Mother-of-pearl Glass

Mother-of-pearl glass, or pearl satin glass, was first made in the 1850s in England and in Massachusetts. It was a special type of mold-blown satin glass with air bubbles in the glass, giving it a pearlized color. Exposure to acid vapor gave the piece its satin finish. It has been reproduced. Mother-of-pearl shell objects are listed under Pearl. For more information, explore our identification guides for mother-of-pearl, rainbow, and satin glass.