Opaline Glass: What It Is & How It's Made

Opaline glass is strikingly beautiful and comes in a wide variety of colors and pieces including bowls, vases, boxes, plates, lamps, and even pendants. Learn more about it and browse our collected decor pieces.

WHAT IS OPALINE GLASS?

Opaline is a style of glass popularized in Europe in the 1800s and expanding to other parts of the world in the 1900s. Opaline is made by infusing glass with other materials (originally bone ash and metal oxides) to create a wide array of different colors and patterns that are opaque or semi-opaque. Opaline glass is traditionally made by hand, resulting in unique, one-of-a-kind beauties. 

IS OPALINE URANIUM GLASS?

Yes and no... Green and yellow variations of opaline glass typically used uranium to give them their distinctive coloration in the 19th century. However, that method of coloration went out of style in more contemporary times. Other colors are created by adding other materials like sodium phosphate, calcium chloride, etc. To determine whether or not your green opaline glass contains uranium, see if it glows under UV light. This can also help you date when the piece could have been made! 

WHAT COLOR IS OPALINE?

Opaline is not a specific color itself - opaline glass comes in a wide variety of colors - typically the sweetest pastel tones you've ever seen. Depending on the lighting in the room, the colors can change ever so slightly given their semi-opaque nature. A wonder to behold! 

HOW TO IDENTIFY OPALINE GLASS

Opaline glass is traditionally made by hand, resulting in glass that is smooth with no seams. Due to the handmade nature of each piece, there may be minor variations from one piece to the next, which adds character and helps differentiate them from imitation pieces made in a uniform mold. Imitation is the finest form of flattery, but don't you want the real deal?!

Opaline glass is not typically branded or signed, but may include an identifying sticker label on pieces made in the mid-1900s. There may also be a pontil mark on the bottom where the piece was broken off from the rod, although some manufacturers choose to polish this away. If we are selling an antique or vintage piece, we do our very best to know what date range it could have come from! 

WHY IS OPALINE GLASS SO EXPENSIVE?

The labor-intensive process of hand making opaline glass meant that pieces were produced in small batches, commanding a premium. Because of the difficulty of making it, most manufacturers stopped producing opaline in favor of simplified clear glass. Today, opaline is increasingly rare and hard to find. Luckily for you, we're always striving to source pockets of what opaline glass is left in the world! 

OPALINE VS OPALITE VS OPAL

Despite the similar names, opaline, opalite and opal are significantly different. Opaline is a man-made colored glass, while opalite is a synthetic gemstone, and opal is a naturally occurring mineraloid. The similarity in name may be due to the wide variety of colors that all three materials exhibit. Store this little tidbit away for later.

HOW TO PRONOUNCE OPALINE

Opaline is pronounced “oh-puh-leen” or sometimes “oh-puh-lyn.” But of course, we won't judge you if you pronounce it your own way. 

SHOP OPALINE