Originally Published: December 16, 2017
Updated: December 10, 2020
When I originally wrote this, I shared the following sentence (which is no longer true!): “All “Princess House” brand glassware that I have ever tested has been 100% free of Lead (Pb), Cadmium (Cd), Mercury (Hg), and Arsenic (As.)” Just recently, I learned that Princess House also manufactured and sold Leaded crystal items (with Lead in the 200,000 to 300,000 ppm range)!
As a result, unless you know for sure that your Princess House piece is pressed glass (like the mug shown here), please set it aside until you can have it tested, to confirm it is not Leaded crystal. There is scientific research that demonstrates that Leaded crystal should not be used for food or beverages [even though this industry has done a lot to try to downplay and suppress that research!] To read more about the concern for high Lead food-use crystal, click here. Below are three images of some Leaded Princess House crystal I found on eBay recently:
Continue reading below the images.
Here’s a link to Princess House mugs on Amazon.*
If you would like to support my advocacy work (and this website), please consider making a contribution via GoFundMe or PayPal. I also accept contributions (all of which are counted as income to Lead Safe Mama, LLC) on Zelle (503-702-2708) or Venmo: TamaraERubin. Thank you for supporting the independent consumer goods testing and childhood Lead poisoning prevention advocacy work of this blog in this way.
Thank you also for reading and for sharing my posts! Please let me know if you have any questions, I will do my best to answer them – however with the sheer volume of traffic here on the site I may not be able to respond personally right away.
Tamara Rubin
#LeadSafeMama
I’ve inherited an entire set of this “Fantasia” print princess house set of dishes. Have you tested others from this set ? I’m terrified of using anything vintage now at the risk of lead, yours is the only resource I’ve found talking about this particular brand/print. Thank you so much I’m advance for any information you have !
All of the Princess House pieces I have tested have been lead-free!!!! I was really quite surprised by this, given the period in which it was popular! This is the category of Princess House items on my blog. There are three posts up as examples. https://tamararubin.com/category/princess-house/
Thank you so much for responding ! I feel a lot better using this set I have now! It honestly didn’t even cross my mind as a a danger until I stumbled upon your video testing fire king/Pyrex and my vintage pyrex set tested positive for lead when I tested it ! Got me seriously thinking about the rest of my dishes and our 18 month old son !
You are very welcome!
I’ve found a princess house labeled box to have “Lead” on the box. Was that a term used for certain styles, too, or is this an exception to their lead free stuff?
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Princess-House-4-Lead-Crystal-Highball-Glasses-24-Lead/152940441321?_trkparms=ispr%3D1&hash=item239bf5eee9%3Ag%3A%7EVsAAOSwaadapMMz%3Asc%3AUSPSPriority%2198125%21US%21-1
This is an exception. I just recently learned that they also sell products with Lead. I am super disappointed about that!
Thank you for commenting Whitney!
Tamara
I have a set of Princess house heritage glasses and a pitcher. Do you think it contains lead?
What about the porcelain pieces? I have the entire set and we use that daily.
Hi Tamara, I stumbled upon you while googling if my Princess House crystal might contain lead. It’s seems when I purchased it (late 80’s) is was advertised as “lead crystal”. I think I used it once. I am having a tag sale and if anyone asks I want to be able to answer them correctly.
I have wine glasses, champagne flutes, Pilsner glasses, an oil/vinegar set, I might have more but this is what I have come across so far. TIA
Car
Have you ever tested the tinted princess house? I am looking at an Amethyst one…
What are the best otc lead test kits for Crystal/glass?
Hi Jeanette,
I am sorry to say that there is not one. I will write a post about this – but if you like send me a photo of your item and I will give you an educated guess about what I know.
Thanks for commenting.
Tamara
Princess House discontinued its leaded crystal drink ware sometime in the early 90s I think, due to the dangers of lead. I was under the impression it was a new law, but maybe it was only a company decision?
https://www.princesshouse.com/products
There is currently Fantasia glassware on the Princess House site. Do you think it is the same?
I have a set of tea cups from the Princess House Fantasia line. The pattern is the same as the mug pictured above and are identical to the ones in the link. Is it likely that these contain lead? Thanks for any info.
Hi i just bought a princess house gravy and plate set, i put my blue light on it, came up very light, do you think its uranium? Im not sure
Also its Fantasia pattern
I just now found your site when googling PH. I used to sell it in the mid 1970s, and have recently been selling vintage pieces online. So I was wondering if you would grant me permission to quote you, using the quote below, which includes the link to your site. Thank you, Alice at Etsy – BuschBabiesBounty
“All “Princess House” brand glassware that I have ever tested has been 100% free of Lead (Pb), Cadmium (Cd), Mercury (Hg), and Arsenic (As.) This is an amazing feat for a vintage glassware item.Dec 16, 2017
tamararubin.com › 2017/12 › vintage-princess-house-clear-glass-mug-le…
Hi Alice,
Since I wrote this post I learned that Princess House actually has sold Leaded Crystal in the past – although I haven’t tested any yet, I have seen it and I know it is available – so I think that would be an important update to mention. Their regular glassware (pressed glass items) are Lead-free but their items sold as Leaded crystal are, in fact, very high Lead.
Tamara
Yes Tamara, I sold Princess house for a short bit back in the 80’s and stressing that the products were lead crystal was supposed to be a selling point signifying it was better quality crystal. I remember holding the wine glass up and hitting it with a butter knife to show the tone. I’m not positive but I believe it was all the items with the marquis cuts. The wine glasses and champagne flutes and even the ice bucket. They were definitely the heavier items. Not sure about the thinner items.I never really used my own very much with the exception of a glass serving bowl I still use. It is the thinner glass and has the signature floral design on it. Do you know if the thinner pieces from the 80’s are safe?
Hi and thank you for your response. I figured the “lead crystal” has lead, but some people insist that all crystal has lead in order to be called crystal. So, does their blown crystal have lead?
Thank you for your advocacy in this field.
Hello there, my grandmother gave me some vintage princess house cookware, I tried to google if it’s safe to use and didn’t find much info aside from your post and wiki that said they had at one point used lead and arsenic. Have you ever tested the “Princess House Nouveau” cookware for lead or arsenic? They are the white glass/ceramic looking pots and pans with clear glass lids and detachable handles. Any help figuring out if these are safe to use would be greatly appreciated!
Hi A J!
Thank you for commenting.
Per this post, all of the princess house pieces I have tested have been Lead-free. That said, I recently found out that they also sold Leaded Crystal pieces that were expressly and clearly marketed as being Leaded crystal – so I have new concerns for the brand. I would not – however – expect any of their cookware pieces to have Lead or Arsenic (based on my testing and it is unlikely that cookware is ever made with leaded crystal!) I do need more information if you can provide it though – because I am not familiar with the pieces you are talking about. If you could share a link here with an image that is always best when asking me any questions.
Thank you.
Tamara
Thank you for your response! Apparently it’s made of “arcoflam” here is a link to a pic to see if you’re familiar with this type.
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nyj-L39aj-g/U5CT3Ap4ioI/AAAAAAAAazs/WlMpEbrKORo/s1600/001.JPG
Did you ever receive a response to your question about lead content in this cookware set? I purchased the same set in 2003 and still use it everyday.
Hello- I’ve been trying to figure out if the Princess House Heritage China (porcelain- Bloom pattern) has lead. It was given to me by my mother and we use it daily. How can I find out if it contains lead? I’m at a loss. I have searched and googled and have found no info.
Hi, does anyone know if the princess house crystal from 1999-2006 has lead in it? I’m trying to get more info on this. My grandmother bought my mom and I princess house crystal when we both got married and we want to make sure there is no lead in it. Thanks, Dawn
My wife has PH plates, bowls, flues, mugs and decanters from before we were married. She also has MS. I have told her that I will not use ithem and have recommended that she get rid of them as they pose a significant danger to anyone with her condition. She vehemently refuses to do so, protesting that it would be illegal to sell if it were actually dangerous. Eho’s right? The pieces are in the Fantasia pattern and are some 40-50 years old.
Hi Michael,
I just updated the post to better address your concerns.
Please share this post with your wife (and read the linked scientific article): https://tamararubin.com/topics/crystal/
Tamara
Have you tested the Vintage Princess House Crystal Irish Coffee Mugs. When looking it up it has been discribed as “pressed glass” and the description of Crystal in the title has been left out. They are Heritage line. Thank-you!
Hi, I just recently bought
PRINCESS MODERNA™
Coffee Mugs (4).
I heard you say that some of their items are glass pressed. Can you please let me know if these are safe to use. Specially with coffee or warm fluids? Thank you
Tamara,
I am interested in who owns or owned Princess House Crystal? Was it Bavarian Crystal? Was it taken over by Nachtmann? Or Riedel? When did they start producing glass works? Where were they located? Any information on the company would be most appreciated!!
Thanks,
Lee
Hi Lee – have you looked them up in wikipedia or on other similar resources yet? I don’t have that information. Maybe “Replacements” has some info?
Tamara
I have a large collection of PH Heritage glassware, including hot beverage mugs. Do these contain Lead?
Were they sold as glass? Or were they sold as crystal?
You can send me pictures: https://tamararubin.com/2019/08/tamara-can-i-send-you-one-of-my-dishes-to-test-for-lead/
Tamara
I was carrying my 6-month-old baby and showed him a decorative glass paperweight puppy we have on display in our home. He touched it with his hand and I noticed a sticker on the bottom. I took it away from him so I could read the sticker and saw that it said 24% lead crystal and the label read Princess House Pets. I immediately washed his hands with soap twice and my own in a panic. He did not put it in his mouth and he did not put his fingers in his mouth. I thought for sure we had no lead products in our home, but we overlooked this old paperweight. Is there any risk in touching something like that?
I sold Princess House in the early 80’s. At that time, the lead crystal is only the stemware that has the marquise cuts. It’s heavy and obviously different than the blown crystal. It’s against the law in most counties to hand blow lead crystal, do to the risk to the artisan. The Fantasia in my time was phosphoric crystal and was pressed glass basically. However, if you heat a liquid in it in the microwave to boiling it will break. Heavy grease or butter too. I used to have a catalog of that period, but have moved many times and don’t recall seeing it. The line was much smaller at that time.
I have searched Tamara’s site and the web for hours trying to determine if my collection of PH Heritage design hand blown “crystal” is indeed lead crystal or just hand blown etched glass. I’m already pitching my collection of the PH lead glass items and would really like to be able to salvage something from my investments. I do like the pattern and am hoping for definitive knowledge about this particular pattern and collection. Since you sold this product I am hoping you can help me. Thanks in advance.
Hello I have own P House glasses for over 40+ I have different styles including the heavy glass to the thin glass.ALl my china cabinet has P. House . It’s not until recently that I decided to use them. I have used more the heavy marque Tall glass. I notice that the glass now has a dull film that I cannot rinse out. I starting to wounder about lead. Is there a way to know how to test them. If they do where do I take them Who do I contact?. Please reply