The Mysterious Mystery Grape
The Mystery Grape
The phone rang one warm summer evening back in 1993. We picked up, expecting it to be Aunty Jane from London … but we were startled to hear instead, a rich Midwestern accent, as the caller announced himself to be Bill Griffith from Wisconsin, a Carnival Glass collector. Bill had found a most unusual piece of glass that he had been trying to investigate for a few years.
Here are Bill’s words written in 1993:
The phone rang one warm summer evening back in 1993. We picked up, expecting it to be Aunty Jane from London … but we were startled to hear instead, a rich Midwestern accent, as the caller announced himself to be Bill Griffith from Wisconsin, a Carnival Glass collector. Bill had found a most unusual piece of glass that he had been trying to investigate for a few years.
Here are Bill’s words written in 1993:
“What is it? I haven’t got the slightest idea! By process of elimination I do know at this point what it’s NOT: it's not Millersburg, Northwood, Fenton, Westmoreland. At the HOACGA Convention last year John Britt carried it around for a while, Tom Mordini pondered it a bit, Frank Fenton had no guess at all. So when you strike out with those three, what do you do?
I sent Tom Burns a picture. Nope! Well, I started calling around for ideas. Then the mysterious bowl ended up with Marie McGee in California. (This was before she determined it was not Millersburg). Marie has a friend that had one of these precious little deceivers mounted on a silver stand (the glass not the friend). This person knew little history on the bowl and guess where mine is now? England. I called the Thistlewoods, described the glass and it was immediately posted to them with great care. Hopefully there will be a phone call from the “Sherlock Holmes Carnival Glass Identification Bureau, European Branch”. Still sleuthing around." |
It was at this point that the pattern began to acquire a name (we had to call it something) and “Mystery Grape” stuck. The Mystery Grape bowls are approx. 6.5 to 7 inches in diameter and the edge is ruffled (six ruffles). All examples we have seen have been in a rich green, usually with a splendid iridescence. Like the Four Flowers Variant, the Mystery Grape pattern is cameo (raised up) and is from a one-piece mould. Both patterns share a ground base (with a central star) and an exterior Thumbprint pattern. The Mystery Grape is a scarce item: examples have been found in the UK, USA and Australia. In our opinion, the characteristics of the Mystery Grape are so similar to the Four Flowers Variant and the Four Flowers Hybrid, that we believe they are from the same maker as these comparative pictures below show. Our intensive research has revealed the maker that we believe produced both the Mystery Grape and the Four Flowers Variant (and the Hybrids shown above) – Brockwitz of Germany. Furthermore, it is highly likely that production was from as early as 1905. Read the full story here: Untangling The Gordian Knot. |
The top row in each picture shows the interior and exterior of the 6.5" Four Flowers Hybrids (in amber and green, courtesy John & Frances Hodgson), and below them is a green Mystery Grape 6.5" bowl, the “sister” pattern of the Four Flowers Variant and surely from the same maker. The angle of the shot makes the Hybrids look smaller, but they are actually the exact same size as the Mystery Grape.
The top row in each picture shows the interior and exterior of the 6.5" Four Flowers Hybrids (in amber and green, courtesy John & Frances Hodgson), and below them is a green Mystery Grape 6.5" bowl, the “sister” pattern of the Four Flowers Variant and surely from the same maker. The angle of the shot makes the Hybrids look smaller, but they are actually the exact same size as the Mystery Grape.
Our article The Enigmatic Four Flowers Variant, explains the differences between the different versions (and makers) of the "Four Flowers" pattern and the known variants.