If you collect milk glass or vintage glass vases, chances are you’ve seen a piece embossed with E.O. Brody Co. on the base. This is not surprising, because for 30+ years the company was one of the world’s largest suppliers of wholesale vases for florists. There are scads of Brody vases out there, and that’s a good thing because they are lovely.
Ernest Oscar Brody was already well known figure in the florist trade from his time working for National Potteries Corporation aka Napco, an Ohio company that imported, designed and sold decorative ceramics, mostly from Japan. He used that experience to found his company in Cleveland, OH in 1958, focused of selling attractive but utilitarian glassware for florists, but not as a direct vendor. E.O. Brody sold glass and ceramic pieces to wholesale floral suppliers, who then sold it to retail florists.
Like Napco, which did not actually manufacture any of its pottery, E.O. Brody launched with just four designs, designed by them but pressed by Indiana Glass (and possibly other American makers). E.O. Brody owned their molds, but never made their own glass–they commissioned the products and sold the products but didn’t make the products. Ceramic vases and planters were also made for Brody both in the US and in Japan.
Rather than artistic designs, E.O. Brody specialized in industrial designs made entirely with the needs of florists in mind. The vases and planters had to be sturdy, have sides that were mostly straight and have openings large enough to fit the foam blocks used for arrangements. They also had to be able to be packed efficiently and safely for shipping. Above all, they had to be low cost. Brody vases are basic, but they met the needs of the intended consumer. And there’s nothing wrong with basic.
The company chugged along after they were acquired by the Lancaster Colony Corporation in 1971. (If you like business stories, the history of the Lancaster Colony Corporation is the business equivalent of a soap opera with multiple acquisitions and transformations.) In 1988, Lancaster Colony shifted E.O. Brody into its housewares division, and shortened the name to Brody Company. The private equity firm Monomoy Capital Partners purchased both Indiana Glass, which had been part of Lancaster since 1957, and Brody Co. and made them part of Anchor Hocking in 2007.
Vases, flower bowls and planters made by E.O. Brody are predominantly clear, green or milk glass. There are also some smoky brown pieces and clear glass that are flashed red.
If a piece has the whole company name in the stamp on the base, it dates from the company founding in 1958 to the early 1980s. After 1988, pieces are either unmarked or marked with Brody. The ceramic pieces may have molded maker marks or stickers. You can also find crystal vases with an E.O. Brody label. These were imported from Turkey.
E.O. Brody glass doesn’t have the cachet of some of the great American glass companies. There is no collectors club. There are no books specifically dedicated to collecting it. It doesn’t have vintage swagger, but what it does have are basic designs that are aesthetically pleasing and awesomely durability. Brody glass is made to be used and to last. It may not be swanky, but sometimes practical is better.
This Greek urn inspired piece is an E.O. Brody classic. Oh heck, it’s more than that, it’s a decor classic. Standing 7″ tall, it’s as useful as it is elegant. I will confess to capturing two in the wild and keeping them as mine, mine, mine. This one is available from Convivial Vintage, $42.99
Think of all the things you could do with this green pedestal compote. It’s a nice height, luscious color and the wavy sides are perfect. Available from Vintage Curio City, $24.
E.O. Brody made a number of shapes with the crinkle texture in clear, green, milk and smoky brown glass. These two pieces would be absolute workhorses for your decor, filled with flowers or lit with a tea light. Pair is available from Mooncat Finds, $30.
Pressed glass with star and diamond shapes had a real moment in the 1960s, led by Anchor Hocking’s Wexford and Prescut. This E.O. Brody compote would fit in great with cottage and farmhouse decor. Available from Cyril Lane, $20.
E.O. Brody ceramic planters are not as easy to find as their glass pieces. This golfer is adorable and would be an awesome gift for someone who lives at the intersection of loving vintage and golf. Available from Artcharmer, $23.99.
These sites were helpful in providing details for this post:
E.O. Brody Company glassware on glassbottlemarks.com
Ernest Brody’s obituary from 2004
