NetworK ezine Issue 117. February 2025
Totally Devoted to Carnival Glass
Welcome to NetworK #117
American Beauty Rose
We came across this amazing ad just a few weeks ago. It is not one that we had seen before, nor are we aware that it has been shared in books or similar. Finding an old ad like this is like uncovering buried treasure.
As we slowly turned the pages of the glass journal, this astonishing illustration gradually appeared. As the ad was revealed, it was as if the clock had turned back a full century. We were touching the past – connecting with history. This was what the public were entranced by all those years ago, and the splendid ad offers us insights into so much more. Let’s see what is revealed.
American Beauty Rose
We came across this amazing ad just a few weeks ago. It is not one that we had seen before, nor are we aware that it has been shared in books or similar. Finding an old ad like this is like uncovering buried treasure.
As we slowly turned the pages of the glass journal, this astonishing illustration gradually appeared. As the ad was revealed, it was as if the clock had turned back a full century. We were touching the past – connecting with history. This was what the public were entranced by all those years ago, and the splendid ad offers us insights into so much more. Let’s see what is revealed.
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The name
The pattern we see here is one that, for many years, collectors referred to as Lustre Rose (while similar items without feet, were called Open Rose). Back in 2014 we authored an article on our website in which we explained that the original Imperial name for Lustre Rose and Open Rose, shown in their catalogues, was “American Beauty Rose” (sometimes also shortened to “American Beauties”). And now here, we see it proudly proclaimed in the glass journals too. “The American Beauty Rose”. Let’s hope we can include this original name in our collecting vernacular more and more. The date The text states that the pattern is Imperial’s “latest design”, thus enabling us to put a firm, clear date to the introduction of “American Beauty Rose” as 1911. We have previously felt that 1911 or 1912 was the correct date, but this wonderful ad accurately pins it down. The design Note the interesting comment that the design was selected (for Carnival production) “on account of it being particularly adapted to iridescent glass, bringing out the various tints in a wonderful way”. Two characteristics in particular are responsible for this – the all-over, background stippling and the cameo mouldwork. Each of these enhances the vibrance and shimmer of the iridescence. 
Above: detail from the American Beauty Rose pattern on a purple plate, showing the stippling and the cameo mouldwork.
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1911 Cox & Lafferty ad. courtesy New York Public Library.
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The colour The ad says it all: “Old Gold Color”. This was Imperial’s amber, introduced in 1911, it was produced for around five years only and was discontinued in 1916-17 (as explained in our research, see NetworK 111, link below). Amber glass was usually created by adding iron and carbon compounds to the batch, often with added selenium or sulphur. 
Above: "American Beauty Rose" fern dish in amber, courtesy Seeck Auctions.
There’s no doubt that amber was a more expensive colour to produce, as indicated by the prices shown for the fern dish in this extract from Imperial’s Catalog 101B, 1915, on the right. |
Above: extract from Imperial’s Catalog 101B, 1915.
Courtesy Glass Paper Fanatics. |
Old Gold (amber) was $2 per barrel lot, compared to $1.50 for Rubigold (marigold) and $1.75 for Azur (purple / amethyst) and Helios.
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As an aside, note that in Imperial catalogues, each colour has its own unique reference code (for ordering) – the amber / Old Gold being "R". In this Catalog 101B, the amber American Beauty Rose pattern had the number 1011, but in subsequent catalogues all colours of this item had the number 489. Amber Carnival Imperial was the main producer of amber Carnival Glass in the USA, during the Classic production era. Fenton and Northwood made a very limited amount, probably (in the case of Fenton) by accident. Imperial’s amber varies from being an absolute show-stopper, shimmering with purples, pinks and turquoise, on a rich honey background, to a somewhat less-inspiring, silvery-toned, brown. Not many other Carnival producers, worldwide, produced magnificent examples of amber Carnival – but Finland’s Riihimaki was an exception. Riihimaki made stunning amber Carnival, easily matching the quality of that produced by Imperial. On the right is Riihimaki’s Jupiter vase in amber. Further reading:
Imperial’s amber/Old Gold: NetworK #111 Lustre Rose and Open Rose: The American Beauty Rose |
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Tobacco Road
A few weeks ago, in a European Carnival theme for our Facebook group, Vidar Bergstrøm shared this image (right) of his deco style combined cigarette and matchbox holder. He had first shown this in our group several years ago, but despite much searching, these items remained unidentified and un-attributed. Until, that is, Mona Reivonen from Finland, spotted the post and was immediately able to tell us the maker and provide the verifying catalogue information. The maker was Riihimaki, and Mona showed us an extract from their 1954 catalogue, as below. Hats off to Mona! 
Riihimaki's 1954 catalogue
We searched Riihimaki’s catalogues further, and we found these items had appeared in a 1941 catalogue (but not in earlier issues) as well as in the 1954 one that Mona shared. In the 1941 catalogue shown on the right, they were described as a “Tupakkkakalusto 4-os” – a four-piece tobacco set. The four pieces that made up the #6778 set are the cigarette holder, matchbox holder, ashtray (all three having the same jagged edge form) plus an under-tray. It is not possible to confirm if the under-tray was glass. The set was numbered 6778. When the same set appeared later in Riihimaki's 1954 catalogue (along with three other items of tobacciana, as shown on the right), the catalogue number had been changed from 6778 to 5614. |
Above: a Deco style cigarette and matchbox holder,
courtesy Vidar Bergstrøm. 
Above: extract from Riihimaki's 1941 catalogue
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It is the custom in Carnival Glass collecting, that the finder of a newly-discovered pattern is asked to name it. We asked Vidar if he would grace the items with a name and he chose “Chevronit” – a Finnish word meaning “chevrons” (referencing that distinctive repeated V shape of the edge). Here on the right is another match holder that shows how they were intended to work: slide the matchbox over the top of the holder and the box opens to reveal the matches. Right: a rare purple Penny Match Holder made by Imperial.
Courtesy of Seeck Auctions. Read more about tobacco related Carnival pieces: NetworK #41 |
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Fenton
On the right (below) is a Revival era Wildflower covered comport in amethyst Carnival, on the cover of Fenton’s “Glass Messenger”. It was chosen by the late Frank M. Fenton as his Family Signature Series piece for 2002. It’s a stunning piece, and it was explained in the “Messenger” that “the Wildflower pattern
On the right (below) is a Revival era Wildflower covered comport in amethyst Carnival, on the cover of Fenton’s “Glass Messenger”. It was chosen by the late Frank M. Fenton as his Family Signature Series piece for 2002. It’s a stunning piece, and it was explained in the “Messenger” that “the Wildflower pattern
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debuted in the 1880s, the decade of his (Frank’s) father’s birth, and Frank likes to imagine the pleasure his father and his Uncle John had when Fenton’s first iridescent ware was such a marketplace hit in 1907-08.”
The Wildflower pattern was originally created by Adams & Co., Pittsburgh and was subsequently copied by St Clair and L.G. Wright, prior to the Fenton reproduction. 
Shown above is the three-part mould used by Fenton for the body of the comport, and (below) is the two-part mould used for the lid.
The sale list for Fenton's moulds said that they were previously owned by Wright. It's not known if, or to what extent Fenton re-engineered them. Pictures courtesy of the Fenton Family and Fenton Art Glass Co. 
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Extract from Fenton’s “Glass Messenger” 2002.
Courtesy Fenton Family and Fenton Art Glass Co., and thanks to Glass Paper Fanatics. |
In that same edition of “Glass Messenger” was a selection of Fenton’s “new Amethyst Carnival”, as shown below, right. We can see several hand-decorated items and the “Grape Decanter” (bottom right), a reproduction of Dugan-Diamond’s Golden Harvest.
In that same edition of “Glass Messenger” was a selection of Fenton’s “new Amethyst Carnival”, as shown below, right. We can see several hand-decorated items and the “Grape Decanter” (bottom right), a reproduction of Dugan-Diamond’s Golden Harvest.
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At the top of the page was an interesting item - a Hobstar water set - shown below in more detail. 
It was described as “made with moulds purchased from the Paden City Glass Manufacturing Co. in the early 1950s when that firm closed its doors.”
In fact, this water set was first made by J. B. Higbee Glass Co., PA. and originally called Laurel, and it was among a wide range of shapes made in that pattern from around 1908. In c. 1918, the moulds were acquired by Paden City Glass when Higbee closed, and the pattern was then known as No.203, aka “Webb” or “Webb #203". Later, when Paden City closed in 1951 the moulds went to Canton Glass of Marion, IN., who purchased the entire inventory. Later still, Fenton acquired some of those moulds, including the Hobstar water set. 
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Detailed extract from Fenton’s “Glass Messenger” 2002.
Courtesy Fenton Family and Fenton Art Glass Co., and thanks to Glass Paper Fanatics. The Laurel / Webb #203 / Hobstar water set is not known in Classic, old Carnival. However, several items in this pattern are known in pale marigold including a vase (right), and they are most likely post-production iridised, i.e. water ambered by mineral springs.
Right: an early version - probably Higbee's Laurel vase - in what appears to be water-ambered crystal glass. Courtesy Seeck Auctions. |
You can read all about post production iridising at mineral springs on our website – see the link below to “Marlin and Water Ambered Glass”. (A few other Higbee pieces are also known in the water-ambered effect.)
Further Reading
Fenton Revival Amethyst Carnival: Revival Amethyst
Marlin and Water Ambered Glass: What is "Water Ambered" glass?
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Hidden Gems
We have a huge amount of information on our website covering Carnival Glass, from Classic to Revival, and from makers all around the world. There is so much there! So from time to time, here in NetworK, we will highlight an article or a snippet of information that you may have missed. Here is one from 2020 - Opalescent Carnival Glass - The Fire Within Iridescent and Opalescent glass can be confused. Whilst they are very different types of glass, the two glassmaking techniques have been skilfully combined in the form of opalescent glass that was also iridised – opalescent Carnival, which is known in the form of aqua opal, peach opal, vaseline opal and more. It should not be confused with iridised milk glass or moonstone. In this article, we explore how opalescent glass was made, the crucial ingredient, and some of the glass companies that produced it, and then we take a detailed look at the Carnival Glass companies that took opalescent glass to a new level by introducing iridescence to opalescence to super effect! Here is the Article: Opalescent Carnival Glass - The Fire Within Right: a stunning peach opal Fishnet epergne with deep opal
and an amazing three-in-one edge, made by Dugan. Courtesy Seeck Auctions |
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Above: a trio of Western Thistle tumblers.
On the left is a marigold tumbler with a flared top. Only later did it become known that there were other shapes, colours and even a variant! In the centre is a barrel shaped tumbler in blue, and on the right is the variant - Banded Western Thistle - in marigold. |
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Kukka was the name given by Riihimaki to the pattern that Carnival collectors know as Western Thistle. The word “kukka” means flowers, which is what the pattern represents. So how did it come to get the name “Western Thistle”?
The story starts in 1977, when a Carnival collector in California found several marigold tumblers from a (then) unknown maker. He, and some fellow Californian collectors, called the pattern “Western Thistle”. It was only when, some years later, catalogues from Riihimaki in Finland were discovered and the pattern was then given its correct maker attribution. Fast forward to the early 2000s when we began our research and fact-finding missions to the Nordic countries. On a study visit to the Finnish Glass Museum at Riihimaki we spoke at length with the curator, Kaisa Koivisto, who gave us a copy of an early catalogue that was issued immediately after Riihimaki took over the Kauklahti glass works. In this catalogue we found many original maker’s pattern names (OMNs) and thus we were able to ascribe the correct name to “Western Thistle” – it was “Kukka”. Of course, once a pattern name has been established in collector’s vernacular, it should not be displaced – however, adding the context and original, historical information is vital too – and we can refer to the pattern as “Western Thistle” OMN “Kukka”. You can read more about this pattern and European Carnival Glass and its huge variety of patterns, shapes and makers, in our various eBooks, available on our website. |
Our eight different vase shapes Riihimaki's Western Thistle pattern.
Original Maker's Name (OMN) - Kukka. |
Discover even more about the amazing range of Carnival Glass made by Riihimaki:
"Carnival Glass from Finland” Revised 2nd. Edition eBook, 2012, 118 pages long: Carnival Glass made in Finland
Our original “Carnival Glass from Europe” Encyclopedia eBook, 2019, almost 300 pages long: Carnival Glass from Europe
Our fully updated Part Two Carnival Glass from Europe” eBook, 2024, 139 pages long: Carnival Glass from Europe, Part Two
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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.
