Is it Boopie or Candlewick?

Yesterday, while Chicken’s Auntie and I were out and about on our road trip to Holly, I remembered she had asked about a photo I had taken earlier of some of my “stuff” when I was digging through some cabinets. She had asked “What is Boopie glass?” So when I saw a cordial glass, I pointed it out to her. She then asked “How come it’s called Boopie?” I had to admit that I didn’t know. I didn’t even know if Boopie was Candlewick, or another brand. I had just always assumed it was Candlewick, by the Imperial Glass Company, and it referred to the water goblets, cordial glasses, and other glasses made with the ball feet.

Of course, Auntie suggested that I research it! It is kind of a standing joke with us…dating way back when we first started working together. I would ask for help with a computer problem and she would say, “Did you check the helps?” LOL! I love it! Now, thanks to Auntie, I try to dig in and do the research and check the helps to get the scoop. But sometimes, I still ask her first because she is such a wealth of knowledge on so many subjects!

So here is what I found out to try to answer her question, “What is Boopie?”


Imperial Glass Company was started in 1901 by a former riverboat captain named Edward Muhleman, who also had many years experience in the glass industry. He decided to build his new glass factory in Bellaire, Ohio (also known as “Glass City”) close to the river. It took three years of planning and building before they were ready to start production, and just a few months into 1904, they were shaping up to be a major force in the glass industry. They started with all of the usual pressed glass household items and ventured into carnival glass in 1909. The first series of Candlewick were put into production in 1920, and was formally introduced at the Wheeling Centennial Celebration in 1936.

The Candlewick design (which started with around 40 items jumped to around 200 items by the 1950’s) quickly became one of their strongest selling glassware patterns.Production of Candlewick ran until the mid 50's.

Anchor Hocking was started in 1937 when Anchor Cap, the Closure Corporation and Hocking Glass Company all merged together. They are still in operation today and are primarily located in Lancaster, Ohio with one plant in Monaca, Pennsylvania. The first glassware produced under the new Anchor Hocking name was Royal Ruby in 1939. I really had a hard time finding information on Anchor Hocking’s history and their Boopie pattern in particular. From the many articles I’ve read, it seems the original name was Berwick and was created around 1950, but most people are only familiar with the name Boopie (which was coined by Hazel Marie Weatherman, who in the 1970’s published several books on depression era glassware).

The best way to tell the difference between Candlewick and Boopie (Berwick) is to take a good look at the balls of glass. The Candlewick pattern has balls that do not run together or even touch each other. They are full circle balls that have a little space in between them. They tend to look more fragile that way. The Boopie or Berwick design has the balls touching each other without any space in between. They almost look welded together. The ever so subtle differences in the two designs have confused novice collectors (including myself) and sellers all over the world. If you look on Ebay right now, you will see several listings where the seller has listed their item and included the names Candlewick and Boopie in their descriptions. I am choosing to believe that their reason for doing so is because they themselves are not sure, rather than believing they are trying to pass off Boopie as Candlewick.

It has been interesting to research this. I have had a chance to go through a few of the pieces in my collection and now realize that I have purchased Boopie thinking I was purchasing Candlewick. It doesn’t make me like them any less though-I love the design! I also purchased (a few years ago) a purple divided candy dish, with balls around the edges thinking it was Candlewick, and have now learned that it is actually Czechoslovakian glass.

I hope you too have found this research interesting! Click on this link to get more information on the differences between Candlewick and Boopie.

 

According to my research, this divided candy dish is not Candlewick, but Czechoslovakian glass.

  

This is Candlewick because the balls are separated with a wafer-like piece of glass.

  

This is Candlewick.

 

This is not Candlewick but Orchard Crystal by Hazel Atlas. Did you notice the little ash tray in the front right corner?