Canary glass

MFA Acc. #: 1979.667

Description

A transparent, bright yellow glass colored with uranium oxide (about 2%). Canary glass, or Vaseline glass, was first manufactured in the 1850's and was very popular between 1860 and 1890. The yellow glass often has a greenish hue and a greasy feel. The presence of Uranium dioxide causes canary glass to glow a bright yellow-green color under long wave ultraviolet radiation (UV-A).

Synonyms and Related Terms

uranium glass. vidro de urânio (Port.); Vaseline glass; topaz glass; lemon-yellow glass

Sources Checked for Data in Record

• Dictionary of Building Preservation, Ward Bucher, ed., John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York City, 1996

• Website address 1 Comment: http://www.southern-belle.com/vase1.shtml