You might remember this special item in your parents’ or grandparents’ house. This unusual glass piece came in many different colors, patterns and sizes. But it was shaped like a hen sitting on a nest and served as a covered dish. It was made of glass.
This style came to America from England in the 1700s. Back then being made in England and then imported, they were very expensive. By the 19th century (1800s), companies started making this style in America for much less cost. With mass production of pressed glass increased many colors and models a company could make were limitless. From 1890 to 1920 the number of manufacturers selling their hen on nest dishes in the U.S. was astonishing.
Some of the companies manufacturing the glass hen in a nest included Indiana Glass, Westmoreland, Boyd, Fenton and Anchor-Hocking. Those made in different sizes were used for different purposes. A large hen dish was for candy or nuts. The small dish held trinkets or salt. The sizes in length went from 2 inches to 8 inches. People loved to use any size because there was a cover for whatever was in the dish.
Companies also came up with different species to feature in a nest. There was added a frog on a nest, also ducks, geese and any number of other animals.
The most popular colors were white milk glass and clear. However, if looking, just about any color can be found with the hen on a nest.
Check with your relatives, see if any of these are in a cabinet or hutch.
Photo: Indiana Glass Co. its blue-carnival hen on a nest.
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