Glass
Federal glass marks
The name “DIAMOND FRUIT JAR IMPROVED TRADE MARK” appears among Federal glass marks on glass from Columbus, Ohio, United States.
- Active years
- 1900–1979
- Country
- United States
- City / region
- Columbus, Ohio
- Products
- pressed glass tableware, tumblers, fruit jars, milk-glass kitchenware
- Marks
- 5
Independent corporation until 1958; factory and Federal brand continued within Federal Paper Board until 1979.
What to look for
- Look for an F inside a pointed shield on the underside. HEAT PROOF, USA and mould numbers can surround it on kitchenware and mugs.
- Read the entire jar brand. DIAMOND FRUIT JAR is a Federal-associated line, while the similarly named Australian FEDERAL FRUIT JAR with a flag belongs to another maker.
- On a large water bottle, check for a small two-digit date beside the shield. The California Federal concern used a similar emblem on five-gallon bottles in the 1920s.
Marks & lettering
5 marks
Undated
DIAMOND FRUIT JAR IMPROVED TRADE MARK
IMPROVED lies inside the diamond; compare the variant with TRADE MARK in the centre.
embossed · glass · Columbus, Ohio, United States
Undated
DIAMOND FRUIT JAR TRADE MARK
This is the circular DIAMOND FRUIT JAR lid brand, not a bare diamond factory symbol; a loose replacement lid does not date its jar.
embossed · glass · Columbus, Ohio, United States
Undated
HEAT PROOF F USA
Added HEAT PROOF and USA identify this tableware format; a mould number does not date the mug.
embossed · glass · Columbus, Ohio, United States
Undated
SECURITY SEAL FGCo
Triangular SECURITY SEAL name and central FGCo differ from the later Shield F tableware trademark.
embossed · glass · Columbus, Ohio, United States
About Federal Glass Co
Federal Glass Company was established in 1900 and built its factory in Columbus, Ohio. Its founders included members of the Beatty glassmaking family and Charles N. Brady. The works made pressed and blown tableware, tumblers, jars and other containers. Early jar production included the Diamond Fruit Jar line supplied to the Boston jobbers Smalley, Kivlan and Onthank.
During the first decades of the twentieth century Federal increasingly concentrated on tableware. Semiautomatic presses and glass-feeding machinery expanded production, followed by a fully automatic operation after the remaining hand shops closed in 1946. The company is associated with Depression-era dinnerware as well as later milk-glass kitchen and promotional wares. Its familiar emblem is an F inside a pointed shield, sometimes accompanied by HEAT PROOF and USA.
Federal became the glassware division of Federal Paper Board in June 1958. Later products included barware designed by Eva Zeisel and large quantities of promotional tumblers for oil companies. Changes in that market contributed to declining business during the 1970s. Glass manufacture ended in 1979. The Ohio factory should be distinguished from the separate Federal Glass concern in California, whose five-gallon bottles also carry a shielded F.
Also known as: Federal Glassware Division of Federal Paper Board Co. · Federal Glass Company
Look-alikes & how to tell them apart
Federal Glass Company, Compton, California
Its five-gallon water bottles use a shield F with a 23 date code. That company is distinct from the Columbus tableware manufacturer.
Australian Federal Fruit Jar
FEDERAL above a flag and FRUIT JAR below is an Australian container brand. The name alone does not connect it with Federal of Ohio.
Diamond Glass Company, Royersford
A plain diamond bottle-base emblem belongs to a different glassmaker. Federal’s early jar format spells out DIAMOND FRUIT JAR and includes TRADE MARK or IMPROVED.