A vintage butter dish made of uranium glass, also known as vaseline glass or "ouraline."
It has a characteristic yellow-green hue and glows brightly under ultraviolet light due to the uranium oxide it contains.
Description and Origin
Item Type: Round butter dish with a domed lid and embossed geometric decoration (stars, diamonds, lines).
Manufacture: Similar items were produced in the early 20th century. Such colored glass butter dishes were produced, for example, at the Ilguciems Glass Factory (Latvian SSR). Similar Western examples from the Art Deco style of the 1920s and 1930s are also found.
Material: Pressed glass with added uranium.
Characteristics
Glow: This item exhibits strong fluorescence—under a UV lamp, it acquires a rich neon green color. Use: Originally intended for serving butter, it is now prized by collectors as a decorative item.
Caution: Antique uranium glass is safe for decorative use, but is not recommended for storing highly acidic foods.