Modern Boyd Vaseline Uranium Glass

Hi everybody

I am a Nuclear Chemistry student, and I am currently working on a project about Uranium and its domestic uses over time. I recently purchased off ebay a small bird called Bernie which is listed on Boyd's website but not much info as they have closed down. When I purchased it, it was Advertised uranium glass. Can anyone me does the Vaseline glass Boyd Made in early 2000 still contain Uranium for sure and not some substitute. It does fluoresce bright green under UV black light.
I've tried reading it with my geiger counter but because its so small I think the Radiation level is very small that it can't detect out . Please can someone reassure me and put me out my worry. Thank you everyone.
Scott Nokes

 

I'm glad it's Uranium....& not Myranium..!

 

I'm just glad it's Uranus - (Minds out of the gutter, THE PLANET!)

 

Hi,
Just a note. Vaseline glass is a yellowish green. Uranium glass can be any color. I have dealt with Fiesta. The orangish red is radioactive. I have had several pieces of red stored away in a wooden cupboard for 30 years. When tested the Fiesta was still slightly radioactive. The wooden cupboard showed NO radioactivity. I have eaten off Fiesta (red and other colors) for almost 60 years some of it chipped and cracked. I have been tested by hospital labs for years, never had an increase in radioactivity.
greg

 

Are there other chemicals that could have been substituted for uranium that would have given the glass the same color and reaction to a black light?

Are there any restrictions to the use of uranium in the past years that would have made Boyds use a substitute?

Are there any agencies they would have had to register with in order to purchase uranium to use in their glass making?

I have no idea how to go about finding out if they actually used uranium in the making of their glass.

 

Oh, am I misreading?
You are a nuclear chemist, but you are worried about having a piece of glass that might contain uranium?

I doubt it will kill you. Super Bugs will probably get you first.

 

For a while during and after WW2 uranium salts were not availble for commercial use only the USG could have it. A photo of the item and the base may help someone give you some dating.

 

NO. I'M NOT WORRIED ABOUT HAVING URANIUM. I AM A RADIOACTIVE MINERAL COLLECTOR AND VASELINE GLASS COLLECTOR. I PURCHASED A PIECE OF GLASS AND I'M QUESTIONING ITS AUTHENTICITY. DOES MODERN DAY VASELINE GLASS STILL MADE WITH URANIUM IS MY QUESTION OR DID I WASTE MY MONEY ON THIS PIECE OF GLASS

 

Ah, good.
You had me worried for a moment - that I misread your post.

Boyd's is not an old glass company.
So the question still remains, are there chemicals that can produce the same color and reaction to black lights as uranium? That I don't know.

By the way, replying in caps is considered shouting on the boards. Thought I would mention it in case you didn't know.

 

Did you try the "Contact Us" form on the Boyd's website? It doesn't look like it hasn't been updated in a few years, but perhaps someone is still running the site. They may be able to put you in contact with someone who would know the answer.

You'll just need to match the mark on your piece with the mark and color lists on the site, to make sure you're asking about the correct color name.

 

Thank you uncle chuck. I did try that idea bit when I click contact us, it goes to a blank page. I have measured my background radiation to be about 40 com and when I put my probe to the glass I get steady readings of about 50 and peaks of about 150 cpm which would indicate the presence of Uranium but I want to be sure because although I did not pay much I Still want it to be uranium glass. The guys Feedback I got it from ranges from fake vaseline glass to low cost china glass, postal insurance fraud to excessive shipping and Just about everything in between. I love the piece I got but after reading all that feedback, I'm a bit bummed with it Incas it not uranium and Just some substitute. Thanks for helping

 

You're welcome, Scott. I think Pat's post is going to be the key to your question: which chemicals produce which colors when creating glass. If using uranium salts is the only possible way to achieve a green or yellow glass color that glows green under UV light, then anything produced with that formula can be defined as "uranium glass" (green) or "vaseline glass" (yellow).

Have you seen this page for the Vaseline Collectors Club?
http://www.vaselineglass.org/

They may also be able to help, or have information on the formulas certain companies used to create the colors. For instance, their site says Manganese can also be used to create yellow/green glass, but it doesn't glow under UV like pieces created with Uranium Dioxide.

Also, I've always been curious about the amount of radiation (if any) emitted by vaseline / uranium glass. Do you have any other pieces that really make your counter go click-crazy? If you have the time, I'm sure the members here would love to see a synopsis of your report, or photos of good examples you've already found.

 

A couple of months ago I was given a 1920's man's shirt that had a label identifying it as Radium Silk. I was curious about that textile and in the course of researching it a few weeks ago I found THIS interesting document. It did not list Radium Silk, though, so I contacted ORAU and was immediately put in touch with one of the authors of the report. Perhaps they can help you, too.