Cut Glass or Pressed Glass

Pressed glass is made by pressing hot, molten glass into a mold or form. The form contains the intricate pattern that it imparts to the glass piece. Glass molds come in two, three or four pieces, so as you carefully inspect a piece of pressed glass, you should be able to see the tiny, raised seams that were formed when the piece was cast. Many pieces of pressed glass were made to imitate cut glass, so the designs on these pieces will be quite intricate.

Cut glass also begins with molten glass pressed into a mold. The mold, however, is usually void of designs. When the piece is cooled, it is hand-carved on a diamond wheel, so the designs in cut glass are actually "cut." Any seam lines are polished smooth, so seam lines rarely appear on a piece of cut glass.

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