Imperial Carnival Glass Adverts

Sell me some Imperial Glass!

As many old newspapers and journals are digitised and put online, they provide an amazing insight into how Carnival Glass was originally promoted, marketed and sold to the public, either directly, or by other means like mail order and wholesalers.

Here is a series of contemporary adverts for Imperial Carnival Glass from 1910-1911, by which time, Carnival was clearly well established in production. It was being advertised by Cox & Lafferty, a New York Representative, but the selections were being made up and despatched directly from Imperial's factory.

Make sure that you read the small print in the ads!

It is also clear from these contemporary ads that "artistic licence" or what we call today, the "small print" - was being used. To see what was happening, you need to know Imperial's Product/Colour codes, which are shown below from an Imperial catalogue description of their four main Carnival colours:

M = "Rubigold" = marigold
L = "Azur" = purple
K = "Helios" = same term used today
R = "Old Gold" = amber

Click on ANY IMAGE to see the detail in a full sized version of the ad.

October 27, 1910

November 3, 1910

October 27, 1910 - by 1910 Carnival Glass was "in the line" at Imperial, and "Azur" is considered to be how Imperial originally described their purple Carnival. The patterns are Flute, Heavy Grape, Scroll Embossed, Ripple, Beaded Bullseye, Diamond and Sunburst, and Diamond Lace.

It's interesting to see the sales techniques of describing new lustre effects and undiscovered charms - presented as a Special Offer with orders being limited to one cask per customer!

November 3, 1910 - only a few days later and the new "Azur" glass is said to be in big demand and going like hot cakes! The selection of patterns has changed slightly - out goes the Diamond and Sunburst decanter/wine set, and in comes Zippered Heart.

Although it is into November, the Special Offer (one cask per customer) is promised to be delivered - across the whole USA - in ample time for the Holiday Trade. Amazing!

November 17, 1910

November 17, 1910 - "Azur" was being promoted as "New Iridescent Azur Ware", with the sales pitch that customers could order a single "trial barrel" of each of the three sets to "get acquainted" with the new ware.

The sets on offer were Diamond and Sunburst wine set, Broken Arches punch set, and Imperial Flute "Lemonade Set".

November 21, 1910

November 21, 1910 - "Azur" Specials were being promoted with a "Christmasy quality" and delivery of these bowls in good time
for the holiday period.

The bowls on offer were all Heavy Grape
in different sizes and shapes.

December 8, 1910

December 8, 1910 - "Azur" remained the focus, with the sales pitch that customers could try a selection that had been made-up at the factory.

The items are Imperial Grape "blown vase" (now generally referred to as a carafe shape), Imperial Grape pitcher and tumblers or "Lemonade Set" (which today is called a water set), and a Scroll Embossed footed comport, with what appears to be an Eastern Star exterior.

December 15, 1910

December 15, 1910 - "Azur" was still being promoted heavily, with the same sales pitch that customers could try a selection that had been
made-up at the factory.

The selection on offer was Pansy bowl, Morning Glory JIP vase, Freefold vase, Heavy Grape plate, Scroll Embossed bowl, and Poinsettia milk pitcher.

The December 15, 1910 ad suggested that all the items were in Azur, but the actual product list shows that only three of them were L (Azur) and the other three were M (Rubigold/marigold). The ad is careful - nowhere does it say that Azur means purple, only that the selection is all "lustrous, iridescent" - so the customer may not be too surprised to receive some marigold pieces - the headline implied that the customer was to receive all items in Azur, but the small print said otherwise!

January 5, 1911

January 12, 1911

January 5, 1911 - a different approach focussing on one shape - shades. Note the boast that they were unequalled in value "on this round earth". The shades are Four Seventy Four (#474, OMN La Rochelle) often incorrectly referred to as "Mayflower", and Starlyte.

January 12, 1911 - on offer here was a Fashion punch set and also Imperial's Morning Glory vases, all in marigold (M code).

Note how the smaller vase was described as a "Sweet Pea vase".

Helios introduced into the line - this new colour was offered, described as Imperial's new "Silver-green Iridescent effect".

Also, to date, we only know of one Carnival example of the shade #358. It is the electric size, in marigold.

January 19, 1911

January 19, 1911 - the ad described “All New ‘Helios’ Ware” as "beautiful green and silver tints ... equal the gloriously radiant hue of ... ‘AZUR’ glass." The items were a 474 punch set (OMN La Rochelle) and a “blown vase” (carafe) and “lemonade set” (water set) in the Imperial Grape pattern.

March 16, 1911

March 16, 1911 - another selection - all these items are Imperial Grape.
Despite using the description "red iridescent", the items are all marigold (see more information below).

Note the comment about "RED IRIDESCENT" in the March 16, 1911 ad above. Imperial actually made very little Classic Carnival in red (but it is a colour they used when they re-introduced Contemporary Carnival from the 1960s on). The use of "red" here is consistent with the way Imperial advertised their Rubigold/marigold - and, lo and behold, all the product/colour codes in the ad are M (meaning Rubigold/marigold - definitely not red.

May 25, 1911

March 16, 1911 - another selection - all these items are Imperial Grape.
Despite the use of "red iridescent", the items are all marigold (see more information below).

Here are some examples of the pieces the buyers might have received!