Mosser Glass, located in Cambridge Ohio, has been producing high quality hand-pressed glass for over 40 years. One of the few great American glass makers still in existence, they have produced cat figurines in 4 different styles:
Sitting Cat – Standing just 3″ tall, the sitting cat was produced from 1971-2007. The figurine has prominent eyes and is seated, looking up and to its left, with its tail curled on its left side. There is a lot of detail in the fur and in the whiskers. The sitting cat was made in numerous colors and in satin and iridized finishes. Early ones can be found in many beautiful and unique slag glass combinations. Some later ones were handpainted, similar to the Fenton cats.
The Mosser “M” can be found on the back of the cat at the base of the tail. It can be hard to see amidst the pattern of the fur.
Some cats have a little notch or bubble of extra glass in the right ear. Unless it is a very common color, this shouldn’t be considered a dealbreaker. The feet on these cats are delicate and very prone to breakage – when buying, check for chipped, broken or missing feet, or signs of repair.
Recent prices have been unpredictable. I’ve seen lots of 3 including at least one hard to find or very desirable color go for around $100, only to have a larger lot with the same color go for less than half of that just a few months later. Generally prices for single cats ranges from $6-$20. They are retired, so if you like these figurines, this is a great opportunity.
Fluffy Cat – The 3.35″ high Fluffy Cat is still being manufactured by Mosser Glass. It has been produced in a number of solid clear and opaque colors, including frosted and carnival glass variations. They are also sold hand painted, like the now discontinued Fenton cats. Prices usually are in the range of $15-$30.
Reclining Cat – Another “retired” Mosser figurine, the reclining cat is slightly larger than the other Mosser cats – 4.25″ long and 1.75″ high. It was only made in a few colors, solid and opaque, notably light blue opaque, amethyst slag, dark blue and emerald green, plain and handpainted. The reclining cat has the Mosser “M” stamp on the bottom of the cat.
Mini Cat on a Nest Salt – This salt dip or small trinket box is just 2.75″ long and 2.5″ high and features a cat lying down on a nest or basket. The Mosser “M” is stamped in the center of the nest. It is still being manufactured. Prices are usually in the range of $15-$20.
The Sitting Cat and Reclining cat are retired, the Fluffy Cat / Kitten and Cat on a Nest are still being produced.
Identification
Mosser cats can be identified by a paper label or the letter “M” stamped on the cat. Older Sitting Cat figurines also have an “M” on the pontil on the bottom of the figure – either a large capital “M” or a smaller capital “M” which may appear to be circled.
For color identification, see our unofficial Mosser Sitting Cat color list.