Uranium Glass
Uranium glass bottles are on display at the Museum of Pharmacy in Warsaw, Poland. These early 20th-century containers glow green under certain lighting conditions due to the uranium oxide used in their production.
Uranium glass, known for its unmistakable yellow-green tint and its eerie glow under certain lighting conditions, has fascinated collectors and glassmakers for nearly two centuries. Its strange beauty and mild radioactivity give it a mystique unmatched by any other glass type. But uranium glass has a much longer and richer story than many realize.
The history of uranium glass stretches back to ancient Rome. In 1912, archaeologists uncovered a Roman mosaic fragment in Naples, Italy, dated to 79 AD, that was found to contain approximately 1 percent uranium oxide by weight. Although the Romans were unaware of uranium as a chemical element or radioactivity, they utilized naturally occurring minerals to produce vivid yellow tones in glass, which happen to derive their coloring properties from their uranium content.
The element uranium was not discovered until 1789, when German chemist Martin Heinrich Klaproth identified it while analyzing the mineral pitchblende. Its radioactive properties remained unknown until 1896, when French physicist Henri Becquerel observed natural radioactivity in uranium salts. In the early 19th century, glassmakers began deliberately incorporating refined uranium compounds, especially uranium oxide, into glass formulations to produce bright yellow and green hues that would later become iconic for their unique fluorescence under ultraviolet light.
Commercial uranium glass production began in the 1830s in Bohemia, a region now in the Czech Republic. Josef Riedel, a pioneering glassmaker, developed recipes for two uranium-based colors: a bright yellow glass and a green-tinted version. He named them Annagelb and Annagrün, meaning Anna Yellow and Anna Green, reportedly in honor of a family member. These luminous glasswares quickly gained popularity across Europe.
By the mid-1800s, uranium glass had spread to France, Britain, and eventually the United States. In Victorian Britain, it adorned dinner tables and mantels. French artisans produced opaque green versions for luxury markets. In America, uranium glass became a fixture of the Depression glass era, mass-produced in molds to create affordable and decorative household items. The term “Vaseline glass” was later coined by collectors to describe the common pale yellow-green pieces.
During its peak from the 1880s through the 1930s, uranium glass was admired not just for its color but also for its fluorescence. Under UV light, the uranium oxide in the glass emits a brilliant green glow. This property continues to attract collectors today. Despite its radioactive component, uranium glass is generally considered safe to handle. The levels of radiation are very low, far less than what a person is exposed to in everyday life from natural sources.
The outbreak of World War II brought a sudden end to the golden age of uranium glass. In the United States and other countries, uranium was restricted for military use in atomic research, most notably the Manhattan Project. Civilian production of uranium glass largely ceased during the early 1940s. While restrictions began to ease in the mid-1950s, production never returned to previous levels. Shifting consumer tastes and growing public concerns about radiation contributed to the decline of uranium glass as a common household material.
Today, uranium glass survives as a collectible and curiosity. It can still be found in antique shops, flea markets, and museums. Some small glassmakers continue to produce limited runs using depleted uranium, mainly for decorative items. For those drawn to its glowing charm, uranium glass offers a rare chance to hold a piece of history that truly shines.
Sources:
“A Glowing Review of Uranium Glass,” Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU), 2025.
“Radioactivity in Antiques,” U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), 2025.
“Uranium in a Cupboard Near You,” McCord Stewart Museum, 2019.
“Uranium Glass: Lovely, Just a Bit Radioactive,” ItsMoreThanTea.com, 2023.