Vintage Depression Glass Macbeth Evans Monax Petalware

Prices are impractical, supplies are short, but nothing gets you out of a depression like entertaining great friends with delicious food served on pretty plates. Sound familiar? Then you can relate to homemakers in the 1930’s. 

America was just coming out of a depression and as undeniably lovely as bone china is, it wasn’t attainable or practical for most households. They needed dishes that were pretty enough to entertain with, but cheap enough to be practical, and tough enough to withstand daily use. Thus was born one America’s greatest kitchen innovations - depression glass. 

There are all kinds of depression glass, but for me, no dishes more perfectly personify that practical luxury better than Macbeth Evans Monax. 

They made several patterns and colors, but my favorite is the understated, but super-chic Petalware. You’ll see it in a ton of my videos, and for good reason - not only is it timelessly pretty, it’s tougher than it looks, and goes with anything. 

Boho floral? Of course. Brutal modern? Absolutely perfect. Cottagecore? Made for it. You don’t even have to be in to vintage to appreciate this icon. 

Macbeth Evans wanted to make glass that could compete with even the finest bone China, and if you don’t know, one of the qualities of true bone China is how it’s so thin light can easily pass through it. So, they designed the edges with this translucent quality, which really elevated the style to a whole new level, and I just adore how the dishes take on the color of whatever you set them on with an almost ethereal glow.

And did I mention they’re tough? I mean, they’re still glass, don’t get me wrong, but if you’ve ever handled China you know how fragile and delicate it can be. But this plate is almost 100 years old, it has not been sitting in a cabinet gathering dust until the next holiday, it’s a daily user, and it looks as pretty as the day it was pressed. 

I’m kind of obsessed with it, but as popular as it was a 100 years ago, I’m always surprised how many people aren’t familiar with it. If you love it to, please fan-girl with me in the comments, and if your haven’t heard of Monax, check it out. It’s affordable to collect, and I don’t think it will never go out of style.