Higbee Glass: Pressed Pattern Glass with the Trademark Bee

Higbee glass refers to pressed pattern glass produced by the J.B. Higbee Glass Company of Bridgeville, Pennsylvania, which operated from 1907 to 1918. The company is best known for acquiring molds from the defunct Bryce Brothers glassworks and marking pieces with a distinctive small bee embossed in the glass -- making Higbee one of the few early American glass companies whose products are easily identifiable by a consistent trademark.

Identifying Higbee Glass

The key identifier is the small embossed bee, typically found on the base or underside of pieces. Not every piece bears the mark, as the company also produced unmarked wares. Higbee primarily made clear pressed glass in traditional patterns, though some pieces appear in limited colors.

Common patterns include:

• Paneled Thistle -- the most recognized Higbee pattern, featuring thistles in recessed panels
• Alfa (also called New Martinsville's #88 when reissued)
• Madora -- a geometric pressed design
• Perkins -- a simple, elegant tableware line
• Colonial variants reissued from original Bryce molds

Types of Pieces

Higbee produced full tableware lines: goblets, tumblers, compotes, butter dishes, creamers, sugar bowls, celery vases, berry bowls, cruets, and cake stands. Paneled Thistle is found in the widest range of forms.

Auction Price Ranges

Pieces bearing the bee trademark command a 20-40% premium over identical unmarked examples.

Condition Factors

• Chips on pressed glass rims reduce value by 50% or more
• Original stoppers on cruets are essential -- replacement stoppers cut value significantly
• Clarity of the bee mark affects desirability; strong, clear marks bring premiums
• Pattern sharpness matters -- worn molds produced softer detail in later runs
• Staining or cloudiness from mineral deposits can often be cleaned, but etching from hard water is permanent

Collecting Tips

Paneled Thistle is the entry point for most Higbee collectors and remains the most available pattern at shows and online. The bee mark makes authentication straightforward, but be aware that after Higbee closed in 1918, many molds were sold to New Martinsville Glass Company, which continued production without the bee. Pieces without the bee may be either early Higbee production or later New Martinsville reissues -- provenance and glass quality help distinguish them.

Look for unusual forms within common patterns, as production runs varied. Complete table settings in Paneled Thistle remain achievable for patient collectors at reasonable cost, making Higbee an accessible area of early American pressed glass collecting.