A Depression-Era Vaseline Glass Drawer Pull

The original name for vaseline glass is canary glass, due to the pronounced yellow tinge when first produced in the 1840s. The term "vaseline glass" comes from the similarity to the appearance of petroleum jelly produced in the early part of the 20th Century[1].

Vaseline glass, along with custard glass and Burmese glass, are collectively know as uranium glass due to the uranium salts (uranium dioxide) used in each. Its popularity peaked from the 1880s to the 1920s when it was often used in making tableware and decorative items.

The small dimple at the narrow end suggests the vestige of a screw hole, which could have been used to secure the pull knob to the drawer. The petite size also suggests it was used in a jewelry box or small cabinet.

During the Depression, iron oxide was often added to the uranium-glass mixture to emulate the green tinge of some popular Depression glass of that era. Since this sea glass knob has that greenish tinge this is also a clue that helps in dating it.

With the outbreak of WWII all stocks of uranium were confiscated by the US government, effectively halting the production of uranium glass. After the war, a lower grade version of uranium (depleted uranium) was used for vaseline glass production, which resulted in a less pronounced glow to sea glass shards when exposed to UV light.

While we can't be sure of this sea glass knob's exact origin, we can certainly piece together a well educated guess of its history.

REFERENCES:
1. Wikipedia: Uranium Glass