NetworK ezine Issue 108. May 2024
Totally Devoted to Carnival Glass
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Welcome to the May issue of NetworK – doesn’t time fly? It seems only moments since we were putting the finishing touches to the previous issue of our ezine. We begin this fresh issue with a deep dive into the early years of Imperial – and we share some insights that give clarity to the company’s amazing output.
The Genesis of Imperial Imperial started in 1901 – its early days, its challenges and its initial growth are all well documented. The company gained much praise in the glass journals of the time. “It is the largest pressed glass house in the world” stated an editorial in the “Pottery & Glass Journal” in 1905. The head of Imperial, Captain Muhleman, was said to be “confident that he surpassed all other makers in the quality of metal (i.e. the glass) produced and he is making some special goods in that metal which he thinks would give a dealer a small gold mine if he got the exclusive right for his section” (“Pottery & Glass Journal” 1905). A further insight into how Muhleman worked at Imperial was in “Glass and Pottery World”, 1905: “Captain Muhleman, of the Imperial Glass Company, can be found much of the time in an office located at the center of a great room, 275x278 feet. The office is raised above the floor, has four glass sides, and from here this keen-eyed, forceful man of affairs sees every corner of the room where the ware is selected, wrapped and packed. The visitor is welcomed and asked to pick up pieces at random, just as they come from eighteen different lehrs to be selected…. The dealer who comes here leaves with a little better understanding of how this biggest of all the table ware plants has succeeded in getting so quickly its acknowledged high reputation. The Imperial has leaped during the months of its short career into a prestige such as formerly could only be won by decades of labor.” |
Imperial’s Poinsettia one pint pitcher in purple.
Courtesy Seeck Auctions |
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Firstly, let's look at the very first catalogue that Imperial published. It’s undated but Imperial historians believe c.1904 is the likely date for it. Here is what was written in the very first paragraph of that very first catalogue: “The Imperial glass company of Bellaire, Ohio, enters the market by publishing this catalog. It is worthy of your most careful and repeated study, because every design shown in it is absolutely new. Our line was built up, while our factory was being built, and unlike other glass houses we were not compelled to make use of what already existed, whether we liked it or not, but every arrangement in our plant, and every mould in our line were made, because and just as we wanted them, the amplest capital enabling us to install every improvement which our long personal experience suggested to us.” The catalogue contains a wide range of items, with a concentration on shades (both for gas and electric) and lamps at the start – tumblers, mugs and stemware (mainly plain) plus tableware in both high grade and cheap lines. What was interesting to us, as Carnival collectors, was identifying which items shown would then be used for Carnival production a few years later. |
Imperial’s glass was being promoted strongly by Cox and Lafferty
in their New York Showrooms in 1905. “Glass and Pottery World” 1905. |
Imperial's No. 1
Imperial’s No. 1 pattern appears throughout their very first catalogue, in the form of lamp shades and tableware. Although it has the distinction of having been referred to as No. 1 by Imperial, Carnival collectors call it Three in One (for reasons we have never fully understood).
Imperial’s No. 1 pattern appears throughout their very first catalogue, in the form of lamp shades and tableware. Although it has the distinction of having been referred to as No. 1 by Imperial, Carnival collectors call it Three in One (for reasons we have never fully understood).
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Imperial’s No. 1 pattern, aka Three in One in smoke.
Courtesy Seeck Auctions. |
Below (left) is an extract from Butler Bros. 1908 wholesale catalogue showing Imperial’s No 1 aka Three in One pattern flanked by two bowls in the Hobstar pattern. Note the ad is for items in clear crystal only, however both patterns were subsequently made in Carnival. In fact, the production of Three in One in Carnival started just a few years after its introduction in crystal by Imperial. Marigold is most often found, although bowls are known in purple and smoke.
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Above: a 1910 Butler Brothers ad showing Carnival Glass from Imperial. Morning Glory, Three in One, Rococo, Tulip and Cane, Morning Glory and what appears to be Diamond Ring.
Right: a 1912 ad in the British Pottery Gazette for the wholesaler, Markt & Co. which imported Imperial glass into the UK. The two Carnival items shown are Three in One and the Pansy pickle dish.
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As we noted above, the range of items in Imperial’s No. 1 (Three in One) pattern was very wide indeed – but primarily in clear crystal. The Classic Carnival output was limited to bowls and fairly scarce plates.
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It’s interesting that during the Revival years, Imperial reintroduced the pattern. Here it is (right) as a 10 inch pulled vase, and (far right) as a lidded cracker jar, both in Azure Blue (ice blue) in 1969-70. They are IG marked. Both pictures are courtesy Seeck Auctions. The pattern was also used to make a toothpick in various Revival colours, including Sunburst Yellow - shown below in what is thought to be the the last known catalogue produced for Imperial under the ownership of Arthur Lorch for the 1982-83 season. 
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Other Early Patterns
So, what were the other early patterns in that 1904 Imperial catalogue that were subsequently made in Classic Carnival?
Imperial’s No. 3 is what Carnival collectors call Propeller, No. 4 is Optic Flute while No. 5 is Fleur de Lis. (No. 2 is a pattern known as Kayak, but to the best of our knowledge it was never made in Carnival.) Then there’s a jump to No. 9 (6,7 and 8 were not made in Carnival) which was Tulip and Cane.
Imperial’s No. 3, aka Propeller.
Two sizes of this comport shape were made – both are known in Carnival, as is the vase shape.
So, what were the other early patterns in that 1904 Imperial catalogue that were subsequently made in Classic Carnival?
Imperial’s No. 3 is what Carnival collectors call Propeller, No. 4 is Optic Flute while No. 5 is Fleur de Lis. (No. 2 is a pattern known as Kayak, but to the best of our knowledge it was never made in Carnival.) Then there’s a jump to No. 9 (6,7 and 8 were not made in Carnival) which was Tulip and Cane.
Imperial’s No. 3, aka Propeller.
Two sizes of this comport shape were made – both are known in Carnival, as is the vase shape.
Small Propeller comport in Helios green,
courtesy the late Dave Doty. |
Imperial’s No.3 aka Propeller shown
in their c 1904 catalogue, courtesy Glass Paper Fanatics. |
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Imperial’s No.4 pattern aka Optic Flute. Note that the actual pressed pattern is exterior and it is just above the marie, around the base. The large plain sections of this pattern were used for various forms of decoration such as engraving, sand-blasting and enamelling on crystal glass. Right: Optic Flute shown in Imperial's c 1904 catalogue, courtesy Glass Paper Fanatics.
Far right: Optic Flute bowl in purple, courtesy Seeck Auctions. |
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Imperial’s No.5 pattern aka Fleur de Lis. 
Left: Fleur de Lis footed bowl in marigold, courtesy Seeck Auctions.
Right: Imperial’s No.5 pattern in their c 1904 catalogue, courtesy Glass Paper Fanatics. Note that in the Imperial catalogue this shape was called a comport. |
Left: Imperial’s No.5 pattern aka Fleur de Lis celery shown in their c 1904 catalogue, courtesy Glass Paper Fanatics.
Right: Fleur de Lis celery, marigold, courtesy the late Dave Doty. |
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Imperial’s No.9 pattern aka Tulip and Cane.
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Tulip and Cane shown in Imperial's c 1904 catalogue,
courtesy Glass Paper Fanatics. Note that five sizes were shown in the c 1904 catalogue, but we are only aware of four sizes being reported in Carnival. Left: Tulip and Cane marigold stemware in the 4 reported sizes, courtesy the late Dave Doty. |
And More …
At least seven more patterns were illustrated in that c 1904 catalogue that also subsequently went into Carnival production. They are: Poinsettia one pint pitcher (No. 74), Beaded Acanthus one pint pitcher (No. 78), Diamond Ring (No. 88), Oval & Round (No. 89), Crucifix candlestick (No. 119), Zipper Loop Lamp (No. 201) and Rococo (No. 248).
It is interesting that it’s often thought Imperial’s early designs were all imitation cut geometrics, but these patterns clearly show that was not the case. The Poinsettia and Beaded Acanthus patterns in particular, are exquisitely detailed, stylised florals, whilst Rococo is a flamboyant pattern, swirling and free.
At least seven more patterns were illustrated in that c 1904 catalogue that also subsequently went into Carnival production. They are: Poinsettia one pint pitcher (No. 74), Beaded Acanthus one pint pitcher (No. 78), Diamond Ring (No. 88), Oval & Round (No. 89), Crucifix candlestick (No. 119), Zipper Loop Lamp (No. 201) and Rococo (No. 248).
It is interesting that it’s often thought Imperial’s early designs were all imitation cut geometrics, but these patterns clearly show that was not the case. The Poinsettia and Beaded Acanthus patterns in particular, are exquisitely detailed, stylised florals, whilst Rococo is a flamboyant pattern, swirling and free.
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Imperial No. 78 pattern, Beaded Acanthus.
Left: Beaded Acanthus marigold pitcher, courtesy Seeck Auctions.
Right: Imperial’s No. 78 pattern shown in their c 1904 catalogue, courtesy Glass Paper Fanatics. |
Imperial No. 74 pattern, Poinsettia.
Left: Imperial’s No. 74 pattern shown in their
c 1904 catalogue, courtesy Glass Paper Fanatics. Right: Poinsettia marigold pitcher, courtesy Seeck Auctions. |
Note that, at some point, Imperial changed the top of the Beaded Acanthus pitcher - the line of beads was replaced by a single, straight line, and the top ring on the mould was changed to present a scalloped shape.
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Imperial No. 248, Roccoco.
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Imperial No. 245.
Take a look at this look at this fascinating item that was shown in the c. 1904 catalogue. Collectors will be sad that it was apparently not made in Carnival. It’s a match stand!
We feel it is fair to say that the shape and style are not what might usually be expected of Imperial. It’s a fascinating, imaginative, whimsical piece, possibly meant to be a dolphin, but who knows? Imagine it in rich purple Carnival! We can dream … |
The Rococo comport mould was used to make both bowls (dishes) and vases in this pattern.
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Teal Marigold
We looked at Fenton’s wonderful Teal Marigold in our NetworK #36, back in May, 2018. We showed a small selection of items and linked to a page on our website where we featured a full page from Fenton’s 1988 catalogue showing their new Teal Marigold (colour code “OI”). In early 1989, there was a further offering of Teal Marigold items, and we can show you (right) the full illustrations from that January 1989 catalogue. All the items are detailed in the images themselves. 
Fenton Mandarin vase in Teal Marigold,
courtesy Marty Seufer. |
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Other items were also made in this Teal Marigold colour, including "Chessie" and the "Mermaid Planter".
The Chessie Covered Candy in Fenton’s 1988 catalogue in Teal Marigold. Courtesy Burns Auctions.
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On the left is the Mermaid planter made by Fenton in Teal Marigold for QVC. Courtesy Burns Auctions. On its right is an extract from the 1933 Verlys catalogue (*), showing their No. 1263 E,
called “Les Sirenes". Courtesy Dieter Neumann and Siegmar Geiselberger. It is possible (but not certain) that Fenton made a new mould for this item. |
You can see the full page of Fenton’s 1989 Teal Marigold in the January Supplement, as well as their 1988 catalogue extract here: Fenton Teal Marigold
* In 1966, Fenton acquired a number on Verlys and Verlys of America moulds from their then owner Holophane, and from the 1970s, Fenton used them to make some spectacular Revival Carnival. We have curated these wonderful items into a special presentation of the glass that was produced from them. It is now on our website here: Fenton and Verlys
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Fire at Imperial
The first few years of Imperial are well documented, as we noted at the start of this issue of NetworK. However, we came across something in our research that surprised us, and we don’t think it has been reported in current literature. On February 1st., 1902, as the Imperial factory was being built and fitted out, a huge blaze ripped through the mould shop and carried on to destroy part of the building. To make matters worse, according to the newspaper report, the company’s insurance had only recently expired. It is known that the construction of the Imperial plant slowed down significantly in 1902 and it’s reported that a trade journal noted “the work on the mammoth new plant at Bellaire has progressed so very slowly that it is doubtful if it will be ready for business by the first of the new year” *. Suggestions from recent researchers regarding the slow progress in those early years are “disputes over financial matters and slow payments to the stock subscription fund” *. However, our discovery of the report regarding the devastating fire seems to provide a significant contributory reason for the lack of progress. They had to rebuild, and they had to find the money for it as they were not insured! On the right is the clip from a Wheeling newspaper that describes the awful incident. |
Above: February 1902 extract from a Wheeling newspaper.
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It’s a very revealing piece of history that has not been written about previously, to the best of our knowledge. There’s no doubt that this would have been a major blow for the investors at the time – not just in terms of the money, but more so in terms of the frustration with the lack of progress and the loss of those early moulds. A set-back both mentally and physically. But they pushed on, determined.
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The “Glass and Pottery World” journal also carried a small report about the fire, quoting a higher loss price ($1,000) than the newspaper report had suggested - shown on the right. The indication was clearly there – the set-back was something to be overcome by being bigger and better, as the comment “the building … will be reconstructed at once on a more substantial scale than before” shows. The fire had incentivized them. |
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The rebuilding was successful, and just under two years later, in November 1903, the “Glass and Pottery World” journal reported that “the big plant of the Imperial Glass Company at Bellaire, Ohio, will be put in operation about the beginning of the new year. When completed this will probably be the largest independent tableware factory in the United States”.
An interesting observation can be made regarding the timing. The mould shop fire took place in 1902, when the construction of the Imperial factory buildings was in its early stages. The mould shop was “only a temporary one” (according to the 1902 “Glass and Pottery World”) but already, at this early stage, Imperial was creating the new moulds (from fresh designs) so they would be fully ready to go into glass production as soon as the buildings and equipment were all in place. They didn’t have a ready stock of previous moulds to use, so they were clearly aiming to get ahead of the game by creating them well in advance. In fact Imperial themselves acknowledged this in their first catalogue (1904) explaining that “our line was built up while our factory was being built”.
* Source: “Imperial Glass Encyclopedia Volume One” National Imperial Glass Collectors Society, 1995.
An interesting observation can be made regarding the timing. The mould shop fire took place in 1902, when the construction of the Imperial factory buildings was in its early stages. The mould shop was “only a temporary one” (according to the 1902 “Glass and Pottery World”) but already, at this early stage, Imperial was creating the new moulds (from fresh designs) so they would be fully ready to go into glass production as soon as the buildings and equipment were all in place. They didn’t have a ready stock of previous moulds to use, so they were clearly aiming to get ahead of the game by creating them well in advance. In fact Imperial themselves acknowledged this in their first catalogue (1904) explaining that “our line was built up while our factory was being built”.
* Source: “Imperial Glass Encyclopedia Volume One” National Imperial Glass Collectors Society, 1995.
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Above and left: extracts from Imperial’s
c 1904 catalogue. Courtesy Glass Paper Fanatics. |
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We invite you and your friends to join us all on NetworK's fast growing and very active Facebook Group (link is below), and if you have missed any of the previous issues of NetworK and NetworK Specials, they are all here: Back Issues.
