Imperial made Carnival in 1908. Here is the proof!
As we first reported exclusively in our monthly NetworK ezine in July 2018.
We already knew that Imperial was making Carnival Glass by 1909.
In November 1909, the publication “American Flint”, reported on correspondence from Bellaire that Imperial was working on new iridescent coloured ware, and the Imperial Glass Encyclopedia states that Imperial was marketing its iridescent glass in the Fall of 1909 (Imperial Glass Encyclopedia Vol II, National Imperial Glass Collectors Society, 1997).
In December 1909, the Crockery and Glass Journal referred to “New items in iridescent ware from the Imperial glass company; colors are brilliant and rich” in an account of the stock in Meakin & Ridgway’s showrooms near Broadway, and in 1910 we see Imperial’s Carnival Glass appearing in wholesale catalogues such as Butler Brothers. At the same time, a series of ads in Cox & Lafferty clearly showed that Carnival was an established production line.
BUT ..... stop the press!
We have made a fascinating discovery! Our recent research has discovered an ad for Imperial's "Beautiful Iridescent Art Glass" which proves that Imperial was making Carnival Glass early in 1908.
The unassuming ad, shown below on the left, appeared in the Washington Evening Star in July 1908. Clearly the glass had to have been made before that date for it to have been advertised in the press as being for sale.
Interestingly, the July 1908 ad contained what might seem to be a mistake! It pictured a bowl, but headlined it as a plate.
A mistake or an editing issue between the description and the picture? The image used was Imperial's Royalty (aka Imperial Crown, aka Imperial #400). It was an artist's "stock image", the same one that was being used in Imperial's catalogues. The text would most likely have been written up separately and the image and text were compiled together in the newpaper's print room. Anyway, mistake or not, when the ad reappeared in the same newspaper in November 1908, as shown above (centre), and it had been changed to "bowl".
So we now have the proof that Imperial was making Carnival Glass by July 1908, described as “rubi”, it would later be marketed as “Rubigold”.
Was it a "one-off" piece?
The ad begs the question, was the Royalty bowl a "one-off" or were there other patterns being made?
The third ad from 1908 (above on the far right) from the Rome (NY) Daily Sentinel gives us the answer - it refers to "Salad Dishes, Bon Bon Dishes, Flower Vases, Berry Dishes" all in "New Rubi Glassware". As Royalty was only made (in Carnival) in two shapes - punch bowl top and punch cup - the other shapes promoted in the ad had to be other Imperial patterns! In 1908, Imperial's Carnival Glass was firmly established in the production line.
Was it the first ad for Carnival?
Most Carnival researchers and collectors believe that Fenton began making their Carnival in 1907, and it has been widely accepted that the first wholesale ad for Carnival Glass was for Fenton’s glass, appearing in the Butler Brothers catalogue in September 1908.
However, the first ad in the Washington Evening Star was in July 1908, beating Fenton/Butler Brothers to it by a few weeks.
Until another, earlier ad is uncovered, The Washington Evening Star's ad in July 1908 currently stands as the first reported newspaper ad for Carnival Glass!
A mistake or an editing issue between the description and the picture? The image used was Imperial's Royalty (aka Imperial Crown, aka Imperial #400). It was an artist's "stock image", the same one that was being used in Imperial's catalogues. The text would most likely have been written up separately and the image and text were compiled together in the newpaper's print room. Anyway, mistake or not, when the ad reappeared in the same newspaper in November 1908, as shown above (centre), and it had been changed to "bowl".
So we now have the proof that Imperial was making Carnival Glass by July 1908, described as “rubi”, it would later be marketed as “Rubigold”.
Was it a "one-off" piece?
The ad begs the question, was the Royalty bowl a "one-off" or were there other patterns being made?
The third ad from 1908 (above on the far right) from the Rome (NY) Daily Sentinel gives us the answer - it refers to "Salad Dishes, Bon Bon Dishes, Flower Vases, Berry Dishes" all in "New Rubi Glassware". As Royalty was only made (in Carnival) in two shapes - punch bowl top and punch cup - the other shapes promoted in the ad had to be other Imperial patterns! In 1908, Imperial's Carnival Glass was firmly established in the production line.
Was it the first ad for Carnival?
Most Carnival researchers and collectors believe that Fenton began making their Carnival in 1907, and it has been widely accepted that the first wholesale ad for Carnival Glass was for Fenton’s glass, appearing in the Butler Brothers catalogue in September 1908.
However, the first ad in the Washington Evening Star was in July 1908, beating Fenton/Butler Brothers to it by a few weeks.
Until another, earlier ad is uncovered, The Washington Evening Star's ad in July 1908 currently stands as the first reported newspaper ad for Carnival Glass!