The Story of Jeannette Glass. |
March 2022 |
Glen and Stephen Thistlewood, March 2022
The Jeannette Glass Company was one of the major manufacturers of Late or Depression Era Carnival Glass. The company started life as a bottle plant in 1898, but table glassware soon became the company’s staple output (very occasionally marked with their early trademark J-in-triangle and later J in a square). Jeannette introduced their iridised output from the 1920s and one or two lines even ran into the 1970s.
Jeannette's glass was “machine made” – automated – unlike the earlier Classic Carnival Glass which was pressed and finished by hand. It is this machine production which lends a characteristic uniformity to what is usually termed Late or Depression Era Carnival Glass.
Jeannette's glass was “machine made” – automated – unlike the earlier Classic Carnival Glass which was pressed and finished by hand. It is this machine production which lends a characteristic uniformity to what is usually termed Late or Depression Era Carnival Glass.
Crackle was made as early as the late 1920s. The pattern is often misidentified, but it is pronounced and clear, as shown in these excellent photos by Kathy Marie.
Above: Crackle cuspidor by Jeannette Glass, showing the side view and the base. The light showing through the pattern defines it very clearly.
Photos courtesy and copyright, Kathy Marie. |
Contemporaneous catalogue images of Jeannette’s Crackle cuspidor.
Left: a 1927 Butler Brother wholesale catalogue. Right: Jeannette’s 1928 catalogue, courtesy Tom Felt. |
Late Sunflower (OMN White Cosmos).
Above: an extract from the Jeannette 1951 catalogue, showing the Late Sunflower (OMN White Cosmos) water and juice sets. Note, only two sizes are detailed. Courtesy Glass Paper Fanatics.
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Four sizes of Late Sunflower juice and tumblers. Courtesy the late Bob Smith's Tumbler Museum, curated by Glen & Stephen Thistlewood.
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Jeannette confidently stated the following in their January 1951 catalogue:
“In this catalogue, we present with pride some of the best examples of machine-made glassware produced in the United States. Jeannette has specialised in ‘Quality Glassware since 1898’ and every item shows the results of those years of experience in design and manufacture.”
Jeannette confidently stated the following in their January 1951 catalogue:
“In this catalogue, we present with pride some of the best examples of machine-made glassware produced in the United States. Jeannette has specialised in ‘Quality Glassware since 1898’ and every item shows the results of those years of experience in design and manufacture.”
Some of their lines were very popular and are well-known to collectors today – Late Sunflower (OMN White Cosmos, above), Iris and Herringbone (OMN Iris) and Floragold (right, which was in fact a copy of Westmoreland’s earlier Louisa pattern) are ones that are familiar to many.
Some collectors balk at this glass being classed as Carnival, but that is exactly what it is! This is how we have defined "Carnival Glass" in our books, here on our website, in our Facebook Group, and in our extensive writings and research work.
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Puzzles and Mysteries Solved
As we noted above, many of Jeannette Late Carnival patterns are well known, but some have been under the radar for many years, having been incorrectly attributed or virtually ignored.
However, a fascinating and fortuitous voyage of discovery in early March, 2022, started as so many do, with something completely different and “out-of-the-blue”. We spotted an illustration on a Facebook group (courtesy Fran Yorke) that had no titling or description – it caught our attention and we contacted Fran who said that the image was from Tom Felt. We pursued the lead and thanks to Tom Felt (The Museum of American Glass in West Virginia, or MAGWV for short) we now have access to a fascinating little booklet published by Jeannette Glass Co. in 1928, and called "Popular Glass Assortments".
It turns some widely accepted facts and attributions on their heads! It also provides information and attributions where previously there was speculation (often incorrect). So, here we present three familiar patterns and their original maker’s names (OMNs) – all produced in Carnival by Jeannette c. 1928 – and all currently attributed (often in print) to other makers.
As we noted above, many of Jeannette Late Carnival patterns are well known, but some have been under the radar for many years, having been incorrectly attributed or virtually ignored.
However, a fascinating and fortuitous voyage of discovery in early March, 2022, started as so many do, with something completely different and “out-of-the-blue”. We spotted an illustration on a Facebook group (courtesy Fran Yorke) that had no titling or description – it caught our attention and we contacted Fran who said that the image was from Tom Felt. We pursued the lead and thanks to Tom Felt (The Museum of American Glass in West Virginia, or MAGWV for short) we now have access to a fascinating little booklet published by Jeannette Glass Co. in 1928, and called "Popular Glass Assortments".
It turns some widely accepted facts and attributions on their heads! It also provides information and attributions where previously there was speculation (often incorrect). So, here we present three familiar patterns and their original maker’s names (OMNs) – all produced in Carnival by Jeannette c. 1928 – and all currently attributed (often in print) to other makers.
Diamond Point Columns (OMN Diamond Optic)
Booklet clips above and below from Jeannette 1928 "Popular Glass Assortments". Courtesy Tom Felt MAGWV.
The pattern shown in these two extracts will be familiar to many as Diamond Point Columns (which was an unfortunate choice as it is the same name, but not the same pattern, as a Fenton vase). Usually categorised as Late or Depression Carnival Glass, this line is widely attributed to Anchor Hocking (and even Iittala in Finland … which it most certainly isn’t). None of the attributions have yet been accompanied by a catalogue image, as far as we are aware. And now here are the actual catalogue images – and they prove Jeannette was the maker. The pattern was called Diamond Optic by Jeannette and was made in Carnival (marigold “iridescent”) as well as green and pink (not-iridised). Here in the 1928 Jeannette booklet, we see the 7-piece berry set as well as the 3-piece table set (sugar, butter and creamer) and the sherbet and plate set. So, strike out the Anchor Hocking attribution – this is a Jeannette product. |
Blossom and Band (OMN Wild Rose). Booklet clips from Jeannette 1928 "Popular Glass Assortments". Courtesy Tom Felt MAGWV. This pattern is known in the berry set and auto vase shapes – the latter often being incorrectly attributed to Diamond Glass (of Dugan-Diamond) and even Imperial. Now we know the true maker was Jeannette.
We can also give these items their rightful pattern name now too – Wild Rose – thanks to the 1928 Jeannette “Popular Glass Assortments” booklet. |
Prism and Daisy Band (OMN Floral Ribbed)
This cute 6-inch-high vase is widely – and incorrectly – attributed to Imperial. We can now state with absolute certainty that it was made by Jeannette and they called it Floral Ribbed. Several shapes, including the vase, berry set and sherbet or sundae dish/underplate are known in marigold, dating from c. 1928.
This cute 6-inch-high vase is widely – and incorrectly – attributed to Imperial. We can now state with absolute certainty that it was made by Jeannette and they called it Floral Ribbed. Several shapes, including the vase, berry set and sherbet or sundae dish/underplate are known in marigold, dating from c. 1928.