There were many manufacturers of milk glass including a number of well known American manufacturers: Fenton, Anchor Hocking, Westmoreland, Boston and Sandwich Glass Company, Fostoria, Atterbury, Vallerysthal, Flaccus, McKee, Belknap, Duncan Glass, Indiana Glass, L. E. Smith, and U.S. Glass Company. Aside from the hobnail pattern, a long popular pattern in milk glass is the paneled grape pattern by Westmoreland Glass, in business from 1889 until 1985. The "hen and nest" pattern is another very popular style today, a covered jar that looks like a hen sitting on a nest and made by a variety of manufacturers in white and other colors. One way to tell the difference between old and new milk glass is by looking at the edges; older milk glass appears almost transparent around the edges, and light can be viewed through the piece. Newer milk glass is more white opaque, and light will not show through the glass even around the perimeter. This is not to say newer pieces cannot be of high quality and decorative, but they do not have the same value and should not be misrepresented by sellers.

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