Collectors Facts - Kookaburra (lettered) and Kingfisher, Crown Crystal
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Shapes:
Master berry bowl
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Colours:
Marigold
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The KINGFISHER / KOOKABURRA design mystery
Two well known Australian patterns, KINGFISHER and KOOKABURRA seem to be two distinctly different Australian Carnival patterns. Or are they? The discovery of this lettered Australian Kookaburra suggests to us that they were in fact continuing developments of the same design.
The Kingfisher design features a little bird perched upon a branch. It was registered in 1923 and has the Registered Design number, RD 4184. It is found as a 9 inch master and 5 inch nappy / berry bowl.
The Kookaburra design is also a little bird perched upon a branch. It too is found as a 9 inch master and 5 inch nappy / berry bowl, and also on a 10.5 inch float bowl. The Kookaburra design was registered in 1924 as number 40361 - this number is not found moulded on any of the Kookaburra items.
Two well known Australian patterns, KINGFISHER and KOOKABURRA seem to be two distinctly different Australian Carnival patterns. Or are they? The discovery of this lettered Australian Kookaburra suggests to us that they were in fact continuing developments of the same design.
The Kingfisher design features a little bird perched upon a branch. It was registered in 1923 and has the Registered Design number, RD 4184. It is found as a 9 inch master and 5 inch nappy / berry bowl.
The Kookaburra design is also a little bird perched upon a branch. It too is found as a 9 inch master and 5 inch nappy / berry bowl, and also on a 10.5 inch float bowl. The Kookaburra design was registered in 1924 as number 40361 - this number is not found moulded on any of the Kookaburra items.
The "AUSTRALIAN KOOKABURRA" / Kookaburra Variant
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And then there is the "AUSTRALIAN KOOKABURRA" lettered version. This rare lettered variant master berry bowl was found in the USA in October 1997. It shows a bird perched on a branch with the moulded words AUSTRALIAN KOOKABURRA. There is no RD number. It is a unique piece, and we believe that it was a forerunner to the standard Kingfisher bowl, and possibly an experimental first run of Australian Carnival. Why the wording “AUSTRALIAN KOOKABURRA"? The registration document lodged by Crystal Glass in 1923 for what collectors now call the Kingfisher design has an illustration which was referred to as “The Kookaburra design shown.” It would seem that the design was originally intended to be a kookaburra. Later there was a series of pattern variations (and new moulds), reflecting the development of this wonderful Australian pattern, from the first experimental design to the fully fledged and confident masterpiece. Only later have collectors tried to distinguish between the patterns by (confusingly) giving them two different names - Kookaburra and Kingfisher. |
The Design Development - all drawings are by, and copyright of, Glen Thistlewood
#1: Kingfisher/Kookaburra Experimental
Lettered band - AUSTRALIAN KOOKABURRA surrounds the bird. No exterior pattern. 24 point star on the marie. One piece mould. Only 9" size is known. 
#3b Kingfisher Variant (5" size illustrated)
This is the 5" size that goes with the 9"design shown above right - #3a. It is the key to the Kingfisher/Kookaburra design mystery. Look at design #4 - like #3b, it has the encircling band of wattle blossom and leaves, and the same RD 4184 (but repositioned). In #4 the bird and the branch it sits on are both very different: #4 is the Kookaburra Variant design. |
#2 Kingfisher (9" size illustrated)
The lettered band is replaced by a band of leaves. RD 4184 has been added (rare examples exist without the number). Plain exterior, no 24 point star on marie. One piece mould with ground base. Found in 9" and 5" sizes. 
#4 Kookaburra Variant (5" size illustrated)
Design of the bird and the branch it sits on are very different. The bird looks more like a kookaburra with wider tail feathers. The encircling band of wattle blossom and leaves is identical to design #3b (the 5" version of the Kingfisher Variant). It still has the same RD 4184 (repositioned). As far as we know, there is no 9" version of this design. |
#3a Kingfisher Variant (9" size illustrated)
Wattle blossom is added to enhance the outside band of leaves. Moulded RD 4184 is on all known examples. One piece mould with ground base. Found in 9" and 5" sizes. 
#5 Kookaburra (9" size illustrated)
Bird is a considerably more detailed image of a Kookaburra. Band of wattle blossom and leaves is replaced with a design of wattle sprigs with bow and butterfly, waratah and a flannel flower. Found in 9" and 5" sizes. The 5" size has RD 4184, plain exterior and a one piece mould. The 9" size has no RD - it has an exterior Fern and Wattle pattern, a 2-part mould with collar base. |
Kingfisher or Kookaburra?
A "rough and ready" way to tell if the pattern is a Kingfisher or a Kookaburra, is to look at the twig the bird sits on:
thin twig = Kingfisher
thick twig = Kookaburra
Read all about identifying the 5" nappy bowls in these two patterns here: A Masterclass in Kingfisher and Kookaburra Identification by Peter Phillips
And remember also that the small Kingfisher nappy bowl has been faked. Here are the details.
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