119 variant remains unverified.
Amethyst/Purple: A dark translucent purple color. This 1119 variant remains unverified.
Colonial Blue/Sky Blue: A light translucent pale blue color. This 1119 variant remains unverified.
While, additional color variants may exist, they have not been documented in available catalogs or price listings. That said, it is commonly accepted that vintage art glass companies were notorious for one-offs. Even after a company stopped commercially mass-producing any given particular item, it still maintained said molds for additional casting, if desired.
Per the Journal and Antiques and Collectibles: "Viking introduced a burst of color into its product lines in 1951, first with evergreen, amber, ebony, cobalt blue, sky blue, and ruby colors, and then in 1953 adding amethyst, charcoal, cherry glo, colonial blue, harvest gold, and olive green to the mix. New colors continued to be added into the 1960s but by 1964, the Company had reduced the number of color choices from over 30 to seven: amberina, avocado green, bluenique, crystal, honey, persimmon, and ruby." - (correction) The 1964 Viking Glass Catalog listed ten colors across multiple items: amethyst, avocado green, bluenique, colonial blue, emerald, crystal, honey, persimmon, ruby, and tawny. Again, while examples of 1119 in amberina/vermillion do indeed exist, the color was not formally established in marketing materials.
While many glass makers began using alternatives to precious metal inclusion in the 1950s and 1960s, Viking Glass continued to use gold in the production of ruby red glass during the early 1960s, including in 1964. The process of creating ruby glass typically involved adding gold chloride to the glass mixture, which imparted the distinctive deep red color. The use of gold was expensive, but it produced a vibrant color that was highly sought after. Other metallic oxides could create similar colors, but the depth and quality of the ruby red achieved with gold was often unmatched.
Item 1119 listed for $3.50 or $4.50 in 1964, which equated to about $35.40 or $45.51 in 2024, an increase of 911.34% over 60 years according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics consumer price index. These prices reflect an item that is new and readily available, rather than vintage and scarce, which would be expected to carry a premium.
Color variation between bowls also varies slightly with some blue artifacts being ever-so-slightly greener overall and some orange artifacts ranging from fully transparent and light to noticeably darker and ever-so-slightly opaque, giving an almost frosted character. These slight variations support the claim that the bowls were individually hand blown. The current set has earned an enduring place online as a tribute to its awesomeness.
We collected six distinct colors and several variants over five years of routine Internet scouring, attesting to their rarity. Seems that very few remain in circulation these days. As artifacts, they are incredible and warrant high value for their beauty and function, whatever that function may be.
Item 1119 listed for $3.50 or $4.50 in 1964, which equated to about $35.40 or $45.51 in 2024, an increase of 911.34% over 60 years according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics consumer price index. These prices reflect an item that is new and readily available, rather than vintage and scarce, which would be expected to carry a premium.
Color variation between bowls also varies slightly with some blue artifacts being ever-so-slightly greener overall and some orange artifacts ranging from fully transparent and light to noticeably darker and ever-so-slightly opaque, giving an almost frosted character. These slight variations support the claim that the bowls were individually hand blown. The current set has earned an enduring place online as a tribute to its awesomeness.
We collected six distinct colors and several variants over five years of routine Internet scouring, attesting to their rarity. Seems that very few remain in circulation these days. As artifacts, they are incredible and warrant high value for their beauty and function, whatever that function may be.
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