Blenko Museum

Yellows/Ambers

Reds/Oranges

Purples/Pinks

Blues

Link to a complete list of colors produced each year from 1948-2002.

Color is perhaps the most important aspect of Blenko products. The founder, William J. Blenko was foremost an expert chemist and colorist. With Blenko's auspicious beginning as a manufacturer of specialty "antique" stained glass to some of the most prestigious venues and artists in the 1920's it is no wonder that it is the intense and beautiful colors that still draw people to Blenko today.

Not only can correctly identifying a color assist in more precisely dating a piece, it will often affect value. Though we do not believe it is true that one color is inherently more valuable than another (such things change with fashion and personal taste), it is true that many collectors have preferences for which they will pay a premium. As with designs, rarity of the color will also drive value. With an average of 7 colors a year, in the Historic Period alone (1947-74) there are 12 colors that were produced for only one or two years.

Each design was produced in every color that was in production in the years it was made. For a typical design that would mean that it was made in at least the (on average) 7 colors available in the year of introduction plus whatever additional color fron subsequent production years. There are only very few exceptions to this; a handful of designs are noted in the original catalogs as only being available in certain colors or specifically not being available in some colors. That exception is quite rare though.

Colors can sometimes be difficult to identify, often as a result of a batch being mixed slightly differently from normal; very small mis-measurements can result in significant color differences in the final product. For colors that are quite similar (Emerald & Nile , Sea Green & Surf Green, Jonquil & Gold), in such instances knowing the years of production of the design can often help determine the proper color name.

We only ever use the official and proper names given to each color by the Blenko Glass Company. Some confusion has arisen amongst collectors due to the use of non-company issue color names. For instance "Blenko blue" is not the name of a color it is a redundant nickname for the color properly called "Turquoise". Similarly "amberina" (a gradation of yellow, orange & red) is not an official Blenko color name, rather it is a generic descriptive term that can be applied to many different companies' glass. For Blenko, only Tangerine may appear amberina, however, not all Tangerine items appear amberina; Tangerine may also appear as solid red or orange (see Tangerine Variations).

Note: the color lists below are compiled based on a complete set of vintage catalogues from 1948 to 2002 (the last year Blenko had a Design Director). It is both possible and likely that in the Early Period tableware items were produced in additional colors to those we list. Because Early Period catalogs were always undated, it is also problematic to definitively say what colors were produced in what specific years prior to 1948. As such, colors in production in those years are merely indicated by a generic "pre-1948." Though this may change with time and research we feel this it the most responsible and accurate position to put forward at present.