Antique Vaseline Glass Flower Frog Yellow Uranium

Small antique Vaseline glass flower frog made in the 1920’s to 1930’s for assistance in flower arranging. “Vaseline glass’ is collector slang, it’s actually called Uranium glass. Because of the light yellow color, it’s often called Vaseline glass (looks like Vaseline). It fluoresces bright glowing green under ultraviolet (black) light.

The glass was created with Uranium to produce the very light yellowish green colored glass at a time before Uranium was used for weapons. US production of Uranium glass ceased during World War II due to the US government’s confiscation of uranium supplies, and did not resume until 1958. After 1958, most Uranium glass objects were small figurines or reproductions of earlier antique forms. Read more about Uranium Glass.

This frog was designed to sit upon the rim of your bud vase, allowing the flower stems to be inserted through the open holes reaching down into the water. It can be placed in the base of a bowl or larger vase if you’d like, as the rim will not prevent it and therefore the measurements are not that important, but it was specifically designed to float above the base of the vessel.

If you plan to use it as a rim balanced flower frog, your vessel rim opening must measure 2 3/8″ to 2 5/8″ wide.  Perfect for bud vases. The total width (diameter) of the round frog is 3″ wide. The frog rim is ¹⁄8″ inch wide. Stands 1¾” tall. The dome will rise above the level of the rim approx. ¼”.  The 11 flower stem holes are punched through. It is in excellent condition, no chips, no liquid stains.

Most agree these helpful flower arranging tools were called ‘flower frogs’ because they sit in water, like a frog. Flower frogs became widely popular in the US during the early 1900’s for use in flower arranging. The form and function was replaced In the mid 1950’s by a water-absorbent foam, stopping the development of glass flower frogs.

Glass flower frogs of yesteryear are a better choice than modern foam as they are re-usable, sturdy, collectible and beautiful in their own way. Click here to learn how to use flower frogs.

Retro Art Glass has a wide variety of flower frogs available, including more made with Uranium, click here to view the selection.