NetworK ezine Issue 28. September 2017
Totally Devoted to Carnival Glass
The scale and impact of Hurricane Harvey in the USA is immense. Our hearts go out to all those who have been caught up in the devastating events, and also to our readers, their families and friends who have been affected by the tragedy. You are in our thoughts. Stay safe ... stay strong.
DISCOVERY ISSUE - The First of two Discovery Specials
Welcome to your September NetworK, our 35th issue of NetworK and NetworK Specials since the launch of our ezine in 2015.
Our readership has grown enormously, and our Facebook NetworK Group is now nearing 5,000 members. We truly cover the world of Carnival, with members from every single continent. New York, Brisbane, Dallas, London and Melbourne are the top cities for member locations. The theme of this issue is “Discovery” and it’s thanks to our wonderful members, worldwide, that we are all able to discover so much about Carnival. Learning and sharing, together.
DISCOVERY ISSUE - The First of two Discovery Specials
Welcome to your September NetworK, our 35th issue of NetworK and NetworK Specials since the launch of our ezine in 2015.
Our readership has grown enormously, and our Facebook NetworK Group is now nearing 5,000 members. We truly cover the world of Carnival, with members from every single continent. New York, Brisbane, Dallas, London and Melbourne are the top cities for member locations. The theme of this issue is “Discovery” and it’s thanks to our wonderful members, worldwide, that we are all able to discover so much about Carnival. Learning and sharing, together.
The World Fairs or Expositions
They began in 1851. They were massive, impressive, exciting “must-see” exhibitions, and they had millions of visitors, and thousands of exhibitors, from all corners of the world. Presenting a world of Discovery for all who visited, these massive international shows were ground-breaking ventures. They were intended as colossal showcases featuring the industry and art of all nations, but did you know that they spread ideas and inventions that also became part of the heart and soul of Carnival Glass? The very first World Fair in London at the Crystal Palace
in London, England, in1851. Courtesy V&A Museum. In this issue of NetworK we’ll discover a Carnival pattern that was surely inspired by a World Fair glassware exhibit, and in the next issue, we’ll delve even deeper into the discoveries that will surely surprise you. |
An advertising poster for the 1889 World Fair
held in Paris (Exposition Universelle). Public Domain. |
Bertha Discovery
The magnificent marigold chop plate (cake plate) shown here was found and reported in our NetworK Facebook Group by Alan Henderson, in July. This show-stopping beauty is the first plate discovered in this pattern, which was called “Bertha” by the maker, Brockwitz. Seldom seen, Bertha is also known in two sizes of marigold bowl - 9 inches and 4 inches (the largest and the smallest of the six sizes this bowl was made in).
We had been admiring this magnificent plate when something curious happened. One of our current lines of research is the World Fairs (Expositions), in which a huge amount of glass was displayed by some of the finest glassmakers of the era. And there, in a book of illustrations from the mid-1800s, was surely the inspiration for Brockwitz Bertha pattern!
Here it is - below, right - what do you think?
The magnificent marigold chop plate (cake plate) shown here was found and reported in our NetworK Facebook Group by Alan Henderson, in July. This show-stopping beauty is the first plate discovered in this pattern, which was called “Bertha” by the maker, Brockwitz. Seldom seen, Bertha is also known in two sizes of marigold bowl - 9 inches and 4 inches (the largest and the smallest of the six sizes this bowl was made in).
We had been admiring this magnificent plate when something curious happened. One of our current lines of research is the World Fairs (Expositions), in which a huge amount of glass was displayed by some of the finest glassmakers of the era. And there, in a book of illustrations from the mid-1800s, was surely the inspiration for Brockwitz Bertha pattern!
Here it is - below, right - what do you think?
What an astonishing discovery! Is it possible, perhaps, that items in this earlier pattern were owned by the directors or designers at Brockwitz? Maybe they wanted to recreate this older, popular design. Or perhaps the Brockwitz designer saw it in the very same illustration in the book of drawings from the World Fairs that you are looking at right now. Whatever the reason, the similarity between the patterns is very clear.
You can see more pictures of Brockwitz Bertha (the bowl and the plate) and Brockwitz catalogue illustrations, in our Collectors Facts - Bertha.
You can see more pictures of Brockwitz Bertha (the bowl and the plate) and Brockwitz catalogue illustrations, in our Collectors Facts - Bertha.
Cosmos and Cane Discovery
Lauren Bush recently discovered this fascinating Cosmos and Cane bowl. At first glance, it seems like any other … but stop! Turn it over and look at the base. Instead of the usual collar base (marie), Lauren’s bowl has a moulded pattern that covers the entire base. Furthermore, it has an encircling mould line all the way around the lower part of the bowl, and no other visible mould lines at all. A study of United States Glass Co. catalogues from the 1890s show that a number of items were made in this way, with no collar base, which seems to have been a characteristic of the company, that they used from time to time. Joan Doty also told us that "there are some Cosmos & Cane pickle dishes without a marie, or any sort of base". This is an intriguing discovery that we were previously unaware of. |
To see the full story of U.S. Glass' Cosmos and Cane pattern, plus more photos of Lauren’s fascinating bowl, see our Collectors Facts - Cosmos and Cane.
Vesuvius Discovery The discovery of a previously unreported pattern is always a thrill. We were excited last month to bring you the Betkers’ amazing discovery of a previously unknown Karhula vase (named Sherry) and again, this month, we have another vase discovery for you. Sourced in Poland, we have named this beauty “Vesuvius” on account of the mountain like peaks in the design, and the glowing limes and pinks that shimmer down it, a little like molten lava. The vase stands 8 inches high and it has a ground and polished 3 inch square base. It has an Art Deco style and a clever repetition of the design elements featured in the pointed flutes on both rim and base. The style of the vase and the location of its discovery suggest to us that it was made in Poland, but as yet, we cannot firmly attribute it to a factory. |
Indiana Harvest Ads Discovered
Indiana Glass made their Harvest (Grape) pattern in Carnival Glass from 1971, and many of us have examples of it in our collections.
Indiana Glass made their Harvest (Grape) pattern in Carnival Glass from 1971, and many of us have examples of it in our collections.
In fact, it might have started off the Carnival collecting bug for many of us! It was one of the first kinds of “new” Carnival and it is deliciously typical of its era … the Seventies. Just think; in a few more years it will be half a century old. So Retro! While researching, we discovered some amazing old newspaper ads for Indiana’s Carnival Glass. Here’s one of them from 1972, shown in the “Palm Beach Post”. You can see several pieces in the Harvest range, as well as a “Hostess” plate and a Carnival Hen. In a special feature on our website, we show old catalogue ads as well as a wide range of amazing 1970s newspaper ads for Indiana’s Carnival. It’s a “must-see” trip down Memory Lane. Here are two links to more information here on our website: Collectors Facts - Indiana Harvest. There are 2 pages of ads! How to ID Indiana Hostess and Sowerby Chunky patterns. |
September Berries
September! In the northern hemisphere we enter the season of “mists and mellow fruitfulness” as Keats once wrote. In the southern hemisphere, summer will be on its way soon. This picture perfectly reflects the season for us. The pieces in the photo are: Eda's Floral Sunburst vase and Imperial's Loganberry vase - in the front are Dugan's Vintage perfume and Dugan's Twigs vase. |
My Little Secret! #2
Decorating eggs is an ancient art form – there is even an International Egg Art Guild to promote it! Fenton Art Glass carried on the tradition of “egg art”, and they made a very large range of Contemporary Carnival eggs with a wide variety of different designs. They are hand decorated with enamelling, gilding or frit - or even all three together. These little eggs are around 3.5 inches high and they are very collectable.
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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.
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.